Lifestyle

The London Coffee Festival

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The London Coffee Festival
6th – 9th April
The Old Truman Brewey, Brick Lane

You know that smell when you walk into a special independent coffee shop, that warm feeling that rushes to you when you smell the fresh natural scent of ‘good’ coffee being made and that first sip of an amazing cup of coffee which gives you feels I can’t really describe with words. Well imagine an event that celebrates and provides those feels 24/7. YES beautiful coffee lovers The London Coffee Festival is back and it’s going to be even better than the last one.

The London Coffee Festival, the largest gathering for coffee lovers in Western Europe, is making a triumphant return to the capital when it will take up home at the bustling Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane from 6 – 9 April 2017. Now entering its seventh year, the 2017 edition is set to be the biggest ever with hundreds of baristas, roasters, chefs and coffee aficionados descending on London for the four-day event. Following the success of last year’s exhibition, which attracted over 30,000 visitors, this year’s Festival will see the return of the famed Coffee Masters competition where the world’s top baristas compete for the prestigious title of Coffee Master and a £5,000 cheque.

Latte Art live will showcase incredible milk-based artistry; whilst The White Label Kitchen will ensure visitors can feast on the finest of the capital’s top food concepts. A wonderful variety of delicious street foods will be on offer to cater for discerning coffee lovers and foodies alike. What’s more, all visitors will be welcomed and encouraged to taste and drink coffee to their heart’s content courtesy of the best roasters in Britain.

For those looking to learn as well as be amazed, there will be a host of workshops including: cupping sessions with the likes of Caravan Coffee Roasters and The Nordic Approach; tastings from the UK’s top baristas at La Marzocco’s True Artisan Café, whisky and food pairings; Matcha Tea ceremonies, and classes on everything from brewing styles and bean varieties through to opening your own coffee shop and growing a social media profile in The Lab. This all follows an opening night Espresso Martini party featuring a live DJ set from legendary London DJ, Norman Jay MBE.

Jeffrey Young, CEO & Founder of Allegra Group, says: “After nearly a decade of growth in the London specialty coffee scene, it is exciting to see the continued flurry of innovation and, of course, so many new artisan coffee shop openings throughout London and the rest of the UK each year.  London is now recognised as a true centre of excellence for the high quality, craft coffee industry and why The London Coffee Festival attracts thousands of trade visitors and ‘coffee tourists’ from all over the world.”

What not to miss at London Coffee Festival, including some of the top hits from previous years and brand new additions for 2017:

Coffee Masters: 16 contenders, 7 disciplines, 1 winner
Visitors will be treated to a spectacular display of dazzling skills as 16 world class baristas face off for the prestigious crown of Coffee Master and £5,000 cash prize. The competition runs over four days and its disciplines include: Latte Art Challenge (testing a barista’s mastery of milk), The Origin (identifying origins of coffee beans and placing them on a world map), The Order (turning around a ten drinks order in 9 minutes!) and more. Visitors of LCF will also be able to join the fun with Coffee Masters Workshops.

 

Latte Art Live
A platform for the world’s best artists to showcase their skills. There will be plenty of opportunities to learn the tricks of the trade and to capture trendy photos to bolster any Instagram page. Visitors can also join latte art masterclasses run by Shinsaku Fukayama, the World Latte Art Champion, and Dhan Tamang, the UK Latte Art Champion, plus baristas from Ozone Coffee Roasters and more.

The Coffee Art Project
A mixed-media art competition that welcomes emerging and established artists, entrants are required to show personal connection to the concept of ‘coffee’ or a ‘coffee shop experience’. The competition is a core fundraising initiative for UK Coffee Week – which raises money to give back to the communities that grow our coffee. For details on how to enter, visit: www.londoncoffeefestival.com/WhatsOn/CoffeeArtProject

Coffee Roasting Experiences
A plethora of wonderful coffee aromas will descend on the Old Truman Brewery over the weekend, especially with a number of roasting experiences open to visitors. The Roastery by Union Coffee will be presenting live coffee roasting experiences to visitors with an interactive coffee tasting challenge. Visitors to The Factory will be treated to talks, cupping sessions and will be able to develop their understanding of coffee cultivation and processing methods as they taste coffee from around the world.

The Tasting Room
A treat for all the senses – The Tasting Room welcome foodies and drinks enthusiasts alike. Enjoy an immersive Roastery Experience by UCC Coffee or Chocolate Tasting experience led by expert chocolatiers from Hotel Chocolat. Visitors will also get to enjoy wine, whisky, craft beer and tea tasting with a selection of connoisseurs that are masters at their crafts.

Tickets:
£16.50 for adults | £4.50 for children To purchase or for more information, please visit www.londoncoffeefestival.com

Address:
Old Truman Brewery
Brick Lane

Written by Alvin Engutsamy