Journal

Let battle commence!

The wait is finally over and we can now reveal the incredible line-up for Coffee Masters NYC.

La Marzocco’s True Artisan Café is one of the most popular features of London Coffee Festival, celebrating the role of roasters, coffee shops and baristas across the European Coffee Scene.
 
To reward these fantastic baristas and cafés, La Marzocco have created the True Artisan Café Awards... and we can now reveal the winners!

After the successful launch of Coffee Masters at the London Coffee Festival 2015, Coffee Masters NYC will make its first appearance at the New York Coffee Festival in September 2015.

Big thank you to everyone who took part in our visitor survey.

The votes are in and we are very excited to announce the winners of this year’s London Coffee Festival awards.

Awaken your senses and prepare yourself for the ultimate coffee experience…

The House of Coffee & Co. is a new multi-sensory coffee event created by the London Coffee Festival that will take you on a voyage of discovery through five different galleries designed to represent the coffee bean’s journey from crop to cup.

The London Coffee Festival is over for another year, but never fear – we’ll be back in 2016.

More than 23,642 visitors (including 9,861 trade visitors) attended The London Coffee Festival from 30 April – 03 May at the Old Truman Brewery in East London.

Ladies and gentlemen – we have our first Coffee Master!

We started with 20 of the world’s top baristas, who travelled to London from as far afield as Australia, Indonesia, Germany, Italy...

Each of them had one goal – to become the first ever Coffee Master.

Book your Saturday tea time ticket and get free entry to the VIP Coffee Music Project event.

Come and meet Coffee Music Project winners Jessica Murae ft Ben Colman, plus special guests, at an exclusive event for Saturday tea time ticket holders.

We are raising a toast to celebrate the fifth edition of The London Coffee Festival and imbibing cocktails from the classic Old Fashioned to Espresso Martinis and iced tea brews.

Slayer Espresso have been hand-crafting espresso machines in Seattle, USA since 2007. 

At the festival this year, Slayer will be serving Ninety Plus coffee - which produces some of the world's highest scoring coffees.

Ever wanted to learn how to create impressive latte art? Well now you can!

Dhan Tamang, the current and three-time UK Latte Art Champion is coming to the London Coffee Festival with The Roasting Party to share his skills with you.

Double, bubble, toil and trouble! 

We're cooking up a wicked concoction at this year's Espresso Martini Bar, brought to you in partnership with Babička original wormwood vodka. 

Coffee may be an art, but there’s also a science to achieving the perfect espresso.

As humans, the first taste sensation we develop is sweet - not immediately associated with coffee.

Yet many people would argue that all coffee should be sweet, after all coffee is a fruit and its seeds – the coffee beans – are sweet.

When it comes to coffee, you probably spend ages choosing a blend or bean that will make the perfect cup.

But it’s not just about the coffee – what about the other crucial ingredient, water?

Breaking news!

We can finally reveal which of our Coffee Masters contenders will compete against each other in the first heats of the competition. 

Join Ozone Coffee Roasters at stand SH1-SH2 to taste some fine espresso and the launch of their Cold Brew (rumour has it there will be a SMEG fridge stocked with the stuff!).

Plus they're also running an exciting competition to win an Acaia Pearl Black!

Struggling to replicate barista standard filter at home? Fear not – it can be done.

Sean Pittaway specialist barista at ThreeSixty°, the coffee brand behind the Make Decent Coffee Lounge at this year’s festival, is here to help, talking us through the art of brewing perfect coffee using the v60.

In this week’s Barista Face Off, testing the competitors' wit and knowledge, we pit two of our Wildcards - both from the UK - against each other.

Two baristas; five questions

Did you know that temperature influences how coffee cherries mature and taste and the movement of hot and cold air changes the longevity of coffee?

Or that the best quality coffee grows under shade, on the equator and at high altitude?

For coffee roasters it’s essential to learn to critically taste coffee so that they can truly understand the best way to roast each different coffee for maximum taste. 

Learn how to really experience the true flavours of coffee with Jeremy Torz from Union Hand-Roasted.

Mornings would be so much harder without the radio and a cup of freshly brewed coffee and this combination of caffeine and music is enjoyed by people the whole world over.

The Coffee Music Project blends the coffee and music worlds into one, giving aspiring artists and songwriters a platform to share their passion for music and coffee culture, while raising money and awareness for Project Waterfall.

Find out the winning artist...

They might be able to deal with pressure profiling or perfecting latte art design, but how do Coffee Masters contenders measure up when we grill them?

In this week’s Barista Face Off, testing the competitors' wit and knowledge, we pit two ambitious baristas against each other who have created sweet, fragrant Signature Drinks.

What on earth should you wear to the London Coffee Festival?

If you’re a fashion-conscious coffee drinker who’s already thinking about your festival wardrobe, then we guarantee that you’ll be fighting to get your hands on one of these fantastic London Coffee Festival T-shirts. 

With the London Coffee Festival just 6 weeks away, we’re about to descend on cafes and coffee shops across London (and further afield) with our new festival cups, sponsored by Seda.

James West, barista trainer from Union Hand-Roasted talks us through his extraction dos and don'ts, plus his love/hate relationship with the refractometer.

How much do you really know about the Coffee Masters contenders?

In our third Barista Face Off, we pit two baristas against each other who created cold, dark, alcoholic Signature Drinks.

James Bailey chose an iced Kabingara AA with rum, cachaça and absinthe, while Craig Simon selected cold brew with Starward Whisky and six dashes of bitters.

Do you want to present your coffee to thousands of coffee lovers at London’s biggest artisan coffee event on the La Cimbali stand?

Enter the competition and your coffee could be at The London Coffee Festival.

In our second Barista Face Off, we pit two baristas against each other whose sweet iced signature drinks caught our eye.
 
This week Simone König from Germany takes on Jolie Beckett from Australia in a question of wit and knowledge.

In our first Barista Face Off, we bring you two passionate baristas with exceptional attention to detail.

In his signature drink video, Patrik revealed that he spent two years gathering flowers to ensure he understands the floral notes in coffee while Raimonds’ collected water from Latvian springs, which he then infused with Juniper needles.

So we now pit barista against barista!

Artists, illustrators and designers have been using coffee cups as canvases in this year’s ARTcup competition in association with Seda and The London Coffee Festival 2015. 

It’s finally here. The big reveal as to whose artwork will be the official coffee cup design for the London Coffee Festival. 

And the winner is… 

We're so pleased to announce the GOOD TO GO Café in partnership with Ozone Coffee Roasters, launching at The London Coffee Festival 2015.

Ozone Coffee Roasters is taking us back to their roots with a kiwi style pop up café. In collaboration with their favourite UK producers expect to find unique dishes...

Lead barista and manager of Golden Harvest Espresso Bar in Sheffield, Joey Jackson, shares with us his mulled coffee recipe for the autumn/winter season. 
 
Having a big interest in anything botanical, I love this time of year...

Calling all artists!

Have you ever wanted to see your work all across London?

From Brixton to Soho, West London to Hoxton? On the streets and in the coolest cafés in London? In the hands of the hottest of hipsters and the yummiest of mummies? Well now is your chance.

A nineteenth century rendezvous for London’s intellectual and literary figures, the neighbourhood of Fitzrovia has been bolstered in the coffee stakes in recent months with the arrival of Curators Coffee Gallery, Kin and Workshop. The London Coffee Guide Editor, Guy Simpson, provides his take on one of these exciting new...

​We are so pleased to announce Coffee Masters, a new fast-paced, multi-disciplinary barista competition launching at The London Coffee Festival 2015.

This exciting new event will see top baristas from across the globe competing head-to-head for the prestigious Coffee Master title and a £5,000 cash prize.

The votes have been counted and verified and here it is...your favourite piece from The Coffee Art Project at The London Coffee Festival!

More than 1500 of you voted for “Coffee Ballerina” by Paul Parkin (pictured).

In his own words Paul describes the artwork...

We're so excited to announce that Stephen Leighton of Has Bean Coffee will host a live episode of In My Mug as part of the festival LAB programme featuring experimental coffee farmer Alejandro Martinez. 

 

Q & A with Silvia Lioci - Curator, The Coffee Art Project 

Finalist from the coffee themed artwork competition The Coffee Art Project will be on display at The London Coffee Festival - from sculpture, water colour and pencil drawings to photography...

Think you have what it takes to beat the barista? Throughout the festival Cravendale’s resident barista will be offering marvellous milk masterclasses from how to achieve the perfect foam to how to create impressive latte art at home.  Here are some tips from coffee consultants DunneFrankowski....

Coffee and chocolate is quite possibly the proof that the universe loves us and wants us to be happy. Combine them and you have a heavenly pairing that will seduce you into caffeine filled wonder.

A step by step guide to coffee and chocolate tasting...

For years Viennese coffee culture has inspired scholars, philosophers and poets. Coffee shops played an important part in shaping Viennese culture and have been described as a place "where time and space are consumed, but only the coffee is found on the bill". 

As headline sponsors of The Coffee Art Project...

While tapping your toes to the coffee belt beats, you are also in for a visual treat; enjoy a painted illustration of the coffee journey by talented artist Manu on the bandstand.

Meet Manu

“My name is Manuel Griñón Montes, and I come from a small town in the north coast of Spain...

With some helpful hints from Make Decent Coffee specialist barista, Sean Pittaway, Kay Lockett attempts to master the Aeropress. 

It feels a little like a science experiment as I pick up the unassuming interlocking plastic tubes while waiting for the kettle to boil. As soon as I hear the water begin...

Calling all baristas! Take part in the Cravendale marvellous M.I.L.K Battle to be in with the chance of winning the trip of a lifetime to a coffee country of origin!
 
Simply battle it out with fellow baristas live on the Cravendale stand to create the most elaborate latte art…

The vibe at Hally’s is an airy California cool. The reclaimed clapboard and whitewashed brick walls radiate an optimistic West Coast vibe, punctuated by citrus yellow bar stools and neon signs. Tables extend back towards a cosy nook, providing plenty of seating. The well-stocked bar offers a selection of North American wines, beers...

We’ve had to keep it a secret up until now… but finally we can announce the stellar line up for La Marzocco’s True Artisan Café – the pop up coffee shop smack-bang in the middle of the festival!

The idea is simple: only the best, serving the best.

Continental Stores is a new venture in Bloomsbury from the owners of highly regarded Store Street Espresso. The lofty ceilings and white walls create an unhurried, contemplative environment in which to catch up on reading or meet friends. A mixed crowd of professionals, students and academics trade ideas and conversation against a...

The UK is fast becoming the most advanced coffee nation in Europe, with the UK market expected to exceed 20,000 outlets by 2018. That's a total turnover of £8.7 billion!

Tuckshop - Banish from your head any thoughts of school canteen fare; Tuckshop is a choice cut for coffee and antipodean-inspired food. The café fronts the workspaces of White Rabbit Studios, and a large internal window affords a fascinating glimpse into the neighbouring workshop. During the working week the space hums with activity...

After four intense days of competitions at Birmingham’s Millennium Point, we have the following baristas going through to the finals of the UK Barista Championships at The London Coffee Festival to compete for a place in the World Barista Championships which will be held at the...

St Ali Head Chef Andrew Gale will craft a bespoke menu for the festival with a selection of dishes focusing on seasonal produce, bringing you a taste of how they do things over in Melbourne! 

Hailed locally and internationally as a benchmark in quality for both food and speciality coffee, St. Ali will be...

If you don’t happen to live in Stoke Newington, a visit to Esters is likely to arouse serious envy for those fortunate enough to have such a brilliant little coffee shop on their doorstep. Standing on the site formerly occupied by café Fred & Fran, new owners Nia and Jack have created a sanctum where...

“Someone told me some time ago that coffee roasting is nine-tenths science and one-tenth witchcraft - it’s very true," said Jeremy Torz, co-owner of Union Hand-Roasted Coffee as we talk about the importance of knowing and nurturing your beans for the perfect roast.

Union is a speciality artisan coffee roaster based in east...

The team from La Cimbali is back at the festival this year with their take on the ‘4th wave’ coffee movement. For those of you who don’t know, this is where coffee meets science and things get precise and even a little geeky. 

We are pleased as punch to announce Milk & Sugar, London’s urban lifestyle brand event.

Showcasing the creativity and talents of emerging and established artists, while engaging a deep spirit of community among those who share a passion for great coffee! Both up-and-coming and established artists are invited to submit an original piece of artwork that represents a creative, unique and personal connection to the concept of 'coffee' or a 'coffee shop experience'.

Wow, thanks ever so much for all of you who came down to our first ever Christmas event, held with the lovely people at Spin LND. We had a really great time. Bikes, coffee and Christmas - what could be better!

We hope to see you all back next year!

04 October: La Marzocco Announce GS/3 Jam at Spin x LCF

13 September: Free Christmas shopping event 'SPIN x LCF Xmas

15 July: Tower 47 rocks up in Camden

17 June: The London Coffee Festival Visitor Awards

28 April: UK Barista Championships Results