[Roaster] Master Tan’s Bean-Sorting Spirit in Every Cup | Laotan Coffee

Laotan Coffee: Master Tan’s Bean-Sorting Spirit in Every Cup

At Laotan Coffee, roaster Master Tan began his coffee journey back in military school. In his professor’s lab, large amounts of coffee were purchased every month, and enjoying a cup of good coffee in such a high-pressure environment became his greatest relief. From that moment, he fell in love with coffee and made it his mission to offer affordable, delicious cups for everyone.

The Standard of a Good Cup

Master Tan believes that a good cup of coffee should feel pleasant, smooth, and leave a sweet aftertaste, without causing discomfort. If you can even fall asleep peacefully after drinking it, then that’s truly a “good coffee.” This philosophy has been the core of Laotan Coffee since the beginning.

“A good cup of coffee should be enjoyable and easy on the body, leaving you wanting to return to it.” — Master Tan, Laotan Coffee

Why Coffee Beans Must Be Sorted

Like any agricultural product, coffee beans may contain insect-damaged beans, moldy beans, or other defective beans caused by environmental infection. With a sensitive stomach himself, Master Tan experienced heart palpitations and discomfort if these beans were not removed. Once sorted properly, these issues decreased significantly. That’s why he insists: “Every coffee bean must be sorted,” as this is the foundation of specialty coffee.

The Challenges of Hand Sorting

Sorting beans is part of a roaster’s daily work, but it is extremely time-consuming. Master Tan explained that in an eight-hour workday, four hours could be spent on hand sorting alone. Over time, this caused heavy strain on his shoulders and neck, even affecting his sleep quality. Bean sorting is a repetitive task that constantly tests a roaster’s patience.

Color Sorters vs. AI Sorting Machines

Traditional coffee color sorting machines mainly identified beans by color differences, which proved ineffective for detecting insect-damaged beans. For years, Master Tan avoided upgrading equipment until he adopted the AI coffee bean sorter. This intelligent coffee sorting solution requires no extra consumables—just an air compressor—and with simple settings, it can accurately remove insect-damaged beans, solving the biggest challenge he faced.

• Simplifies the sorting process, reducing the daily burden on roasters
• Lessens the physical strain from long hours of manual sorting
• Accurately removes insect-damaged beans, ensuring stable coffee quality

The Commitment of Laotan Coffee

For Master Tan, coffee is a journey that started in a lab and became part of his everyday life. He knows quality comes from details, so from hand sorting to adopting intelligent sorting technology, every step has been about ensuring that every cup is smooth and reliable. Laotan Coffee continues with this dedication, keeping the bean-sorting spirit alive in every roast.