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Show HN: We're two coffee nerds who built an AI app to track beans and recipes

(beanbook.app)
59 points rokeyzhang | 5 comments | 30 Jun 25 18:38 UTC | HN request time: 1.139s | source

It’s available on iOS now: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id6499280064

We got into specialty coffee during COVID and, like many others, fell deep down the rabbit hole. Along the way, we ran into the same frustrations:

- A drawer full of empty coffee bags.

- No simple way to track grind size, rest dates, notes—by bean.

- My coffee history scattered across photos, screenshots, notebooks, and half-memories.

- The unique traits, people, and stories behind each coffee disappearing from the internet once it sold out (since coffee is an agricultural good)

- In our opinion, no coffee tool really captures the flavor, emotion, and aesthetic of great coffee—from a design perspective.

So we built BeanBook—a coffee notebook log beans, extract recipes, and organize your coffee life in one place with just a snap, powered by AI

Here’s what it does:

- Snap a bag → Auto-detects roaster, origin, process, roast date, notes, producer, farm, and more

- Paste a YouTube link or photo → Extracts a structured recipe automatically

- Log grind size, roast timeline, ratings & notes → All saved in a clean, elegant UI

- See your coffee year in review → Track habits, trends, and favorites

- Ask BeanBook AI → From brew temps to bean facts, get instant answers

My co-founder and I built everything ourselves—branding, code, and UX design. If you’re into coffee (or trying to get more into it), we’d love your feedback.

- Rokey & Eric

1. ChrisMarshallNY ◴[01 Jul 25 01:47 UTC] No.44429799[source]▶
Good luck!

For myself, I have done the whole shebang, Jamaican Blue Mountain, Tanzanian Peaberry, Mocha Yemen Mattari, Kona, etc.

Never did Catshit Coffee or Jura coffee machines, but I’ve invested in a lot.

But the last ten years or so, I have been buying 4 bags at a time (once a week), of Dunkin’ whole bean, and I’ve been using standard Braun Melitta-style coffeemakers.

I know, I know. I’m doomed to Coffee Hell for my blasphemy, but it really is the best coffee I’ve had. Home-roasted is better, but too high-maintenance for me.

replies(2): >>44431168 #>>44433123 #
2. rokeyzhang ◴[01 Jul 25 06:28 UTC] No.44431168[source]▶
Haha, based on you described, I'm in the same position as you were previously. I know its a lot of work, but also very satisfied! I'm very enjoying the process of making coffee, and also enjoy how people around me enjoy my coffee
3. easygenes ◴[01 Jul 25 12:16 UTC] No.44433123[source]▶
If you care for a similar cup profile with higher quality beans, I’d characterize Dunkin original blend as a medium-light roast (lighter than Starbucks’ Pike). Aroma: toasted cereal, brown sugar, roast almond, and hint of citrus. Flavor: caramel sugar, roast nut, hint of milk choc and citrus. Acidity: sweet/malic, soft and smooth. Body: light/medium, silky. Overall: Very well balanced but simplistic.

A blend to achieve this cup would rely on primarily (50-60%) Brazilian naturals for the core sweetness, with Colombian washed for the clean citric-malic acidity and silky body (~25%), and some mix of Guatemala/Honduras and Ethiopia washed for the last quarter to tweak body and acids.

If this profile (sweet-nutty, caramel-driven profiles with gentle citrus lift) is absolutely your jam, I’d check out the following blends for a similar cup put together from higher graded green beans:

  Counter Culture - Big Trouble
  Stumptown - Holler Mountain
  Onyx - Monarch
  Intelligentsia - El Gallo 
  Blue Bottle - Three Africas
  La Colombe - Nizza
  Square Mile - Red Brick Espresso
  Coffee Collective - Espresso Blend
Counter Culture and Stumptown are probably closest in profile. Intelligentsia and Blue Bottle will add more sparkle to the finish. La Colombe and Square Mile lean sweeter.
replies(1): >>44434077 #
4. easygenes ◴[01 Jul 25 14:10 UTC] No.44434077[source]▶
Just thought of a few others:

  Onyx - Geometry
  Verve - Street Level
  Campos - Superior Blend
  Proud Mary - Humbler
  Five Elephant - House Blend
Geometry if you want to go for a bit lighter roast that lets some berry sparkle in. Others are more riffing on the theme.
replies(1): >>44458103 #
5. rokeyzhang ◴[03 Jul 25 18:53 UTC] No.44458103{3}[source]▶
I started with Onyx, Verve, now I bought beans from Prodial, DAK(eightounce), hydrangea & September etc