Category Archives: Coffee

Coffee

Consumer Coffee Festival in LA – January 30th

The CoffeeCon Festival will be held this year on January 30th in Los Angeles. Loaded with classes, coffee sampling, and networking opportunities, this annual event is a coffee lovers delight!

For coffee lovers, there will be classes on tasting, and a variety of vendors to choose from.

For home roasters, Joe Behm maker of the Behmor home roaster will be teaching classes on home roasting. This popular topic is sweeping the country as more and more consumers discover the joy & freshness of home roast.

Here’s the class schedule:

CoffeeCon 2016 Class Schedule

For all the details please visit the website at:

http://www.coffee-con.com/

Did you know? A Little Further South Coffee Co. is a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

 

Coffee

1912 Coffee Announces Another Cappuccino Art Throw Down

Our friends over at 1912 Coffee continue to get good press with an article appearing recently in Daily Coffee News at Roast magazine:

 

A pair of coffee pros with a wealth of experience on the Arizona coffee scene have launched 1912 Coffee, a full-service marketing and consultancy firm with lofty ambitions to elevate coffee quality and culture throughout the state.

The coffee expertise behind 1912 comes from Jonathan Carroll, co-owner of Phoenix’s Songbird Coffeehouse, and Ron Cortez of roaster Cortez Coffee Co. in Tempe. While the two have maintained a wholesale relationship for years, they’ve also had many a conversation regarding the state of Arizona coffee and how it might be improved, or at least better marketed, on a shop-by-shop basis.

With a name referencing the year Arizona joined the Union, the business is being pitched as “the Grand Canyon of coffee marketing and branding,” as it hopes to fill some holes not only in existing businesses, but in the bigger image of Arizona coffee.

The list of services 1912 is offering to independent coffee retail and roasting clients includes social media planning and delivery, web design and maintenance, photography, videography, event planning and booking, barista training, quality control programming, and virtually any other day-to-day operational requirement. “We’re trying to reach the small shops and help them with any services we can provide,” Carroll told Daily Coffee News. “The goal is to help and promote the small, independent coffee shops because that’s where coffee culture comes from.”

Culture-building will also come in the form of 1912-produced events such as monthly latte art throwdowns at different coffee locations around the state. Carroll and Cortez have been busy lining up event sponsors and extending invitations to anyone in Arizona interested in coffee, with the goal of building local and statewide networks of coffee professionals.

Full article here: 1912 Coffee Has Grand Plans for Arizona’s Coffee Landscape | Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine

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Cappuccino Art Throw Down

The next Cappuccino Art throw down which had originally been scheduled for this week coming up is now at Exo Roast Company Saturday, January 30th 2016 from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Exo Roast Company

403 N 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ

All baristas across the state are welcome to compete.

From 6-7pm || Barista Registration $5 Entry Fee

 

All are welcome, baristas bring your best!

 

Coffee, Sustainable Farming

2016 New Year’s Coffee Links

Happy New Year 2016! We start a new year, a little fresher, perhaps reminiscent. Wherever we are today, one thing is for sure: last year is over. Welcome New Year, and may it bring the best to all of us.

I’ve been able to do some reading over the holidays in between family, and odd bits of work that cropped up. Here are some that I feel worthy of your attention:

Ethical Coffee

Modern Slavery in the Coffeelands

This eight part series by Michael Sheridan investigates Brazils efforts to reduce slavery in agriculture. A must read.

Three Reasons Why You Should Drink Direct Market Coffee From the vault…

Equity for Coffee Farmers via Fortune

Odds & Ends

A Photo Journey to La Revancha Estate

A Coffee Bar Recording Studio in Brooklyn Via Sprudge: A Coffee Loving Musicians dream studio

Dating a Coffee Lover 5 Things You Need to Know Lots of good info on what makes your coffee loving significant other tick. Via: Perfect Daily Grind

The Rise of the Robot Barista: Fact or Fiction

Ports of Long Beach & Los Angeles Seek Expanded Latin Trade

Coffee crisis to hit within three years as finer tastes lead to shortage

Best wishes for a truly happy and prosperous 2016!

Coffee, Curibamba, Peru, Sustainable Farming

Real People, Really Good Coffee Update December 2015

December is the month of short days in the northern hemisphere. As I write this today, however I’m in Peru where summer has recently started. Yet, in spite of the disconnect from my “normal” winter hibernation mode, it is still a time of reflection and remembrance as the year ends and a new one soon starts.

The year in review: From the farms

The Curibamba Coffee Project

This year we started to see good things at every level. The farmers seem to be more enthusiastic about the project than ever, and it’s no wonder with coffee prices being in the basement. Overall quality of the coffee has improved each year, and with a large effort to get solar drying tents and tables into the majority of the smallholder farms we’re expecting that quality will be better again with the 2016 harvest.

Meanwhile, we’re streamlining the purchase process, and besides buying the higher quality micro lots, we’ll be also buying coffees that are specialty grade (although below the quality of the best lots,) and paying a premium to be able to fully support the coffee growing community in the hills above San Ramon. Rather than picking and choosing only the “winners,” we’re taking a more holistic approach, and making sure that every farmer has an opportunity to receive a just price for their coffee. We will continue to test each and every lot in the lab, and work for the highest quality possible.

Curibamba was featured in Expo Milan this year, as well as the Mistura Foodie Fair in Lima. It’s currently being sold and enjoyed mainly in the southwest states of Colorado, California, Arizona, Nevada, & New Mexico, but also as far east as Ohio and Wisconsin.

We will continue to focus our support efforts on solar drying tents and tables, but we’re also working with agricultural engineers to see what might best serve the growers. It may be new coffee trees, or strategic washing stations, we’re awaiting input from the fields.

Every year brings more education on the specifics of harvesting, fermenting, and drying. Edegel will be funding not only the educational programs, but will continue funding for the agricultural engineers, organic fertilizers and assistance with promotional programs for the brand. Continue reading Real People, Really Good Coffee Update December 2015 →

Coffee

London Coffee Fest Scheduled for April 2016

(Reposted -it won’t be long!) Visiting London in early April? From April 7-10 the London Coffee Fest will be held. This the UK’s largest specialty Coffee & gourmet food event. Over 30,000 people are expected to attend the festival which features coffee competitions, latte and coffee art, and of course a wide variety of small to large roasting companies showcasing their fine coffees from the thriving London coffee scene. It will be once again located at the Old Truman Brewery.

The London Coffee Festival will return next year from April 07-10 and promises to be an unmissable event for discerning coffee lovers and those working in the coffee scene.

The festival will feature over 250 artisan coffee and gourmet food stalls, tastings and demonstrations from world-class baristas, interactive workshops, street food, coffee-based cocktails, live music, DJs, art exhibitions and much more.

Visitors will also gain access to Milk & Sugar, the fashion and lifestyle district showcasing some of the most inspirational brands spanning from fashion to design and food. The London Coffee Festival is also proud to be the official launch event of UK Coffee Week™.

Source: The London Coffee Festival 2016 – Venue & FAQ

London Coffee Fest (Photo: Saddle Drunk)

Old Truman Brewery

The Old Truman Brewery houses over 200 small creative businesses, as well as a bar. Covering 19 buildings, linked by a series of alleyways and courtyards, the main area – the Boiler House – is easily identified by its 49-meter chimneystack with ‘Truman’ written up the side.

It’s a prime location for artists, Dj’s & graphic artists. There are several world renowned exhibitions. Once London’s largest brewery, it now has become a thriving shopping and visitor spot.

Truman Brewery (Photo: Nick Cunard)

Traveling to London before May 15th allows for off season pricing, or using fewer airline miles for travel. What could be better than a delicious espresso on a Spring London day?

 

Coffee, Import/Export

Peru Joins the International Coffee Organization

Peru has become the latest country to join the ICO (International Coffee Organization.) The benefits of being a member are a big plus for Peru. By enacting more standardized procedures including: traceability via regional tracking of coffee crops, training, and more importantly shared information on conditions in the fields, the end result can be beneficial to all involved in the coffee supply chain. Congratulations Peru!

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and Peru have become the latest two producing nations to be accepted into the International Coffee Organization (ICO).

The Executive Director of the ICO Robério Oliveira Silva met with Ambassador of Peru to the United Kingdom Claudio De la Puente this week, to deliver the new member’s instrument of accession to the International Coffee Agreement (ICA).

Peru’s accession and DR Congo’s ratification brings the ICO’s exporting membership up to 24 countries.

Peru’s total coffee production in crop year 2014-15 was 2.9 million 60-kilogram bags.

Full article here: DR Congo and Peru join the ICO | Global Coffee Report

About the ICO (from the official website:)

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) is an intergovernmental organization created under the auspices of the United Nations to serve the international coffee community. Established in 1963, the ICO is unique in bringing producing and consuming countries together to exchange views on coffee matters and market conditions, and address coffee policies. Among the services provided by the ICO are: up-to-date information and statistics; innovative projects to benefit the world coffee economy; coffee market reports and economic studies; consultations on coffee sector finance; as well as conferences and seminars.

The Organization is working to promote an awareness of the need for a sustainable coffee economy by making stakeholders in the coffee sector aware of the threat to sustainability posed by negative economic conditions for producers, and proposing measures in areas such as quality, promotion and diversification to maintain balance in the world coffee market. Recognizing the exceptional importance of coffee to the economies of many countries which are largely dependent upon this commodity for their export earnings and for the achievement of their social and economic development goals, the Organization also encourages sustainable development and poverty reduction in producing countries through projects which have as their principal beneficiaries the coffee producing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific region.

The International Coffee Council will hold the 4th World Coffee Conference in 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme of the conference will be confirmed soon.

Coffee

Coffee Growers Propose Economically Sustainable Prices

We at A Little Further South support a viable economic model for coffee growers. At times, it’s difficult as we receive offerings from other green coffee importers that are priced below what we pay the farmers that we’ve partnered with.

The truth is that if we’re to have quality coffee in the future, we must look beyond the ubiquitous “business as usual” model which exploits the growers, and in the long run may result in higher prices for inferior coffee. In order to foster a durable partnership, a fair price must be paid to the growers. At this writing coffee prices at the wholesale exchanges in New York are at $1.17/lb. This does not allow the growers to survive, let alone invest in fertilizer, new trees, etc. At todays prices, many are giving up on coffee.

Thanks for supporting ethically sourced coffee!

A recent article highlights efforts to encourage the adoption of more sustainable pricing. Via Coffee & Cocoa International:

Colombia, the largest producer of mild washed Arabica coffee, has proposed what it described as “an economic sustainability agreement with the global industry” that takes into account, as a fundamental element, the profitability of coffee growers.

The proposal was made by the Chief Executive Officer of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), Roberto Vélez. “What we seek with this proposal is to achieve an agreement with the entire industry that translates into price levels that make coffee growing a profitable and economically sustainable activity for coffee growers, as it does for the industry,” he said.

Colombia will present details of the proposal at the World Coffee Conference in March in Ethiopia, which will be attended by countries accounting for 94 per cent of global production and over 75 per cent of consumption.

The FNC believes that if such a measure were adopted it would directly benefit over 22 million people who work in coffee production worldwide. “With current prices, we can hardly expect coffee growing to survive. We want the industry to recognize that coffee growers make great efforts to achieve quality and sustainability.

The viability of the entire chain, starting with the farm, is a co-responsibility of all the links,” he concluded. At the time of writing, the C price was around US$1.20, well below the cost of production for farmers everywhere.

Source: Coffee & Cocoa International

Coffee

A Coffee Cup Made From Coffee Grounds

Here’s another great way to reuse the vast amounts of coffee grounds created daily. At home, all of our grounds end up in the garden (especially good for alkaline soil.) However, for most commercial coffee enterprises these valuable remnants of tasty cups enjoyed are then discarded. Rather than wasting not only the grounds themselves, but also the energy to move them, and the landfill space to bury them, check out this more practical use via Sprudge:

Climate change, with its rising temperatures and new rainfall patterns, could limit the areas where Arabica coffee plants can be grown in the next 50 years, researchers say. At the same time, global coffee consumption is at a very high level and with it comes more coffee waste. Other industries beyond retail cafes also recognize the qualities the coffee plant has to offer, and are using coffee grounds in agricultural production; grounds can also be formed into biomass pellets to create a clean form of energy, or even be used to power homes because of their ability to store methane. Along these sustainable lines, a small startup in Berlin is now creating coffee cups and saucers from used coffee grounds, and they call it Kaffeeform.

Julian Lechner, an industrial design graduate, started experimenting with coffee grounds that he picked up at public bars during his studies in Bolzano, Italy. It took him about four years to find the formula that now is Kaffeeform. The idea behind the invention is clear: recycling existing resources like coffee that are limited and would be otherwise carelessly discarded. One cup and saucer can be made from the waste of six consumed cups of espresso.

Full Article Here: Kaffeeform: A Coffee Cup Made From Coffee Grounds : Sprudge

Coffee

World of Coffee 2016 Event in Dublin June 23-25

The 16th World of Coffee event will be held in Dublin, Ireland June 23-25th. Specialty Coffee Association of Europe invites you to this fun opportunity to connect with others in the wonderful world of coffee:

WORLD OF COFFEE, EUROPE’S MOST EXCITING COFFEE EVENT, IS HEADING TO THE IRISH CAPITAL IN 2016 AND WE’RE BRINGING THE WORLD BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP WITH US.

Join the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) in Dublin for this very special event, featuring an interactive exhibition with over 200 of the world’s most innovative coffee industry suppliers, four full days of thrilling competitions, inspiring symposiums, seminars, educational workshops and a packed social programme filled with plenty of entertainment, excitement and fun fringe events.

Website here for all the details: http://www.worldofcoffee-dublin.com/visitors.html

 

Coffee

Everything you need to know about coffee acidity

Often in conversations about coffee, someone will comment that “oh the coffee was really acidy,” and what they’re talking about is the bitterness of a cup of coffee that perhaps wasn’t fresh, had been poorly prepared, or is just the run of the mill swill that tries to pass for coffee in the majority of places outside of specialty coffee shops.

But acidity in the coffee world is actually a good thing. Recently, Perfect Daily Grind (link here.) published a terrific article about acidity in coffee, and explained the differences, and how to differentiate when you’re tasting coffee:

Coffee Science: What’s Acidity?

“Mm, cranberries, with a distinctly orangey acidity… mm… and red wine,” said the barista to my right, furiously jotting this down on his little notebook.

“Oh yeah, definitely a bright orange, but maybe more like tangerine?” the other barista to my left chimed in.

“Oh yeah, tangerine, definitely orangey,” I nervously added, desperate to seem as avid a coffee geek as everyone else at the table. Continue reading Everything you need to know about coffee acidity →