This page collects every release we have shipped, newest first, with a link to the detailed note where one exists. We keep the archive because customers ask what changed and when, and because a searchable history is the cheapest documentation there is. Older notes such as the March 2019 release are kept for reference even when the feature has since changed. If a note is missing, the changelog inside the product has the same information in a shorter form.
Blog
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Keeping a coffee journal
The paper logbook
Keeping a simple notebook by the kettle transforms random brewing successes into repeatable morning routines. Write down the water temperature, the dry weight of your grinds, the amount of water used, and the total pour time. When you try some washed Ethiopian beans on a quiet Sunday morning, you can trace exactly why that specific cup tasted like sweet jasmine instead of sour grass. A digital spreadsheet works too, but a physical page requires no screen time and easily resists a few stray water droplets during a busy morning session.
Variables that matter
Most people track too many things at once when they start journaling, ending up with a page of useless numbers that obscure the big picture. Focus on the primary elements: the grind setting, the total brew time, and how the liquid tasted after cooling for five minutes. If you are preparing espresso, consistency in your tamping pressure is much more important than obsessing over tiny fluctuations in room humidity or barometric pressure. Write down your sensory impressions simply, using everyday descriptors like “sweet but slightly thin” or “intensely bright.” Overcomplicating the vocabulary makes the process feel like a chore rather than a pleasant habit.
Decaf and roast profiles
Different styles of processing affect how a bean behaves in your brewer, and recording these differences helps you adapt quickly. For example, a Swiss Water decaf often extracts much faster and can turn bitter if you do not actively adjust your technique or lower your water temperature. Keeping these brief notes helps you spot patterns over several months of trying different coffees.
Similarly, when switching to light roast beans, you might notice the water takes longer to pass through the paper filter due to physical density. An experienced roaster once told me, “harder seeds require hotter water,” which is a perfect rule of thumb to jot down in the margins of your book. These quick observations save you from wasting expensive coffee on poorly brewed trial runs.
Tracking your palate
Over time, your logbook becomes a highly personal map of your evolving taste. You will begin to notice that some growing regions or processing methods consistently appeal to your palate more than others. Instead of relying on memory — which is notoriously unreliable after a few weeks — you can look back at three months of daily entries and buy your next bag with absolute confidence… it turns a guessing game into a predictable pleasure.
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Cutting the sediment in a French press
The source of the silt
The French press remains a beloved fixture in many kitchens because of its simple design and rich body. However, that heavy mouthfeel often comes with an unpleasant trade-off in the form of a muddy, gritty residue at the bottom of your cup. This fine dust passes straight through the metal mesh screen — settling into a dark sludge that ruins the final sips of an otherwise excellent brew. If you are using a budget coffee setup, you might find this issue particularly pronounced, but it affects high-end brewers just as easily. Managing this sediment does not require expensive new gear, but rather a few deliberate adjustments to how you handle the brewer.
The primary culprit is the distribution of microscopic particles, often called fines, produced during grinding. Even high-quality milling equipment generates some dust alongside the target particle size. If you are using a motorized or manual mill, performing regular maintenance like zeroing the burrs can help keep your grind profile as uniform as possible. When the cutting surfaces are misaligned, they shred the beans unevenly, creating an excess of tiny fragments that easily slip past the wire filter. Keeping the machinery clean and calibrated is the first line of defense against a muddy cup.
The wait and skim method
Traditional instructions tell you to steep the grounds for four minutes, plunge immediately, and pour. This rush is exactly what sweeps the suspended particles into your mug. A far more effective approach involves patience and a pair of wide, shallow spoons. After letting the hot water sit with the ground coffee for about five minutes, you will notice a thick crust of grounds floating at the top of the beaker. Gently stir this crust with a spoon to make the saturated grounds sink to the bottom.
Once the crust falls, a layer of pale foam and floating oils will remain on the surface. You should skim this off using two cupping spoons to clean up the top of the liquid. This step removes bitter, insoluble elements that would otherwise muddy the flavor. Let the beaker sit undisturbed for another five to seven minutes. During this quiet window, gravity does the heavy lifting, pulling the fine suspended silt down into a compact cake at the bottom of the glass pot.
Decanting with care
The final phase requires a complete shift in how you use the plunger. Instead of forcing the metal screen down through the liquid, which agitates the settled bed and forces silt upward, you should use the filter merely as a barrier. Place the lid on top so the screen just touches the surface of the liquid. As one veteran roaster noted, “the plunger is a gatekeeper, not a piston.” By keeping the mesh at the surface, you avoid disturbing the delicate sediment cake resting at the bottom.
When you begin to pour the brewed coffee into your mug, do so slowly and steadily. Tilting the beaker too quickly creates currents that lift the fines back into suspension. Watch the liquid flow through the glass, and stop pouring as soon as the level gets close to the metal filter disk. Leaving the last ounce of liquid behind in the press is a small price to pay for a clean, sediment-free cup. Through patience and gentle movement, you can enjoy the deep, oil-rich body of immersion brewing without the gritty residue that usually marks the end of the pot… a truly simple upgrade to your daily routine.
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Using sourdough discard
Managing your weekly discard
Every home baker knows the quiet guilt of washing flour down the drain. When you keep a starter on your counter, the daily maintenance can feel wasteful. Storing the unfed portion in a jar in the refrigerator at 38 degrees Fahrenheit pauses its activity, turning it into what we call discard. Over a week, this jar fills up with a thick, acidic batter that has lost its power to raise a loaf of bread on its own, but still retains incredible flavor. You can keep this jar for up to two weeks before the acidity becomes too harsh and a gray liquid begins to collect on top.
When you open the jar, you might smell a sharp hint of acetone or vinegar. This is normal … a sign of lactic and acetic acids working in isolation. “It is still perfectly usable,” says my local baking mentor, who has kept a starter alive since 1994. Using this acidic paste in non-yeasted recipes adds a complex, tangy depth that commercial yeast can never replicate.
Quick breakfast applications
The easiest way to empty a full jar of discard is to pour it directly onto a hot, greased griddle. By whisking 200 grams of discard with a pinch of baking soda, half a teaspoon of kosher salt, and a teaspoon of sugar, you trigger an immediate chemical reaction. The baking soda neutralizes the heavy lactic acid, creating tiny carbon dioxide bubbles that make the batter puff up into light, lacy pancakes.
If you want to incorporate it into a richer breakfast bake, you can use it to replace a portion of the flour and liquid in a standard waffle mix. The acidity tenderizes the gluten, yielding a crisp exterior and a tender interior. This technique works beautifully when you want a flaky texture without the heavy fat content of a laminated pastry or a sweet cinnamon roll dough, making it a reliable weekend staple.
Crispy baked crackers
Crackers are another highly forgiving outlet for old starter. To make a batch, scale out 200 grams of discard and combine it with 60 grams of all-purpose flour, 30 grams of melted unsalted butter, and two tablespoons of dried herbs like rosemary or thyme. Roll the mixture directly onto a sheet of parchment paper until it is paper-thin — about one-sixteenth of an inch. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, scoring the surface halfway through the bake so they snap cleanly when cooled.
This process requires no fermentation time, which might feel like cutting against the grain for traditional sourdough enthusiasts who are used to twelve-hour waits. However, the high heat of the oven cooks out the water rapidly, leaving behind a concentrated, cheesy flavor even though no cheese was added. Keep them in an airtight container, where they will remain crisp for five days.
Adjusting your recipes
If you want to add discard to your own favorite recipes, you need to treat it as equal parts flour and water by weight. A typical starter is kept at 100 percent hydration, meaning it contains 50 grams of water for every 50 grams of flour. If a muffin recipe calls for 200 grams of milk and 200 grams of flour, you can substitute 100 grams of discard by reducing the milk to 150 grams and the flour to 150 grams.
Keep in mind that the flour type in your starter affects how it absorbs liquid. If your starter is fed with whole grains, you must account for the higher water absorption rate, which behaves differently than standard white flour formulas. This whole wheat hydration factor requires a touch more liquid in the main batter to prevent a dry crumb. You should also note that heavily acidic discard can weaken the structure of your bakes, a phenomenon that becomes especially noticeable when adjusting recipes for high-altitude baking where gas expansion is already accelerated.
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Packing a bike for a flight
When packing a bike box for a flight, remove the pedals first and secure them to the frame. Loosen the stem bolts to turn the handlebars sideways, or slide them off entirely to strap them to the fork. Remove the front wheel, slide a plastic spacer between your disc brake calipers to prevent accidental clamping, and pad the frame tubes with foam plumbing insulation.
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Reading bulk fermentation
Watching the rise
Bulk fermentation is the foundational phase where your dough builds its primary flavor profile and aeration. Unlike a rigid kitchen timer, the dough responds dynamically to the ambient room temperature — which often fluctuates between 68 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit in a home kitchen. Instead of waiting for a strict four-hour mark, you should train your eyes to watch the volume increase. A transparent, straight-sided container marked with rubber bands or dry-erase marker lines makes this expansion easy to measure. For a standard white loaf, a 30 to 50 percent increase in volume is often the ideal target. If you are working with a recipe that utilizes a generous portion of whole grain flour, the fermentation will proceed much faster due to the abundance of minerals and nutrients present in the bran.
Surface signs of activity
As the wild yeast consumes sugars, it releases carbon dioxide. This gas gets trapped in the gluten network, creating visible pockets throughout the matrix. Look closely at the sides of your clear container; you should see a constellation of small, evenly distributed bubbles. On the top surface, the dough will begin to dome slightly at the edges, curving gently downward where it meets the container walls. A flat, wet-looking surface indicates it needs more time, while a surface with a few massive, fragile bubbles might mean you have waited too long.
“The dough should look alive,” says a baker friend of mine who taught me to watch for a slight satin sheen on the surface. If you are accustomed to quick flatbreads like making naan at home, you might be used to a warm, fast rise, but artisan loaves require a slower, cooler process to develop depth. You want to see small, aerated pockets just beneath the surface membrane… a sign of steady, healthy gas production that will support the structure later on.
The jiggle and release
Gently shake the container side to side. A properly fermented dough should wobble like a semi-set gelatin dessert, rather than feeling dense, heavy, or sluggish. When you tilt the container to dump the dough onto your work surface for pre-shaping, it should release cleanly from the sides under its own weight, pulling away in a beautiful, web-like pattern of gluten strands. If it leaves a thick, sticky paste behind on the plastic, it likely needed more time to build its internal structure.
Once the dough is turned out and shaped, it is ready for its final rest. Prepare your baskets ahead of time; proper banneton care ensures that the shaped dough will release smoothly after its final rise without tearing the delicate skin you have worked so hard to build during the bulk rise. Keep your baskets dry and clean to make this transition seamless.
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Insurance you actually need
Guarding your earning power
Most people think of insurance as a tedious monthly bill, but the right policies act as a vital safety net for your entire life. Health insurance is the most obvious priority, as a single major hospital stay can cost tens of thousands of dollars and instantly wipe out years of disciplined saving. Beyond health, your greatest financial asset is actually your future earning potential — the money you will make over the next twenty or thirty years of your career. Long-term disability insurance protects this asset by replacing a portion of your income if you become unable to work due to illness or injury. While some people focus on temporary solutions like a no-spend month to recover from a tight financial spot, these small-scale efforts cannot offset the catastrophic impact of losing your primary source of income for several years.
Many employers offer basic group disability coverage for free or for a very low premium as part of their benefits package. It is usually wise to opt in, and even consider paying a little extra for a supplemental policy if the base coverage is too low. As my father used to say, “If you cannot work, you cannot save,” and this simple truth highlights why protecting your paycheck is far more important than worrying about minor daily expenses.
Shielding your everyday assets
If you own a car, liability insurance is not just a legal requirement but a fundamental financial necessity. A minor distraction at an intersection can result in a lifetime of debt if you injure someone and lack proper coverage. Even low-speed accidents can be incredibly expensive to resolve out of pocket; for example, a minor miscalculation near the parking meter can result in thousands of dollars in bodywork repairs for a modern vehicle, let alone the cost of replacing a damaged bumper on an oncoming car.
Renters insurance is another low-cost, high-value policy that many people overlook simply because they do not own the building they live in. For less than twenty dollars a month, a good policy protects your personal belongings — like your computer, furniture, and clothes — from fire, theft, and water damage. It also provides personal liability coverage, which shields you from lawsuits if a guest is injured inside your apartment or if you accidentally cause damage to a neighboring property.
Skipping the retail gimmicks
While major policies are essential, the insurance industry thrives on selling small, low-value plans that you should generally avoid. Extended warranties on televisions, household appliances, and smartphones are rarely worth the cost because the probability of using them is low. Instead of paying recurring fees for these minor risks, you are better off keeping a small buffer of cash in a no-fee checking account to handle occasional repairs and replacements on your own terms.
Self-insuring for small losses allows your money to work for you elsewhere rather than sitting in the pockets of retail corporations. For larger, long-term safety reserves, you want your money in a dedicated savings vehicle with interest compounding monthly … which helps preserve your purchasing power over time. True insurance should only be used to protect against those rare, devastating financial disasters that you absolutely could not afford to pay for on your own.
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Storing bikes in a small flat
Going vertical
Storing a bicycle inside a studio or one-bedroom flat requires utilising vertical wall space to keep the floor clear. A simple, heavy-duty hook screwed directly into a wall stud allows the bike to hang by its front wheel. This orientation only projects the bike about 30 inches from the wall — making it ideal for narrow hallways. If you cannot drill into the walls because of a tenancy agreement, a gravity stand that leans against the wall without fasteners is a reliable alternative. These stands typically hold two bicycles, stacking one above the other using adjustable arms. These stands are sturdy enough for daily use, yet they leave no permanent marks on your paint.
One tenant we spoke to noted, “My hallway went from a crowded obstacle course to a functional corridor the day I hung my commuter.” To protect the wall from tire marks, you can stick small squares of clear adhesive plastic or cork coasters where the rubber meets the plaster.
Keeping the dirt outside
Bringing a dirty bike into a living area introduces road grit, grease, and water. A dedicated doormat or a runner rug placed near the entrance serves as a staging area. Performing regular maintenance, such as a thorough “drivetrain cleaning” inside a small flat, requires some preparation. Spreading a large, heavy tarp or a few layers of old newspaper under the bike will catch falling grit and stray drops of lubricant. A simple bucket and a damp rag can replace a full hose-down in this scenario.
Moisture is another enemy of indoor storage. If a wet bicycle is left in a poorly ventilated corner, surface rust can develop on steel bolts. Furthermore, excess humidity can affect your stopping power, as damp conditions sometimes lead to “squealing brakes” during your next morning commute. Wipe the frame down with a microfibre cloth before bringing it past the threshold.
Space saving adjustments
If your storage space is exceptionally narrow, like a walk-in wardrobe or a recess behind a sofa, minor bike adjustments can save valuable inches. Loosening the stem bolts allows you to turn the handlebars 90 degrees, aligning them with the frame. This reduces the bike’s width to just a few inches. Be careful not to scuff your paint or damage the “handlebar tape” against rough plaster walls when maneuvering the bike into these tight spots.
You might also consider removing the pedals using a fifteen-millimeter wrench. This simple step prevents the metal pins from scratching your shins or snagging on curtains. When you inflate the tubes inside, keep in mind that checking the “pressure for wider tires” … it is always easier to do this in the hallway before you tuck the bike away for the week.
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Bottom watering explained
How bottom watering works
To understand bottom watering, we must look at how water behaves in a porous medium like peat, coco coir, or bark. When you pour water from the top, gravity pulls it rapidly downward through the paths of least resistance. Often, this means the water rushes down the inside of the pot walls and drains out the bottom, leaving dry pockets of soil in the middle of the root ball. When soil sits dry for weeks, it often shrinks away from the sides of the container, forming a crusted soil surface that resists normal overhead watering. Bottom watering relies instead on capillary action, the natural physical process where water molecules are drawn upward through tiny spaces between soil particles. The dry substrate acts like a dense sponge, pulling moisture from a reservoir below and distributing it evenly throughout the entire root system.
Why plants prefer this method
This technique offers several distinct advantages for both the root system and the overall health of the plant. By allowing the substrate to draw up only what it can hold, you reduce the risk of developing the classic overwatering signs that plague indoor gardeners. The roots are encouraged to grow downward toward the moisture, establishing a stronger, deeper foundation. A seasoned horticulturist once explained to me, “water flows where it is easiest, not necessarily where the roots need it,” which perfectly describes the flaw of top watering dry, compacted soil. When you water from below, the moisture distribution is uniform, ensuring that every fine root hair has access to the hydration it needs to transport nutrients to the foliage.
Furthermore, keeping the upper layer of soil dry can prevent a variety of common problems. Many indoor pests thrive in damp, decomposing organic matter on the very top of the pot. While a dry top layer helps deter some insects, it will not replace a targeted mealybug treatment if those pests have already established themselves in the leaf joints or stems. Nonetheless, maintaining a drier top half-inch of soil creates a less hospitable environment for airborne invaders while keeping the roots perfectly hydrated below.
The practical steps to take
To begin, you will need a shallow, wide container — such as a deep saucer, a plastic bin, or even a clean sink — filled with about one to two inches of room-temperature water. Avoid using icy water directly from the tap, as this can shock sensitive tropical roots. Place your potted plant directly into the water, ensuring the drainage holes are completely submerged. The soil will begin to pull moisture upward immediately. You might wait fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, or sometimes thirty… until you feel the top of the soil is slightly damp to the touch, indicating that the water has traveled all the way through the root column.
Once the soil is sufficiently damp, remove the pot from the water immediately. Letting a plant sit in standing water for hours will starve the roots of oxygen. Place the pot on a draining rack or in an empty sink for ten to fifteen minutes to allow all excess water to escape. Only when the dripping has completely stopped should you return the pot to its decorative saucer or outer planter.
Flushing salts and seasonal care
While bottom watering is highly effective, it cannot be used exclusively forever. Tap water contains dissolved minerals, and fertilizers leave behind salts. When you water from the bottom, these minerals are pushed upward and eventually accumulate at the top of the soil. To prevent this buildup from burning your plant’s stems, you must flush the soil from the top once every four to six waterings. Pour a generous amount of water through the top of the pot until it runs freely out the bottom, washing those accumulated salts away.
You also need to adjust your watering schedule as the seasons shift. Plants consume water at different rates depending on daylight hours and indoor temperatures, meaning that dormant season watering requires much longer intervals between sessions than active summer watering. Always lift the pot to gauge its weight before deciding to water, as a light pot is the most reliable indicator that the substrate is dry enough to receive its next deep soak.
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Picking the right tire pressure
The myth of maximum pressure
For decades, the standard bicycle advice was to pump tires up to their maximum rated pressure, which is usually printed on the tire sidewall. Many riders believed that a rock-hard tire rolled faster because it minimized the contact patch with the road. However, modern rolling resistance testing shows that excessively high pressures actually slow you down on real-world surfaces. A rock-hard tire bounces off small imperfections in the asphalt, sending that kinetic energy upward into your body rather than propelling you forward. This constant upward movement creates micro-vibrations that fatigue your muscles over long distances, making you slower over the course of a long afternoon ride.
Finding your balance
To get the most comfort and speed out of your bicycle, you must consider three main variables: your total riding weight, the width of your tires, and the terrain. Heavier riders require slightly more air to prevent the rim from bottoming out on bumps, while lighter riders can run much lower pressures safely. Maintaining a bicycle involves many periodic tasks, from replacing a worn chain to wiping down the frame, but adjusting your tire pressure is something you should do before every single ride. A change in outdoor temperature can easily alter your tire pressure overnight, making a daily check essential.
Wider tires hold a larger volume of air, which means they can run at significantly lower pressures — sometimes as low as 35 pounds per square inch for a wide tire — without compromising safety. Finding that sweet spot allows the casing of the tire to deform over road imperfections rather than bouncing over them. This deformation keeps the rubber in contact with the ground, providing better traction and a much smoother ride. On rough gravel roads, this effect is even more pronounced, as lower pressure prevents you from losing momentum.
Testing on the road
Finding the perfect pressure requires actual experimentation on your local routes. Start with a moderate pressure based on your weight and tire width, then lower it by five pounds on your next ride. Pay attention to how the bike handles cornering and how much vibration you feel in your hands. If the tires squish too much when you lean into a turn, you have gone too far… pump them back up slightly to restore stability and steering response.
As one veteran mechanic put it, “Harder is rarely faster on real roads.” Once you find the pressure that balances grip, comfort, and speed, write it down in a notebook. You will find that keeping your tires at this optimal level makes your daily rides much more enjoyable and keeps you fresher for the final miles of a long weekend journey.