Chahan Yeretzian – On Water, Freshness, and Extraction
On May 21-23, 2015, the first CoLab in Prague took place – during 3 days baristas gathered in Prague to share ideas over coffee and food, discover the city and its bursting coffee scene, and to get inspired by talks and discussions. BGE worked together with Tamper Tantrum to bring 6 speakers to the stage. We’re very excited …
Coffee Talk: Dialing In
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA At SCAA, we love seeing members come into the office. This week’s coffee talk was a particularly special treat as Barista Guild of America Executive Council member Alexandra LittleJohn of Equator Coffees and Teas came by and prepared coffee for us. Alex came by and told us about a coffee and espresso …
SCAA Announces Changes to United States Barista Championship Program
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), the organization who produces the United States Coffee Championships, has announced changes to the prequalification system for the United States Barista Championship (USBC). Competitors will be able to register to compete at the USBC, beginning in the 2016 cycle, as follows: Baristas who either hold a level 1 …
SCAA Barista and Roaster Compensation Report Shows Correlation Between Certification and Higher Salaries
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has published the 2014 Barista and Roaster Compensation Report, which shows that while some coffee professionals are paid only slightly over minimum wage, certification plays a key role in advancing their compensation. The objective of this report, conducted in conjunction with Marketing General, Inc. (MGI), is to recognize …
DRC’s First-Ever Coffee Cupping Competition Rejuvenates Coffee Sector
The first-ever specialty coffee cupping competition in the DRC, Saveur du Kivu, took place with great Congolese and international fanfare on June 2nd and 3rd. The events were hosted by the Government of South Kivu and the National Coffee Organization of DRC, and the competition followed Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) global standards to …
SCAA Announces New Sustainability Director, Kim Elena Ionescu
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has announced the selection of Kim Elena Ionescu as its new Director of Sustainability. Ionescu will be the first to hold the new role within the organization, which was created as part of a larger effort to grow SCAA’s work in the sustainability sector. “We are very pleased …
Coffee Talk: Iced Coffee
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA “Summer is just around the corner, which means that I start getting Facebook messages and reporters calling about iced coffee,” said Peter Giuliano at the beginning of this week’s coffee talk. “I’ve worked for over a quarter-century in coffee, and I swear I’m going to be remembered for my position on iced …
Run Across Congo Held in Conjunction with First-Ever DRC Cupping Competition
On Sunday, May 24, a team of nine women will embark upon Run Across Congo, seven marathons in seven days through South Kivu, in an effort to shine a light on the remarkable Congolese communities striving every day to improve their lives and build a sustainable future. “We hope that this light will be so bright it …
SCAA Offers Job Opportunities in Marketing
**POSITIONS FILLED** The Specialty Coffee Association of America staff is a small but mighty force of workers who support a diverse and vibrant community of coffee professionals. SCAA has opened up a couple of positions that may be of interest to members of the coffee community. The first of these is the position of Event …
Coffee Community Supports Farmers Affected by Nepal Earthquake
The 2015 Nepal earthquake, also known as the Gorkha earthquake, killed more than 7,000 people and injured more than twice as many with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter Scale. Lekali Coffee Estate, run by Nima Tenzing Sherpa, was greatly affected by the earthquake. 37 families who work on the farm were displaced and …
Coffee Talk: Milk-Based Drinks
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA Among coffee drinkers, we have noticed that there tends to be a lot of confusion and anxiety about what to call certain beverages–primarily the ones made up of espresso and milk. Between terms like cappuccino, macchiato (both of the Italian and Starbucks variety), cortado, piccolo, caffé latte, Gibraltar, Gaspar, and Flat …
Announcing the Newest SCAA Certified Home Brewer: Bonavita BV1900TD 8-Cup Digital Coffee Brewer
Bonavita now has three SCAA certified brewers, their newest addition being the Bonavita BV1900TD 8-Cup Digital Coffee Brewer. Building on the success of predecessors, the Bonavita 8-Cup Digital Brewer with Stainless-Steel Carafe features improvements that will result in an even better cup of coffee. Bonavita is committed to bringing the highest level of coffee brewing technology to …