Bean Base User Guide

Welcome to the most powerful coffee search engine on the web. This guide will teach you how to master the UI, utilize advanced filtering logic, and seamlessly save beans to your personal inventory.

1. Layout & View Modes

The top navigation bar allows you to customize how you view the database:

Visual View

Displays beans as large, image-heavy cards. Ideal for browsing and discovering new beans visually. You can click the "Show More" button to flip the card and read the detailed stats, description, and tasting notes.

List View

A denser, text-focused layout. Ideal for power users who want to scan large amounts of data quickly. Click anywhere on the bean to expand the full inline summary.

Search vs. Wishlist Modes

By default, you are in Search Mode, querying the entire global database.

Clicking the Wishlist Toggle (Star Icon) will filter the view to ONLY show beans you have starred. This is perfect for building a shopping list of beans you want to buy in the future!

2. Sorting the Database

You can organize the results by clicking the Sort Dropdown in the top navigation bar. Options include ID, Name, Roaster, Date Inputted, Cost, Grams, and Elevation.

Ascending vs. Descending

Next to the sort dropdown is a toggle button indicating the direction of the sort. Clicking it will flip the results (e.g., from Highest Price to Lowest Price, or A-Z to Z-A).

3. Bean Actions & Exports

Every bean has a robust suite of actions available via the Three-Dot Menu (⋮):

  • Save to My BeansCopies the bean's data directly into your personal inventory. No manual typing required!
  • Copy Share LinkGenerates a unique URL. When another LoffeeLabs user opens this link, the bean will instantly populate in their "Add New Bean" form.
  • Export to BeanConquerorGenerates a special URL that natively imports the bean data into the BeanConqueror app.
  • QR Code GeneratorsGenerate instant, scannable QR codes for LoffeeLabs sharing, BeanConqueror exporting, or the roaster's website.
  • Copy / Download ImageEasily grab the high-resolution cover photo of the coffee bag.

Quick Links

You can also access the Roaster's Website directly via the External Link Icon, and add the bean to your wishlist using the Star Icon without opening the menu.

4. Toggles & Quick Filters

The left sidebar contains high-level toggles to refine your search globally.

Hide HistoricRemoves beans from the database that are no longer actively roasted or available from the roaster.
Hide Sold OutRemoves currently active beans that are temporarily out of stock.
Favorite RoastersFilters the entire database to ONLY show coffee from Roasters you have starred on the Roaster Directory page.

Quick Filters

Quick Filters are pre-built, complex logic chains designed to instantly find specific types of coffee.

  • New Beans: Shows coffees added to the database in the last 30 days.
  • Light and Delicate: Forces profiles to include floral, tea, or clean notes while actively blocking roasty, earthy, or heavy chocolate notes.
  • Terroir Focused: Enforces Single Origin washed/natural/honey processes and strictly bans experimental processing (e.g., thermal shock, co-fermentation).
  • Fruit Juice Bin: High fruit and berry notes while blocking earthy or spiced profiles.
  • Funk Abundant: Forces experimental processing and high-fermentation flavor notes.
  • Classic Comfort Roasts: Enforces smooth, balanced, chocolate/nutty profiles while blocking acidity and fermentation.

Saving Custom Quick Filters

Built a complex search string you love? Click the Save button at the bottom of the sidebar to name it. It will permanently appear in your Quick Filters dropdown so you can load it with one click!

5. The Search Builder

The database offers two modes for filtering data: Simple and Advanced.

Simple Mode

Provides a clean list of all available columns. Typing or selecting a value will immediately apply an AND filter to the database. This is the fastest way to stack basic requirements (e.g., Roaster = "Thoughtful Coffee" AND Process = "Washed").

Advanced Mode

Advanced mode unlocks logical operators, allowing you to build incredibly specific queries. You construct a query by selecting a Logic Operator, a Column, and a Value, then clicking Add.

AND

The coffee MUST match this condition. Stacking multiple ANDs requires the coffee to meet all of them simultaneously.

OR

The coffee can match THIS condition or THAT condition. Excellent for broadening a search (e.g., Origin = Colombia OR Peru).

NOT

Strictly forbids the coffee from having this value. (e.g., NOT Process = Decaf).

Sharing Your Search URL

The Copy button at the bottom of the sidebar generates a shareable URL containing all of your active filters. If you build a highly specific search (e.g., "All washed Ethiopian coffees under $20"), you can copy that link and send it to a friend. When they open it, their Bean Base will instantly load your exact search parameters!

6. Filter Dictionary

A complete breakdown of every column you can query against in the Bean Base:

Bean ID

The exact numerical ID of the coffee. Useful if you know exactly which bean you are looking for.

Date Range

Filters beans by the date they were added to the LoffeeLabs database.

Roaster Region & Country

Filters geographically by where the Roaster is located (e.g., Europe, UK), not the coffee farm.

Roaster

The name of the coffee roasting company (e.g., Thoughtful Coffee).

Roast Type

The intended brew method designated by the roaster (Filter, Espresso, or Omni).

Roast Degree

The development level of the roast (e.g., Ultra Light, Medium, Dark).

Origin & Region

Filters by the country (Origin) and sub-region where the coffee was actually grown.

Producer

The specific farm, washing station, or farmer who produced the coffee.

Variety

The botanical variety of the coffee plant (e.g., Gesha, Bourbon, SL28).

Process

How the cherry was processed after harvesting (e.g., Washed, Natural, Anaerobic).

Elevation Range

Filters by the altitude (in meters above sea level) where the coffee was grown.

General Tag

System-applied flags like "Single Origin", "Roaster Blend", or "Traceable".

Taste Profile

A broad categorization of the coffee's dominant flavor (e.g., Sweet, Fermented, Floral).

Tasting Notes

Highly specific, roaster-provided flavor notes (e.g., "Strawberry jam", "Jasmine").

Price Range & Price/Cup

Filters based on the standard bag price (usually 200g - 250g). Price/Cup calculates the real-world cost per brew based on your desired Cup Size setting.

Bulk Price Range & Bulk Price/Cup

Filters based on bulk bag prices (usually 1kg or 2lbs+). Useful for cafes or heavy drinkers looking for value.

Currency Note

Prices automatically convert dynamically based on the Currency you have selected in the sidebar footer!