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Has Bean 2008 Review

With the new year upon us, I use this time of year to look back on the
past 12 months. I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for
your support custom and and friendship over the past 12 months. I look
forward to the next

January 2008

We started the year with Barista Competition kicking off. Barry
Lawrenson at Roasters in Scarborough did us proud in the northern heats
using our coffee and coming first and going to to the UKBC later this
year. well done big lad. Also a great placing for Dino from Alto Cafe
Barnsley who did us proud.

February 2008

More Barista Competitions and in Northern Ireland we have 1st 2nd and
fifth using our coffee, top draw to the cafe crem guys for a top
result.


March 2008

UKBC finals we have three people in the top six (2nd, 3rd and fifth) so
proud of the baristas, was a good time. Visit to another customer in
Liverpool at the Mocha Lounge who are doing a great job with our
coffee. this was during a family visit to Liverpool’s Hard day’s night
hotel good fun.


April 2008

A visit to El Salvador to la Ilusion and La Fany and Siberia and El
Bourbollon is fantastic, and so exciting. El Borubollon on the last day
was great take a look at here

La Ilusion



May 2008

On to Nicaragua and the fun continues on El Alto El Quetzal and of
course Limoncillo. Take a look at here. We also moved into our
new space which doubled the size of the roastery. Very exciting times
and a god send looking back now.

Me and Roberto

June 2008

A trip to Copenhagen for SCAE (specialty coffee association of Europe)
and conformation I would be going to Rwanda in August means it was a
month about traveling. The El Salvador Cup of excellence auction ended
in a big smile us bagging the number 1, from La Ilusion the farm
visited a little earlier this year.

July 2008

July we got to presents for me. A clover and a cupping lab. Also a trip
to London to see the sqr mile guys meant it was a good time to be me.
Also got excited about our La Ilusion being packed and shipped, first
time we ever offered pre ordering.

August 2008

Every coffee guy wants to visit Africa, the home of coffee, and my
first trip to Rwanda was good fun but a little manic and a little
disorganized, having a downer getting trapped there for an extra 24
hours when the plane didn’t turn up. This kind of summed up the week.
But got to meet Tom Owen from Sweet Marias and Mr George Howell the
daddy of the Cup of Excellence. Was good to be a groupie and get all
star struck.

Awesome coffees with not too much Potato (potato is a defect found in
Rwandan coffee)

September 2008

The el Salvador La Ilusion finally arrived, and started flying out the
doors. We also launched coffee 101 a 10 day coffee course,
which has been so well received. I also did a history of has bean in a
4 part series, which I really enjoyed writing take a look here

We also became the first UK roaster to be Bio Dynamically certified.
This might not sound like much but something I’m very proud of. Not
many times in life you can be the first at something in your country.

Coffee 101


October 2008

October was the month of In my Mug. In my mug is a video blog I started and has been
amazing. the rise starting in my office at home to venturing into the
roastery and talking about my favourite coffees.

also we got one of the lots from the Rwandan cup of excellence auction,
that has yet to arrive, such is transport from Rwanda 🙁

in my mug

November 2008

November was again all about in my mug, and knocking Jamie Oliver off
the number 2 slot in the UK food Videocast chart. Really picked up
speed this month.

I also took over another website from our friend www.purebeans.co.uk.

I also picked up my new roaster from Germany from probat. The journey
was long and painful but very worth while.

we also bought a lot from the Bolivia cup of excellence Cafe Davide
which will be here early new year.

December 2008

This month was all about roasting coffee. working flat out and a little
trip to London to go drink coffee that was good fun. But it was all
about work, lots of work. I think this is shown when you look at
December its the least posts I’ve ever done.

2008 has been a fantastic, no amazing year for great coffee. For me its
been the very best year to date, and the best year for Has Bean. 2009
I’m sure will bring a new set of challenges which I’ll cover in the
early part of January

About the author Just Steve Leighton

I'm just Steve Leighton

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3 Comments

  1. Steve,

    A wonderful year, no question there, but I am certain 2009 will be even better and look forward to sharing some good bits with you!

    Cheers and HNY!

    Jon 🙂

  2. Hi Steve,

    You totally deserve all the good feedback. You work very hard and you do great things for the coffee world.

    Keep up the good work!

    Youri

  3. All the best for 2009

Comments are closed.