The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) has announced it will host five coffee championship events at World of Coffee Budapest in 2017, in partnership with World Coffee Events (WCE).
Hungary’s capital will open its arms from 13 – 15 June 2017 to host the World Brewers Cup, World Latte Art, World Coffee in Good Spirits, World Cup Tasters and World Cezve/Ibrik Championships at the SCAE’s annual speciality coffee event. Read more
By Ria Lingad, Cerebos Gregg’s 2016 New Zealand Brewers Cup Champion.
Next year is fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about competing in the 2017 coffee championships – if you haven’t already done so.
No one can testify this sentiment more than me. Last year I decided to compete in New Zealand’s Brewers Cup simply to take some of my basic brewing skills to the next level. At the same time I gained the opportunity to zestfully share good cups of coffee with other people.
Winning the NZ Brewers Cup provided the outlet I needed to exploit my creativity and travel through a quest of discovering new tastes and connect with people with similar passions.
Here are my top five reasons to compete in Brewers Cup:
1. You are forced to deeply understand basic concepts and build a solid foundation
Understanding and mastering the many variables in brewing takes time and practice. Systematically, practice for the Brewers Cup compulsory rounds using coffees of varying roast degrees and development. It is as important to practice for the compulsory round as much as for the open service.
2: Practice and experience sharpen your taste buds
n When you accept taste is relative, that it is built upon taste experiences from when you are born, it opens a whole new dimension in understanding flavour and how ethnicity can influence your taste buds. Where we were raised or live, and our environment, plays a big part. In a competition like brewer’s cup where accuracy in describing taste is key, this poses a real challenge. There’s a lot of human element, such as ethnicity, at play.
3: Get to sweat the small stuff, at least in competition
Continual practice gets you to a point where the little things get noticed, reviewed, critiqued, overhauled, and eventually changed. Anyone who has competed on the world stage will know how important the minor details are. Consider breaking down score sheets in percentage rather than points, so you can see the weighting of each attribute and prioritise the high weight attributes in your presentation.
4: Meet amazing people as passionate as you
I have forged friendships that would never have happened if I’d not competed. From Tim Grocott, my cup maker, to Jose and Ailenne Gallardo, my coffee producers in Panama, and all the people I’ve met through this journey. It’s an incredibly magical thing to connect through coffee and I’m fortunate to have met genuine people who went the extra mile to help out.
5: Springboard on other people’s experiences and learnings
n Reach out for help – more often than not, people are keen to offer a helping hand. Don’t even think about snobbery and rejection. We all need help and I would definitely make it my mission to assist competitors next year.
Why not listen to that voice inside your head and give it a go? Start your preparations now.
For more information visit nzcra.org.nz/
Image credit: Dianne Jialei Wang
Australian food personality and cook Justine Schofield has been announced as The Coffee Club’s new National Food Ambassador.
The Coffee Club General Manager of Marketing Greg Bowell says Justine was the natural choice for the inaugural position, not only because she is well respected by her peers, but because her TV show Everyday Gourmet embodies all that The Coffee Club stands for. Read more
Allegra Events have announced the judges participating in Coffee Masters New York City 2016.
The line-up of international judges includes John Letoto of Greenway Coffee and Blacksmith in the United States, Anne Lunell of Koppi Roasters in Sweden, Dan Streetman of Irving Farm Coffee Roasters in NYC, David Donde of Truth Coffee Roasting in South Africa, and Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood of Colonna and Small’s in the United Kingdom. Read more
As part of the Government’s Ten Year Enterprise Tax Plan, announced in last night’s 2016-17 Budget, the small business entity turnover threshold will be increased from $2 million to $10 million from 1 July 2016.
From this date, businesses with an annual turnover of less than $10 million will receive a 1 per cent tax cut to 27.5 per cent. The $10 million threshold will be gradually increased each year so that all companies face a 27.5 per cent tax rate by 2023-24. Read more
Dessert master Darren Purchase of Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio has five key ingredients to hosting the perfect morning tea.
1. Rally friends, family or work colleagues together
2. Serve delicious coffee, or tea
3. Display tasty food items that create a talking point. Consider baking something with texture and colour.
4. Create a fun environment to chat or network
5. Raise funds for an amazing cause, such as Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea Read more
The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV) has announced a new opportunity for Australian food producers with the launch of the Australian Food Awards.
Announced on 19 April, the Australian Food Awards will celebrate excellence and recognise the best producers of fine food in Australia. Read more
Jura Australia has announced its partnership of Cancer Council and its iconic charity event – Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.
Jura Australia’s George Liakatos says the idea to align with Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea was inspired by the company’s shared goals of bringing people together and raising funds for worthy causes. Read more
Veneziano Coffee Roasters have launched a Western Australia distribution team for the first time.
Maan Tawachi, State Sales Manager and Brian Ibrahim, State Finance Manager will lead the new WA distributor team. Maan and Brian collectively have worked in the coffee industry for 10 years, and used the Veneziano brand for the past 10 years at their own cafés. Read more
If you think you have what it takes to become a Coffee Master, then now is your time to shine.
Applications are now open for the 2016 New York City Coffee Masters.
The competition will return to The New York Coffee Festival from 16 – 18 September at the 69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, United States. Read more