Category: coffee

coffee

Looking back, you could say I did a semi-unintentional cross-country coffee crawl of sorts. Running my business from the road required frequent internet connection, often for many hours at a time. I also love coffee. Put the two together and you have a perfect storm of productivity and tasty beans – the activities that primarily made up the catalyst for where I went and when.

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2018 Brewers Cup Preliminary

I had a total blasty working the Brewers Cup Preliminary event at Buckman Coffee Factory last weekend (September 9-10).

Working at the Brewers Cup Preliminary event in Portland, OR.

Watching everyone put so much work into their presentation and recipe was fun, sometimes comical, and definitely exciting. There were lots of baristas and home brewers who came to Portland for the weekend from all over Washington, Oregon, and California.

I most frequently posted up at the front desk, throwing gang signs and dishing out the highest of fives. Everything was pretty high energy and yet, the La Marzocco and Modbar Lounge was a cozy corner to chill in between presentations and while the judges debated over the scores and standings.

This was the first event of its kind – a preliminary event for the Qualifying round of Brewers Cup with the purpose of making the event more accessible. It can be super difficult for folks who maybe don’t have the backing of a cafe or roaster to help provide funds for travel, coffee to practice with, or coaching and advice.

Everyone who competed can still shoot for a spot at the Qualifiers, but only those top 4 winners of the Prelim are guaranteed a spot, as well as travel costs covered by Pacific Foods.

To get the full rundown, check out the Sprudge US CoffeeChamps article!

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Why Specialty Coffee = Appreciating People

This post is going to be one I elaborate on in multiple phases, bringing more thought to the topic throughout many experiences.

Appreciating Specialty Coffee, Appreciating People

i heart specialty coffee

Since becoming an enthusiastic coffee fan from the sidelines for many years now, and subsequently delving deeper into the coffee scene,  I’ve developed a strong passion for what the specialty coffee industry and its customers do to improve the quality of life for people throughout the entire supply chain of the bean.

The specialty/modern coffee industry and those who buy and share the end product, are such a powerful community, capable of having such a positive influence on producers and workers in developing countries. When we appreciate what’s in our cups, and hold it to a higher standard, we can all help lift each other up, allowing for more sustainable practices, respectable living wages, and lower environmental impact.