July / August 2024
Welcome to our Summer newsletter.
The last few months have been the busiest period we’ve seen since launching The Independent Coffee Lab just over year ago and we could not be happier to see it blossom into the collaborative community hub that it is becoming. All while staying true to our core purpose and philosophy: to provide a neutral space and a source of knowledge and support at the service of entire coffee supply chain, from coffee grower to end consumer.
Since June, we’ve had the pleasure and the privilege of hosting coffee producers from Colombia (Cafe Lumbus) and Kenya (Great Rift Coffee), launched our monthly Discovery Cupping + Q&A featuring coffees produced or sourced by numerous coffee companies, welcomed over 20 certified Q Graders for two intense calibration days and hosted several bespoke workshops and tastings for both professionals and enthusiasts alike.
We’ve been rushed off our feet for a while but would now like to share a heartfelt thank you to all the people who have visited us and used our premises recently! The team will be taking a little break during August, but we already have lots of exciting events and courses we’d like to tell you about!
Have you been thinking about signing up to a Coffee Quality Institute Q Arabica Grader course for a while now? Well, here is your chance!
We have just a couple of spots left in our first ever Q Grader Combo Exam & Training course, which will take place on the first week of October at the lab in London (30th of September to 5th of October).
Julian Loayza (and also with Ben Bicknell who will observing) will be guiding you through the 6 days course which consists of two corresponding parts over six days. In the first part, over 3 days, learners review assumed knowledge and theoretical principles, including practice of all activities. The second part is a 3-day series of exams regarding the material presented. The course includes 20 exams over 9 Modules to test the learners’ job-relevant skills including cupping protocols, olfactory and gustatory senses, green coffee defect identification, roast sample level identification and matching pairs of coffee acids. Testing also includes recognizing and recalling CQI Flavor Standards in aqueous solutions. Want more info or ready to join? Find out more on the CQI web portal link below.
Join us in Liverpool on Friday the 23rd of August for our first ever cupping event and workshop outside our London headquarter! We’ve been meaning to organise an outing for many months and, thanks to our friends at Khipu Coffee who generously offered to host, this was an easy decision to make.
Both workshop and cupping are free entrance. If you’re based up north, please come and say hi! :)
First up, our other good friends and colleagues at Sinar Technology will be joining us once again. Jason Webb will be delivering his ever so popular workshop on moisture in green coffee. With three decades of experience in the field, Jason is (by far) the most knowledgeable person we know on that topic. His presentation is pretty mind blowing and not be missed!
This will be followed by our August Discovery Cupping, in which will be presented coffees from multiple supply chains (producers and importers). We will have a selection of coffees from various producing countries (Ethiopia, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, India, Kenya, Yemen, Ethiopia) to taste and discuss, produced or sourced by numerous coffee companies: South India Coffee Company, Sabor Coffee, Royalty Specialty Coffees, Khipu Coffee, Arcadia Green Coffee, Tomorrows Coffee, Aqeeq Haraz Bunn, Great Rift,…
This monthly meetup is a great opportunity to learn more about a wide variety of coffee growers and importers that are producing, sourcing and importing some truly unique and delicious coffees!
CUP OF EXCELLENCE : ETHIOPIA 2024
The London Cupping Directive, alongside The Independent Coffee Lab and Golden Bear Coffee, brings you the opportunity to taste the top 10 lots from this year's Cup of Excellence: Ethiopia 2024 competition.
We will be showcasing the top 10 scoring Cup of Excellence winners, all of which are naturally processed with 9 from the Sidamo region and 1 from Oromia. The top lot achieved a score of 90.50 and was grown by Basha, a 30 year old producer who supports his four children and was taught how to cultivate coffee quality from his Father. Alongside the CoE: Ethiopian 2024 lots, we will also showcase a range of coffee from Tomorrows Coffee, a new Ethiopian coffee importer keen to bring and showcase their quality to London. Since the competition's first outing in Ethiopia in 2020, where the 28 winning lots generated in excess of $1.3million, quality has grown immensely to where in 2022 over 600 lots were submitted with an outstanding quantity of JARC varieties included. Unfortunately, the 2023 auction was suspended due to funding being no longer available from their sponsoring partners, which makes this upcoming 2024 auction on Tuesday August 27th even more special.
We are honoured at the opportunity to help broadcast the quality to London’s green coffee buyers, roasters and enthusiasts, whilst supporting the Cup of Excellence’s’ mission to support producers, especially small holders, wanting to increase their quality.
Are you a coffee roaster or green coffee buyer looking for your next offering or partnership? Look no further and have a look through our comprehensive, ‘multi-importer’ and UK focused weekly green coffee offer list.
We are currently showcasing and sharing information about coffees readily available on the market (spot position) from Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Peru, Mexico and Yemen, which have been sourced and brought to the UK by several import companies.
Want to subscribe to the weekly update? Drop us a message and we will add you to the mailing list!
*For information only. The Independent Coffee lab does not directly benefit from the promotion or sale of any of the coffees referenced nor is responsible for their quality.
See you in July!
xx Team ICL