Discovering Specialty Coffee: South West
By Alexandra Littlejohn, Verve Coffee Roasters I believe that drinking every coffee, from as many roasters, at as many shops, made by as many different baristas as possible is by far one of the best practices a coffee professional can participate in. Everyone has a different take on coffee. I feel privileged to live in …
Roasters Guild Supports Food Security and Coffee Kids
By Kristina Morris, Coffee Kids This past August, Roasters Guild raised awareness of Coffee Kids’ work at origin as well as almost $10,000 to go toward food security projects in coffee-growing communities in Mexico. Christopher Schooley, Immediate Past Chair of the Roasters Guild Executive Council, had this to say about the partnership: “The Roasters Guild was …
Discovering Specialty Coffee: South East
By Jason Dominy, Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters, Atlanta, GA When asked about the South East coffee scene, I’m realistic and optimistic at the same time. As far as a region goes, the South East has come a long way, and while not entirely as progressive as it’s Pacific Northwest brethren, who do seem to set …
Insights into Consumer Purchasing Choices
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) has released a new study that explores specialty coffee consumer behaviors, motivations, and perceptions. The qualitative study was designed to gain insight from coffee drinkers who tend toward higher price points, drink coffee daily or more, and who self-identify as “coffee-lovers”. The goal was to understand more about …
Discovering Specialty Coffee: South Central
By David Buehrer, Greenway Coffee Company The South Central region of the United States isn’t exactly the most travelled when it comes to coffee. Overlooking such an expansive and rapidly growing area would be amiss too, however. Pockets of urban sprawl and a west coast movement to the central have created economic boom that transcends …
What is a ‘Coffee Science’ Origin Trip?
By Emma Sage, Coffee Science Manager, SCAA The SCAA is committed to bringing unique, hands-on educational and relationship-building opportunities at origin. This origin trip is designed to build understanding of the technical, agronomic, and scientific techniques being utilized as they support and influence the value of specialty coffee. This trip is not just for admitted …
Barista Guild of America Offers Level 1 Certification Exam at MANE
The Barista Guild of America posted this announcement to their blog and we are excited to share the news. By Colin Whitcomb, BGA Executive Council Member Taking place on October 12-14 the MANE (Mid-Atlantic/ Northeast) Coffee Conference is one of our favorite coffee events of the year. In addition to the dynamic speakers that have already …
SCAA Signs Letter Of Understanding With International Women’s Coffee Alliance
During the SCAA Leadership Summit and International Women’s Coffee Alliance joint meeting in Boston this past weekend, SCAA President Max Quirin and IWCA President Grace Mena signed a Letter of Understanding (LOU) to solidify a strategic partnership between the two organizations. The IWCA released this statement: “The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) is pleased to announce that …
Hosting A Successful Public Tasting
By Christopher Schooley, SCAA Coffee Design & Experience Coordinator The central experience in the world of specialty coffee is tasting coffees, thinking about them, and discussing them with others. Perhaps we enjoyed a number of cups of coffee or espresso based drinks before we ever stopped to really take careful consideration of them, but it …
SCAA Brings Educational Programming to Australia
By Sasha Jade, Coffee Logic International The Australian specialty coffee market, as those who venture down-under for next year’s World Barista Championship (to be held in Melbourne in May 2013) will find, is a well-developed coffee market; albeit a very espresso-based coffee market. Ironically, for such a competitive national industry, formal coffee education for professionals while …
Fostering an Authentic Experience: The True Value of Specialty
By Lily Kubota, Content & Communications Manager, Specialty Coffee Association of America If there is one thing about coffee that you can count on, it is change. Coffee is an ever-evolving, amorphous concept. Coffee is the seed of a fruit, it is a roasted “bean”, it is a batch brewed cup, a shot of espresso. …
A New Craft Era: Parallels, Perils, and Possibilities
By Christopher Schooley, Coffee Roaster, Coffee Shrub I currently live in the middle of America in a fairly small college town, however, I used to live in another town in the middle of America, albeit a much larger one. In that larger town there was a rich history of service and independent businesses that made …