The Drum Diaries: A Roaster’s Manifesto

Some books explain coffee. This one understands it. The Drum Diaries is the kind of book that could only be written by someone who's actually stood at the roaster, sweated through the variables, chased the curves, and learned the hard way that exceptional coffee isn't an accident. Landon Worsham is that person. Now roasting for Wild Bear in London, he spent years building his craft right here in Orlando, FL before blossoming into a league of his own. He's a close friend and longtime collaborator, and this book is the record of everything that time produced. Part field guide, part memoir, part manifesto, it covers the full arc of specialty coffee roasting. Green buying, sourcing ethics, airflow mechanics, development time, flavor theory, cupping, cultural impact. It's technical when it needs to be and conversational throughout. Opinionated in the best way. But it isn't just a roasting manual. It honors the weight of this work: the environmental responsibility, the human relationships baked into every origin, the gap between a good cup and an unforgettable one. Landon writes about roasting not as a trade you master but as a form of stewardship you practice. At 7.24 x 10.24 inches in hardcover, it's a book you feel in your hands. Substantial. Considered. The kind of thing that sits open on a coffee table and starts conversations without trying to. Whether you're a barista leveling up, a roaster refining your approach, or just someone who takes coffee seriously, this belongs in your hands.