Archives for category: Places and Faces

So, next Sunday, the WCE descends on Dublin for meetings about the WBC and other prestigious coffee events. It is a rare occurrence to have so many luminaries in Ireland, probably being the first such occasion, and is unlikely to be repeated until 2013 when Ireland hosts the WBC*

So – welcome. I shall be marking the occasion by flying to the west coast of the US. It’s not you, it’s me. (more…)

A little over a month ago, on a Friday evening, nursing a bottle of wine, and feeling rather in love with the world, I made this blog post. The result was thirty people sending and receiving bags of coffee from all over the world; thirty people who put their faith in complete strangers to uphold their side of the bargain. It has broadly been very successful, with the only caveats being an inevitable couple of lost/delayed packages expected of these kind of international shipments.

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It was an odd few days, a very different WBC to last year’s. The atmosphere at the show was simultaneously wonderfully convivial and at times disconcertingly surreal. I found my mind switching between awe at the assembled talent and resources, and reeling against what I hope most will forgive me for calling the sometimes boderline absurdity of this subculture. It is a happy kind of absurdity I must add.

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One of the great things I enjoy about coffee, is sharing a coffee I love with someone. Recently I’ve been running Saturday cupping sessions at 3FE, and seeing week after week people getting those new experiences has been really fulfilling. I also feel I spend far too much time on this blog being cantankerous, this I hope will be my penance for dozens of long winded blog posts.

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