Addressing Water Quality Issues: Common Vocabulary
By SCOTT MANLEY of La Marzocco for the Coffee Technicians Guild (CTG) blog. The CTG is an official trade guild of the SCA dedicated to supporting the coffee industry through the development of professional technicians. Learn more about the CTG here. I took chemistry in high school and I have a certificate in Horticulture from a community …
Don’t Hire Your Customers – Ben Szobody
Ben Szobody speaking at CoLab: Belfast in November 2017 about the business and social benefits of hiring beyond the usual suspects. Ben leads an examination of employee retention in the industry and looks at what it takes to develop well-rounded employees who stay inspired and engaged. Ben spent 15 years in political and business journalism …
Webinar: Results of the SCA Membership Survey on Sustainability
Update: Thanks to all who joined us for this webinar! The recording of the session can be found above. Click here to download the slides presented. By KIM ELENA IONESCU Photo: Participants at Avance Guatemala The decision to elevate sustainability to the level of a center – along with research, education, and events – was …
Swiss SCA Chapter Hosts First Education Day
By KIM STAALMAN This initiative by the volunteers behind the Swiss SCA chapter, led by National Coordinator Philipp Henauer, proved very popular. It wasn’t surprising when looking at the lineup of speakers. The day’s program was diverse in topics and showcased both Switzerland’s own coffee talent and a few guest speakers from Germany. The day …
Navigating Coffee Farm Renovation & Rehabilitation: A New Guidebook for the Industry
By RAINA LANG, Director of Sustainable Coffee Markets at Conservation International. Additionally, low market prices make farmers question whether reinvesting in new coffee trees will pay off. Yet, if we are to double coffee production in a way that improves the livelihoods of producers while conserving nature, we must find ways to support farm renovation …
Congratulations to the 2018 Cezve/Ibrik Champion!
By CONNOR CLARKE Congratulations to Slava Babych, representing Ukraine, who has become the 2018 Cezve/Ibrik Champion! Over three days, we’ve seen some great performances from seven coffee professionals in the Cezve/Ibrik Championship. The final ranking also included Marina Khuyppenen, representing Russia, who placed in 2nd, with Koray Erdoğdu representing Turkey in 3rd, and Sumit Shrestha …
European Extraction Preferences in Brewed Coffee
By PETER GIULIANO In 1957, Professor E. E. Lockhart, Scientific Director of an organization called the Coffee Brewing Institute, wrote: “…the most acceptable cup of coffee would be prepared if the soluble solids ranged between 1.15 and 1.35 percent and the extraction between 18 and 22 percent.” — From the Soluble Solids in Beverage Coffee …
February 2018 Webinar: Update On New Ad Hoc Committees and Task Force
Update: Thanks to all who joined us for this webinar on February 26th! The recording of the webinar is now available above. Photos and bios of our committee members can be found on the SCA website here. As always, if you have questions or would like to get involved in this work, email us at …
National Coffee Competitions: A Recap of New Champions from Around the Globe
Here is our recap of the winners of national coffee competitions from around the world in collaboration with World Coffee Events (WCE) for the months of December 2017 and January 2018. These dedicated coffee competitors have earned the right to represent their country in coffee competitions at the international level. For more information on upcoming …
The Economics of Coffee: Understanding Profitability at Farm Level – 25 Magazine: Issue 3
CHAD TREWICK introduces the main discussion points in the SCA’s Farm Profitability Report in Issue 3 of 25 Magazine. When delegates voted with their feet, they confirmed what many of us have advocated for some time: the coffee industry cannot ignore a risk to production on a global scale. In a bid to better understand the …
Meet the 1951 Baristas – 25 Magazine: Issue 3 Online Exclusive
As told to ELIZABETH DOERR for 25 Magazine, Issue 3: Online Exclusives. Ali Fayazi (22, Afghanistan) I left Afghanistan in June 2016. I couldn’t see a future for myself there and it just wasn’t safe. After a five-year application process, I came to the U.S. by myself leaving my family back in Afghanistan. I miss …
A Milestone Year – 25 Magazine: Issue 3
The year 2017 was a milestone for our community, with the introduction of many new member-focused initiatives, including Avance, the SCA’s first sustainability conference in Guatemala, the first Coffee Technicians Guild Summit in Europe, the SCA’s Roaster/Retailer Financial Benchmarking Study, the launch of the Coffee Skills Program, amalgamating SCAE’s Coffee Diploma System and SCAA’s Pathways …