BGE ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAM FOR COLAB: ANTWERP, INCLUDING TAMPER TANTRUM, THE BARISTA LEAGUE, AND EXTRA-ORDINARY SENSORY SESSION
From 25-27 April, Antwerp (Belgium) will host the spring edition of CoLab, BGE’s seminar series. The city will welcome an array of professional baristas, both local as well as from across Europe for one full day and two half days of compelling educational content and activities to discover the host city’s coffee community and culture. The chock-full program includes the usual CoLab lecture series, cuppings and host city Coffee Map, complemented with new initiatives such as the Sensory Experience, a visit to Antwerp’s coffee port and The Barista League. The event is well on track to be the best CoLab yet.
“As a member of the BGE working group and a barista in Antwerp, I’m thrilled that we’re able to host CoLab in my home-town”, says Tim Willems, barista and green coffee buyer for Cuperus. “Antwerp’s coffee scene has a strong base of specialty roasters and cafes to offer the CoLab attendees and it’s fantastic to see the positive effect that hosting CoLab has on the barista community within a city. I look forward to bringing some coffee inspiration and education to Antwerp through CoLab this April!”
BGE has once again teamed up with Tamper Tantrum to showcase an amazing line up of 6 speakers, including French Barista Champion Charlotte Malaval; local roaster and owner of Caffènation, Rob Berghmans; independent Oslo-based roaster Talor Browne; and Stephen Morrissey, Senior Creative Adviser for SCAA. The seminars encourage learning and discussion in an open and informal environment where all speakers are invited to join in panel discussions and Q&A sessions in addition to their talk.
To close the three-day event, CoLab: Antwerp is very proud to present a European premier tasting event in association with SCAA and the recent WCR research conducted for the coffee taster’s sensory lexicon and flavor wheel. SCAA’s Science Manager, Emma Sage and Dr. Rhonda Miller (Director of the Sensory Science Evaluation Laboratory at Texas A&M University) will lead this extra-ordinary tasting session based on a new language developed for the tasting of coffee.
Kicking off the program on the first day, a Port of Antwerp visit will give attendees insight at the workings of the largest coffee storage in the world. In the evening, BGE is delighted to welcome The Barista League to Antwerp, for its first international event after 3 successful editions in Sweden. The Barista League was founded by current Swedish Barista Champion, Steven Moloney, and is a fun, fast-paced, multi-round coffee competition, sure to be the perfect ice-breaker to start your CoLab: Antwerp adventure.
BGE is excited to partner with companies that support the organisation in its endeavours to foster community and professionalism amongst baristas. “Our activities wouldn’t be possible without the support of companies that align with our goals”, remarks BGE Manager, Isa Verschraegen. “For CoLab: Antwerp, we are delighted to work with Limarc, a strong local coffee equipment distributor representing our long-term partners La Marzocco. We share the same dedication to sustainability and quality, and are excited to strengthen our relationship.” The local community has come out collectively to further support the event, with Cuperus, Crossroast, Coffeelabs, Caffènation, Hollebeekhoeve, and Normo Coffee on hand and, in addition to international roasters The Barn, Atkinsons and Square Mile, making sure coffee will be tasty and plentiful.
Tickets to the event are €85/99 (depending on membership) and are now on sale via the BGE website.
