GrindLab: Pre-Release TestFlight

I'm happy to announce that GrindLab is officially in private, pre-release TestFlight. I anticipate this beta stage will last a few months, with GrindLab tentatively planned for release at the beginning of January 2026. It will be a free app on the iOS App Store.

GrindLab began as a side experiment — a way to quantify what baristas feel by intuition: grind consistency. What started as a Python script for analyzing particle distributions slowly evolved into a full-fledged iOS app. It’s been rewritten multiple times, redesigned in SwiftUI, and rebuilt around an image-processing engine that fuses Vision, Accelerate, and Core Image frameworks for precision analysis.

Each milestone along the way — from detecting the first usable grind histogram to achieving smooth real-time analysis on-device — has pushed GrindLab closer to what I imagined: a creative tool that helps people understand their coffee as deeply as they taste it.

What’s Included in the Initial Public Release#

GrindLab’s first release is built around the core features that make grind analysis both powerful and approachable:

• Graphical grind distribution measurements using advanced particle detection and clustering algorithms
• Integrated brew timer with the ability to create and save recipes
• Saved analysis history, allowing comparisons across sessions and grinders
• Tasting notes for each saved grind analysis — because data only matters if it connects to flavor

Together, these create a workflow that begins with curiosity and ends with reflection: capture, analyze, brew, taste, and learn.

Planned Features for Future Updates#

The foundation is in place — and now the fun begins. Future releases will explore how AI and calibration can help baristas interpret their own data intuitively:

• Smart recommendations based on grind analysis patterns and tasting notes
• Improved calibration for greater flexibility in photo capture and lighting conditions

These are deep technical challenges, but also creative ones — translating numbers into insights that feel human.

Looking Ahead#

The private TestFlight will run for several months while I refine the workflow, smooth out UI quirks, and gather feedback from early testers in the coffee community. If you’re interested in helping shape GrindLab, reach out — your feedback will directly influence the first public release.

A beta isn’t just about finding bugs; it’s about refining intuition. Every dataset, every brew, every small inconsistency teaches the app (and me) something new.

The goal has always been more than an app. GrindLab is part of a broader philosophy: bridging the art and science of coffee. Thank you to everyone who’s followed the project so far. The next few months will be about testing, listening, and polishing — bringing GrindLab from prototype to polished companion for coffee enthusiasts everywhere.

Coming January 2026 — free on the Apple iOS App Store.