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.