June 25 Journal - From Clueless to Crack: How It All Started (And Why We’d Do It Again)

We still remember the moment it all kicked off. Staring at a screen full of green beans online, wondering if "washed process" meant we were supposed to rinse them. Opening Artisan for the first time like it was a NASA dashboard. And that panic-sweat when the beans hit first crack and we had no idea if we were roasting or burning the house down.

It wasn’t glamorous — it was half guesswork, half blind optimism. But that first roast? Rough as it was, we were hooked.

We picked a washed bean that sounded safe and hoped for the best. No idea what we were doing, just figuring it out as we went. No airflow control. Timer started too late. Beans came out patchy, but that first crack? Loud, clear, and magic.

Artisan felt like overkill at the start. Graphs everywhere. But once we got it dialled in, it clicked. Suddenly, we had a roadmap instead of just winging it.

There were wins. Mostly by accident. But they kept us going. And that first sip of a roast you nailed yourself? Nothing beats it.

If you're just starting out, or thinking about it — don't stress. Everyone starts somewhere. And we’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.