oh yeah, i have a blog

sorry for lack of updates lately. i've been consumed lately with coordinating this barista jam next month. so far i've got a nifty poster. just kidding. (i mean, i do have the poster and i do think it's nifty. i do have more than just that, though.)

actually, i'm getting excited for the program that's shaping up. here's a general schedule of events for the day:

7:00–8:00a Registration, networking, coffee and pastries

8:00a Introductions and Announcements

8:30a Group Cupping: “Geography As Flavor”

9:00a Ideas Exchange: “Sustainability in Coffee”
Angel Mena, Ruta Maya Riverwalk Coffeehouse, San Antonio, TX

9:45a Equipment Demo: Clover 1S
David Latourell, Coffee Equipment Co., Seattle, Wa

10:00a Skills Workshop: “Espresso 101–201"
Mike McKim, Cuvee Coffee Roasting Co., Spring, TX

10:00a Skills Workshop: “How To Brew Anything”
Aaron Blanco, The Brown Coffee Co., San Antonio, TX

10:45a Coffee Break

11:00a Ideas Exchange: “Seed to Cup: The Story of Finca Vista Hermosa”
Edwin Martinez, Finca Vista Hermosa, Huehuetenango, Guatemala

12:00p Lunch On Your Own

1:00p Free Time On Machines

1:30p Group Cupping: “How Roast Affects Flavor”

2:00p Skills Workshop: “Milk Stuff 101–201”
Jason Haeger, Mangia Bevanda Coffeehouse, Lubbock, TX

2:00p Skills Workshop: “Fixing What Goes Wrong”
Mike McKim, Cuvee Coffee Roasting Co., Spring, TX

2:45p Espresso Break

3:00p Free Time On Machines

4:45p Wrap Up; Door Prizes; Clean Up

5:00p Good-Byes

and then afterward we'll hit a pub and talk about coffee into the night...

one thing i am changing is having the skills workshops go concurrently, then have everyone switch. meaning, for example, at 10am half the group will participate in mike's workshop while half are in mine. then we'll switch them and the other half will be in mine while my original group will go to mike's session. this is going to take more than 45 minutes to do each workshop twice, though. so i guess we can just push into coffee break time and then some. the same will happen at 2p.

all in all, i'm really pumped about how it has been shaping up. most everyone i've contacted about sponsorships of some kind has been very helpful: syrups, amazing coffees, killer equipment to play on, and so on. there is so much that goes into coordinating one of these things. but it's not stressful. hey, when you used to coordinate events to keep middle school and high school students occupied for two hours each, twice a week every week for two and a half years, putting together a barista jam is a walk in the park.

now, off to more planning.

oh yeah, if you're interested in attending the jam, register and pre-pay here.