A bit of a coffee person post coming up, for my customers, I hope it gives you an insight into the coffee world, for the coffee folks I am sure you have heard it before but its my take.

So I spent last week in Oslo participating in the Nordic Roasters cup and the Nordic Barista cup. I’ve been back a few days now, had time to compose my thoughts and thought I would share them here.

To help me to do this I’ve broken it down into the important sections I see this event brings, its such a big topic it will help me focus my mind

1.The people.

This is the biggest and best thing about NBC and NRC. You get a chance to spend time with the great and the good or Scandinavia. Now this is a very broad brush I wave about but there seems to be very little ego from these guys. Small and large roasters brush shoulders, the top baristas share and spend time with the newbies. So many friends but team Norway of Uda and Rasmus and the team gave me the wonderful warm welcome I recvied in Iceland last year. Two people who are amazing baristas and amazing friends (and the team were cool too but these two need special praise)

Tim Wendleboe and Tim Varney were legends, nothing too much and time a plenty, much love to Tim and Tim. The roasting team of solburg and Hansen were too cool for school. Had an amazing moment where one of the guys at Solburg came up to me and told me they got into coffee watching in my mug, and now they are working in coffee. All the team were amazing, nothing too much trouble.

Was great to catch up with Thompson Owen a legend and my hero, the highlight (sorry everyone else but its a special love) he really is one of the nicest guys in coffee, and one of the most knowledgeable. If I understand half he does by the end of my career then I think I will have done ok. Never sure it Tom is pleased to see me or petrified of my craziness. Either way I enjoy chating to him so much.

Everyone is your friend for four days and everyone has time for you, the anti coffee conference an antidote for all the horrors that Cafe Culture can throw at you.

2.The presentations

The presentations I kind of knew what would be interesting from the program, and I knew that some of them were not for me. To listen to George Howell the godfather of the Cup of Excellence is always privilege and someone I would pay good money to listen to.

Tim Wendleboes talk I was not so confident of, but proved to be one of the best, super interesting and put across very very well.

Stephen Vick from the US brought some great experience to the proceedings and again one I was not sure I would enjoy but really did.

But the real highlight was Mr Vince Fedele was stunning, I could have listened for hours but we had just an hour to take in so much information it hurt. My head had more questions that I started with but a sign of a great presentation I think.

So much knowledge shared by such greats, what a week of learning.

3.the social scene

WOW do nords know how to party, I have never seen such desire to party drink. I am known for my desire to party but they beat me every night. The hospitality was second to non. Some great beers great food and great company, this is where the knowledge is shared, and discussions happen.

A great week, great times good friends, good educations sessions and great beers. If only every week was like this 🙂