Sampling
A running theme of LCF is that there are plenty of samples to be had and coffee tasting to be done. Some of the best takeaways from the festival are the fragrant aromas of coffee beans sourced from around the globe. I sampled classic Costa Rican beans as well as some further, far-flung corners of the globe like Japan. Bloody excellent. Several vendors were happy to demonstrate the process of grinding beans and crafting a good coffee and there was even a trendy ol’ turmeric coffee stand! Caffeine-free and known for its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric coffee has seen a huge surge in popularity - hand in hand with the wellness and clean-eating craze that’s swept the city - over the past 12 months. Some of the highlights for me included Caravan, Assembly(!!) and Coffee Architects.Crash Courses
As well as plenty of vendors sampling awesome coffee beans, there are also crash courses available to dip into. I managed to dip into an ‘Art of Cupping’ workshop at The Factory, sneak a glimpse at The Roastery (SO many amazing scents!) and there were also some coffee and food pairing workshops. It was so interesting to see the different facets of coffee making as well as appreciation.Latte Art Live
A highlight for me was of course Latte Art Live. Throughout the day, various baristas from participating coffee houses demonstrate latte art and teach festival-goers their tips before allowing them to have their own go. Unfortunately as I was behind the camera, I didn’t manage to fail epically at my own creation but I’d absolutely recommend popping to a session of this!Loveramics etc.
Perhaps the more commercial side of the festival is the appliances and ceramics section (by the guests entrance). I was SO excited to spot Loveramics there - they supply those beautiful white, black and bright rainbow-coloured ceramic coffee cups to a huge range of coffee shops. I remember I spent an entire weekend last summer persuading Harvey to let me buy a set of black coffee cups and saucers for our future place! Bodium, DeLonghi and KitchenAid were all there and you can see demonstrations of their latest gadgets.The London Coffee Guide
Last but not least, I must give a nod to the adorable London Coffee Guide that came in my goodie bag. My oh my! I’m absolutely going to be referencing this book every time I plan a coffee date with a pal! The book is a hefty number filled to the brim with scores of independent coffee house recommendations. There’s even a card inside the front cover where you can collect stamps from the featured coffee houses! I can’t wait to reference this and blow my friends out of the water with hotspot recommendations ;)Will you be heading over to London Coffee Festival this year? Tickets are available here and I strongly recommend picking up a copy of The London Coffee Guide too. It makes for such a great afternoon (or morning!) if you’re in town this weekend!
A Daisybutter Guide to the London Coffee Festival 2017
6.4.17 This weekend, the London Coffee Festival is open for business at the Old Truman Brewery in East London. Nestled snugly behind Brick Lane, the festival is a bustling two-level exhibition and temporary home to some of London’s finest independent coffee houses until the 9th April 2017. Not much beats weekend adventures that focus on getting that caffeine and I just love that England is beginning to adopt the European cafe culture. As a self-professed coffee fiend, I was more than excited to be invited along as press to sample all of the shenanigans on Thursday and share the best bits with you.Sampling
A running theme of LCF is that there are plenty of samples to be had and coffee tasting to be done. Some of the best takeaways from the festival are the fragrant aromas of coffee beans sourced from around the globe. I sampled classic Costa Rican beans as well as some further, far-flung corners of the globe like Japan. Bloody excellent. Several vendors were happy to demonstrate the process of grinding beans and crafting a good coffee and there was even a trendy ol’ turmeric coffee stand! Caffeine-free and known for its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric coffee has seen a huge surge in popularity - hand in hand with the wellness and clean-eating craze that’s swept the city - over the past 12 months. Some of the highlights for me included Caravan, Assembly(!!) and Coffee Architects.Crash Courses
As well as plenty of vendors sampling awesome coffee beans, there are also crash courses available to dip into. I managed to dip into an ‘Art of Cupping’ workshop at The Factory, sneak a glimpse at The Roastery (SO many amazing scents!) and there were also some coffee and food pairing workshops. It was so interesting to see the different facets of coffee making as well as appreciation.Latte Art Live
A highlight for me was of course Latte Art Live. Throughout the day, various baristas from participating coffee houses demonstrate latte art and teach festival-goers their tips before allowing them to have their own go. Unfortunately as I was behind the camera, I didn’t manage to fail epically at my own creation but I’d absolutely recommend popping to a session of this!Loveramics etc.
Perhaps the more commercial side of the festival is the appliances and ceramics section (by the guests entrance). I was SO excited to spot Loveramics there - they supply those beautiful white, black and bright rainbow-coloured ceramic coffee cups to a huge range of coffee shops. I remember I spent an entire weekend last summer persuading Harvey to let me buy a set of black coffee cups and saucers for our future place! Bodium, DeLonghi and KitchenAid were all there and you can see demonstrations of their latest gadgets.The London Coffee Guide
Last but not least, I must give a nod to the adorable London Coffee Guide that came in my goodie bag. My oh my! I’m absolutely going to be referencing this book every time I plan a coffee date with a pal! The book is a hefty number filled to the brim with scores of independent coffee house recommendations. There’s even a card inside the front cover where you can collect stamps from the featured coffee houses! I can’t wait to reference this and blow my friends out of the water with hotspot recommendations ;)Will you be heading over to London Coffee Festival this year? Tickets are available here and I strongly recommend picking up a copy of The London Coffee Guide too. It makes for such a great afternoon (or morning!) if you’re in town this weekend!
