Cup of Excellence holds roasting and cupping workshops in Australia
Cup of Excellence leaders are in Australia to share their expertise, running roasting and cupping workshops in Melbourne and Sydney.
From 5 – 9 December at Seven Seeds' Silo Coffee in Victoria, baristas, Cup of Excellence members and industry enthusiasts attended the intermediate roasting and cupping course.
The three-day event featured Cup of Excellence Head Judge and Nicaragua coffee farmer Erwin Mierisch and Cup of Excellence Lead Head Judge and SCAA technical committee member Paul Songer.
“It was quite an intense course, not for the faint hearted,” says Mark Dundon, Cup of Excellence member and owner of Seven Seeds, who attended the course.
“The program was all about education and awareness. It was especially important because Australia doesn’t have a huge roasting or cupping education. To be taught by leaders in such a unique region in the industry was a privilege for a lot of participants.”
The roasting course offered information about roasting profiles, heat transfer concepts, stages of roast, changes in bean properties and variables that affect coffee quality and flavour.
Demonstrations taught participants cupping techniques and how to be consistent, identify different flavor attributes and develop a personal calibration.
Erwin also gave participants a good perspective on coffee production in Nicaragua and spoke about methodologies and aesthetics of coffee growing.
With 20 participants in each workshop, Mark says the event was eagerly anticipated.
“The program sold out in 36 hours, it seemed everyone was keen to learn from our technical professionals,” Mark says.
The cupping course will make its way to Sydney on 13 and 14 December at the Paramout Building in Surry Hills, NSW.
