May 2024
Welcome to our May newsletter.
We have once again quite a few exciting projects and events in the pipeline that we will tell you about very shortly (June newsletter will be there soon). But for now, we’d like to share with you the upcoming classes and workshops that will take place in the next few weeks. We’re really pleased to be able to start hosting professional coffee courses at the lab on a regular basis and are looking to extend our offering in the next few months (including workshops for non-professionals too!). If you are an independent coffee trainer or educator that would like to collaborate and make use of our space, please do reach out. We’re always more than happy to share our community space :)
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND COURSES
Join Independent Coffee Lab’s manager François Knopes for an exploration of all the essential factors that impact coffee quality, from farm to cup.
When considering all the steps and sets of hands required to produce (one of) the world’s favourite beverages, every cup of quality coffee is a miracle of its own. With a myriad of topics to learn about, debunk and explore, it can be difficult to know where to start. This one-day course is a great introduction that offers a comprehensive overview of all the aspects of coffee production that impacts the quality of the final cup.
No prior training or knowledge is required to attend this course. Its content would benefit anyone working within the coffee industry who wish to get a broader understanding of coffee quality. Each session is also limited to a maximum of 4 participants, to allow for plenty of opportunities to ask any questions you might have.
Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in the coffee industry, François shares in this workshop his most important learnings as a green coffee buyer, roaster, barista, café manager, business owner and coffee competitor. As well as many years of work within his family business, Knopes Artisan Torréfacteur in Belgium and Luxembourg, he has also worked with a variety of renowned coffee companies; Ripe Coffee in New Zealand as well as Taylor St Baristas and Perky Blenders Coffee Roasters in the UK.
Next courses : 12/06/24 - 17/07/24 - 21/08/24 (Wednesdays)
Are you ready to become a coffee brewing master? Join Sandra Ventura for a deep dive in all things coffee brewing, with the guidance, expertise and knowledge of a seasoned coffee professional.
This workshop covers various critical aspects of coffee brewing, from grinder adjustment and contact time to extraction principles and how to have tons of fun experimenting with coffee, without wasting an ounce of it! The lesson also touches on the importance of water quality and how to improve your brewing experience by controlling its mineral content. By the end of this session, you will have mastered several brewing methods such as the Pour Over, French Press and Aeropress, and discovered which types of coffee you enjoy the most. Under Sandra’s guidance, you will find the perfect brewing device for you and learn how to unlock its full potential.
Sandra Ventura is a specialty coffee expert with over a decade of experience as a barista, coffee trainer, independent consultant and a green coffee sales representative. Starting her coffee career at the well-known Harris & Hoole and Taylor St Baristas, she went on to become a Specialty Coffee Association AST trainer and competed in a multitude of coffee competitions in the UK, as well as the famous Coffee Masters competition in London and New-York. In the last three years, she was selected to be a part of the Barista Leadership Council, which allowed her to connect with other passionate coffee professionals from around the world and contribute to the development of a new program for the Specialty Coffee Association.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take your coffee game to the next level!
Next course : 06/06/24 (Thursday)
Who loves Robusta but doesn’t know it just yet? 😍
This new Coffee Quality Institute course would be a wonderful start of your love affair with the species. Join Julian Loayza for an exploration of Robusta through historical, biological, and organoleptic lenses.
In this course, the history of the species and the Robusta market are used to create context for the current state of Robusta and its potential as a speciality coffee. Topics covered span from genetics to cup quality. Throughout the class, relevant comparisons to Arabica are made, including market statistics, farming and production practices, as well as cup quality. The goal of this class is to introduce Robusta coffee to a wide breadth of coffee professionals and for them to discover the potential of Fine Robusta on the marketplace.
This course is for coffee professionals who have experience with Arabica coffee but not Robusta. It is for anyone recognizing a need to fill a knowledge gap to understand the main characteristics and market for Robusta, what differentiates its quality and any other valuable differences from Arabica.
The class will be followed by a tasting to compare the different flavours, characteristics and profiles found in ‘Fine’ and ‘Commercial’ Robustas. We will also make sure to have nice fresh coffee (of either species!) and some snacks available during the course.
Next course : 13/07/24 (Saturday)
UPCOMING Q GRADER COURSES
We still have a few spots available for the Q Grader courses in September / October but it’s filling up very fast at the moment. If you were interested in signing up to those, get in there quick! (or get in touch if you’d like more info)
See you in June!
xx Team ICL