My Story
I built Coffee Journal because South Africa has one of the most exciting specialty coffee scenes in the world, but no central home for it. Every roaster, every brewing method, every dial-in attempt teaches me something new. This is my notebook — and now, yours too. Bean by bean, we're learning together.
I'm no expert — just someone who fell in love with the ritual of making espresso at home. From pulling my first terrible shot to obsessively tracking grind settings, this journey has been about curiosity, not credentials. “Coffee Amateur” isn't false modesty; it's a commitment to learning alongside the South African coffee community, not above it. Even surviving Stage 6 without my espresso machine became a lesson in embracing the unexpected.
What This Site Is For
Track your espresso — grind, dose, yield, taste, shot by shot
Discover SA roasters — and verify who's truly transparent
Learn the craft together — glossary, blog, community
Why South Africa
SA's coffee scene is unique — shaped by load shedding resilience, diverse water profiles, altitude differences from the Cape Winelands to the Highveld, and a fiercely independent third-wave movement thriving in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, and beyond.
From micro-roasters stamping roast dates on every bag to farm-direct importers building relationships across East Africa, there\'s a transparency and passion here that deserves to be documented.
Honest Disclosure
I'm a passionate amateur, not a certified roaster or barista. Content here is my learning journey, fact-checked against SCA standards and in consultation with SA coffee professionals. Coffee Journal is free to use and independently run.