Coffee Plants for the Future: Update on the World Coffee Research Breeding Program
By Emma Sage, SCAA In late January of this year, World Coffee Research (WCR) gathered a group of coffee breeders and other interested parties to discuss the future of coffee cultivars in Central America. Representatives from WCR, SCAA, Anacafé, Promecafé, AGRITECH NST, CATIE, USAID, and CIRAD discussed the results of the WCR genetic diversity study, …
Staying Relevant: Meeting Consumer Demands in Changing Times
By André Cabrera, Distant Lands Coffee Savvy, discerning millennial consumers (people between the age of 18 and 35 who make up around 25 percent of the U.S.’s population) have shown that they expect quality, value, and convenience. They have sophisticated palates and desire a variety of flavor and options. But they also want to know …
Local Communities, Global Collaboration
By Carl Sara, MTC New Zealand Everyone thinks New Zealand is isolated, almost as far away as Mars. That we have to take a long-haul flight to do our grocery shopping. That hobbits populate the lower realms of our country. And it’s all true. While those facts may remain, we still feel like we are at …
SCAA Announces Results for the 2015 / 2016 Board of Directors Election
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) is pleased to announce the results of the 2015/2016 Board of Directors election. Voting ended March 13, 2015, votes were tallied, and we can now confirm the new SCAA board members listed below. We are honored and grateful that these coffee professionals have dedicated their volunteer time and …
Coffee Talk: Ethiopia
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA Each year, the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s Annual Exposition, The Event, highlights a Portrait Country. This tradition began because our community decided to pay attention to a specific coffee origin every year, giving us the chance to learn more about different coffee origins. Every year brings a different origin, a different country …
Ask Emma: What is hydrolysis?
Hi Emma, I keep hearing about this “hydrolysis” thing that happens during brewing, what is it? Can you explain the science behind hydrolysis? How is it different than extraction? Thanks, Brewed and confused in Baltimore *** Dear brewed and confused, I feel your pain! Brewing is one of the most complex yet under-researched topics in …
Case Study: Cultivating Quality in Honduras through Relationship Coffee
By Jimmy Sherfey, Abeja In San Jose de Colinas, located in the Cup of Excellence favorite region of Santa Barbara, Honduras, Arnold Paz shows us the proper level of ripeness, demonstrating the home remedy for harvesting more profitable cherry. “If you’re not sure, squeeze it,” he says, suspending a freshly picked cherry several inches above …
Coffee Talk: La Golondrina
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA The 27th Annual Event is quickly approaching, and that means we’re busy, busy, busy here in the office. Although our weekly staff meeting was entirely devoted to The Event, we set aside some time for our treasured weekly coffee talk, this time more of a meditation. Peter Giuliano began with a …
Roasters Guild and Barista Guild of America Combine Forces for Origin Trip to Costa Rica
By José René Martínez, J. René Coffee Roasters Having the benefit of an early arrival into San José, I wasted no time in touring one of Central America’s most vibrant cities. With camera in-hand, I walked the streets of San José, the nation’s largest city and the epicenter of social and economic activity. Within minutes, …
Out of the Box Thinking Takes the Stage at Symposium 2015
By Jesse Bladyka Symposium VII is fast approaching! I urge you to reflect on the last year in coffee as you’ve seen it. Gather your ideas, your successes, your failures, bring your joys and concerns and register to join us! At this event we will share our experiences as we congregate to inspire and be …
Crema.co launches Coffee Marketplace Concept on Kickstarter
Specialty roasters are producing some exceptional coffee, but it can be hard for coffee drinkers to get their hands on. The stuff on grocery store shelves was roasted who-knows-how-long ago, and many people live too far from their favorite roaster or cafe to always buy locally. Crema.co is setting out to solve that problem by …
Coffee Talk: Castillo
By Danny Pinnell, SCAA “This is a story of redemption,” Peter Giuliano said as he began his most recent coffee talk. Beginning with a brief background on cultivars–plant varieties that have been produced in cultivation by selective breeding–Peter told the story of the Castillo cultivar, a story that has proven controversial in the past. In …