The Sprudge Report - It's Expo Weekend!
And there's a lot to talk about.
What to do in Houston for Expo
SCA Expo is happening right this very moment in Houston. And if you find yourself the great Texas city, you may be looking for things to do outside of the Expo floor. Luckily we’ve got a list of all the parties, activations, get-togethers, and throwdowns to keep your docket filled to the gills.
A guide to Glasgow
The Glasgow Coffee Festival is also happening right this very moment in Scotland. It has become one of the premier grassroots festivals in all of Europe, pulling in folks from across the continent. So what is one to do for a long weekend in Scotland? We’ve got all the details. Scottish journalist Fionn Pooler gives us a tour of the city with beta on where to eat, drink, and of course grab a coffee.
A new Judge Skills Program
Even Barista Championship judges dream of the big stage, of being there on Finals day at the World Barista Championship tasting all the wild coffees and inventive signature beverages. That’s why the World Coffee Championships have created a new Judge Skills Program, which will provide training for individuals looking to judge coffee competitions on the World stage.
Coffee gym mats?
Coffee has long been the fuel of athletic performance and now it may also be the basis for it. The UK’s Sprung Gym Flooring has created Ground Floor, a new eco-friendly gym flooring option made of 30% used coffee grounds that has a “subtle aroma” of coffee. Better than sweat.
Encore, Encore!
It’s Expo season and that means a whole lot of new coffee gear is getting announced. And one of the more exciting releases this week came from Baratza, who announced the latest edition to their Encore line of grinders, the ESP Pro. It has all the features folks have come to love about Baratza products as well as a few new bells and whistles that’ll have Encore owners looking to trade up.
From the Press Release desk
It’s a big week for press releases (because Expo). First up is La Marzocco, who have not one, not two, but three booths at Expo, creating “a giant-sized immersive espresso machine experience.” Next up is Mazzer, who will be unveiling their all-new Mini G grinder at Expo. And finally, Acaia will also be releasing a new product, the Umbra Lunar, which will be able to connect with other Acaia products or act independently.
SCA Q?
The Specialty Coffee Association now oversees the Q Grader exam. After over two decades being administered by the Coffee Quality Institute, the Q has been taken over the by SCA, who will now fold in in with their Coffee Value Assessment for what they are calling the “Evolved Q Grader” program. The CQI will have no involvement with the Q after October 1st.
The last ever Expo podcast
This is the last SCA Expo, can you believe it? But don’t worry it’s not going anywhere. It’s just rebranding to World of Coffee. But still, it’s the end of an era, and hosts Jordan Michelman and Zachary Carlsen are previewing the Houston event as well as drinking coffee from a Kuerig?!
Roaster’s Village
We’re highlighting outstanding coffees from some of our favorite roasting partners each week here in the newsletter. This week’s selection of tasty coffees are…
Heartwood Coffee – Colombia Sebastian Ramirez Pink Bourbon
THE BARN – Brazil Earth Coffee
Equator Coffees – Burundi Dushime Single Origin Espresso
Klatch Coffee– Peru Gesha
Madcap Coffee – Honduras Irvin Izaguirre
Passenger Coffee – Peru Fidel Huancas
Phil & Sebastian — Ecuador Lilac Dream (Catuaí – Hacienda Santa Gertrudis)
Mr. Espresso — Colombia La Terraza
La Barba Coffee — Ecuador Hacienda La Papaya Sidra 120hr Anaerobic
Onyx Coffee Lab — Colombia Jairo Arcila Lychee
Portland Coffee Roasters – Anniversary Roast
Stumptown Coffee Roasters – Vivid Bloom
PERC – Colombia Los Nogales Yellow Bourbon
Dune Coffee Roasters – Ecuador Hacienda La Papaya Anaerobic Sidra
Pachamama Coffee – Perú
Partners Coffee – Colombia Vladimir Calambás
Night Swim Coffee – Ethiopia Nano Genji #6
Sightglass Coffee Roasters – Spring Equinox
Olympia Coffee – Colombia San Sebastian Reserva
Verve Coffee Roasters – Kenya Gura AA
Joe Coffee – Honduras Rubí Sisters Catuaí
CXFFEEBLACK – Fruit Of Our Labor
New job listings from Sprudge Jobs
Counter Culture Coffee - Sales & Business Development - New York, NY
Counter Culture Coffee - Account Manager & Educator - New York, NY
Minor Figures - Territory Sales Representative, Northwest - Remote, based in Seattle, San Francisco, Portland
Minor Figures - Territory Sales Representative, Midwest - Remote, based in Chicago, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Milwaukee
Klatch Coffee - Graphic Artist Intern - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Klatch Coffee - Social Media Coordinator - Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters - Head Roaster/Production Manager - Sandwich, MA
Olympia Coffee - Retail Barista Trainer - Seattle, WA
Do you have a news tip? Feedback? A funny joke? Send us an e-mail, use the contact form on Sprudge, leave a message at 1-888-55-SPRUDGE, or send us a letter at P.O. Box 3943 Portland, OR 97218.