Workshop Schedule

 

Friday, May 15

 

Workshop
Locations

TEA
BNH Stage Second Floor

PANELS
BNH Stage Second Floor

ESPRESSO
BNH Stage Main Stage

SENSORY
Arts Alley, The Main Venue 

CUPPING
The Hotel Concord, 3rd Floor, New Hampshire Room 

BEYOND THE CUP
The Hotel Concord, 2nd Floor, Coworking Space

ROASTING
The Hotel Concord, 3rd Floor, Concord Room

 

12pm–1pm

Tea

TBD

Yin Guan, Broken Cup Teahouse

+ Description

TBD

Espresso

Advanced Latte Art; How to pour like a Pro

Matty Mellini, Borealis Coffee Company
(12pm–1:15pm)

+ Description

Are you a Barista, Shop Owner, Roaster, or just a Home Enthusiast looking to step up your l’art game? Maybe you just found the world of Competition Latte Art.. Exciting? Me too! Together, we’ll learn why you might(or might not) be having trouble pouring the perfect Rosetta, Swans, or those really cool multi layer Tulips you see on Instagram all the time. General knowledge of Milk steaming and basic Latte Art capability highly recommended.

Sensory

How to Brew Better Coffee at Home

Anne Mercer, Victus Coffee

+ Description

Ready to brew better coffee at home? In this workshop, we’ll show you how to brew with a Chemex and French Press along with a few tips and tricks to help you take your coffee to the next level—all from the comfort of your home.

Cupping

Roast Levels

Kaitlin Higgins, Rebel Dog Coffee

+ Description

We’ll explore how the qualities of one coffee can change depending on the level to which it’s roasted–and potentially how different approaches to roasting for the same level can affect results. For anyone new to or unfamiliar with coffee cupping, we’ll begin the workshop with a brief demonstration on the process and simple best practices.

Beyond the Cup

Leading with Emotional Intelligence

Brianna Stefano, Brewing With Brianna LLC

+ Description

This workshop explores how emotional intelligence shapes effective leadership in coffee spaces. Participants will learn how self-awareness, empathy, and intentional communication improve team dynamics, reduce conflict, and create healthier cafe environments. Designed for managers, owners, and team leads, this session focuses on practical tools that strengthen trust, morale, and long-term performance.

Roasting

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Air Quality of the Roastery

Lexi Halaby, Espresso Plus

+ Description

Roaster health is an essential aspect of having a roasting practice; it’s important for roasting companies to know how to handle roaster health, whether it's knowing how to position your body while moving green or comfortable working conditions while at the machine all day. Most research around air quality is about fires within the warehouse or excess smoke. While roasting, I became concerned about air quality when smoke was able to re-enter the warehouse and roasters were expecting discomfort. This talk is an in-depth exploration and guide to what happened, and how to analyze and assess the air quality within roasteries.

 

1:30pm–2:30pm

Panel

The Struggle is Real: Navigating Increasing Costs Across the Specialty Coffee Industry

(Moderator) Jake Leoneti, Gregory’s Coffee
Jay Kling, Efficiency.coffee
Rik Kleinfeldt, New Harvest Coffee
Neil Balkcom, Swings Coffee

+ Description

Buying coffee has never been easy but the past few years it has been one challenge after another. Volatile and high market levels, weather in Brazil, weather in Vietnam, delayed shipments, TARIFFS! These industry veterans discuss their experiences and strategies on how they continue to stay in the game.

Espresso

Fruit Bombs - How to Dial in Highly Processed Coffees

Justin Enis, Enjoy Coffee Roasted
(1:45pm–3pm)

+ Description

How do we go about dialing in this new world of highly processed coffees?! Thermal shocks, coferments, carbonic maceration, anaerobics, nitro flush, etc. etc. etc. We always seem to be chasing the high extraction yields in specialty coffee, but is that an absolute? Do highly processed coffees taste best with high EY? Or does a higher TDS and lower EY hit different?! Fun fruit bombs shall be tasted!

Sensory

Appreciating Specialty Coffee & Understanding Defects

TBD, Atomic Coffee Roasters

+ Description

An intermediate sensory workshop for coffee professionals and enthusiasts ready to sharpen their palate. Taste specialty and non-specialty coffees side by side, learn to identify defects, and build practical sensory skills through guided tastings and aroma training you can use immediately in the café, roastery, or at home.

Cupping

All levels

Importance of Coffee Partnerships: Our Common Future

Phil Hurley, Coffee By Design

+ Description

Coffee By Design presents a cupping of 4 light roast coffees from 4 unique origins. Joined by specialty coffee leaders from origin and the US who will discuss the importance of sustainable business practices and quality in the cup. With this unique opportunity attendees will have gained an introduction to specialty coffee producers and an understanding of how roaster partners get their coffee to customers. Beginner, advanced, baristas, roasters, and anyone interested in playing a critical role in the future of coffee is an ideal attendee for this cupping.

Beyond the Cup

Business on Tap: Hospitality from a Trailer

Erin Doonan, Pours and Petals

+ Description

This session explores the real-world realities of building a mobile bar and coffee business on wheels. Learn why choosing a trailer over a brick-and-mortar offers flexibility and built-in brand visibility. We’ll cover essential build-out considerations, such as operations and layout, and explore how mobility becomes one of your strongest marketing tools. The talk also dives into lessons learned the hard way, including common mistakes to avoid and what I’d do differently if starting today. This session is perfect for anyone curious about launching a sustainable mobile beverage business.

Roasting

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Sample Roasting on the Ikawa: Tasting the Possibilities

Michel Brode, Aero Coffee Roasters

+ Description

A presentation, discussion and tasting on sample roasting for clarity in order to understand the potential a green coffee could have and in turn applying this understanding to help create a profile for production roasting. Sample roasting is intimately tied to cupping so we will also taste sample roasts and production roasts to clarify (pun intended) the approach being presented.

 

3pm–4pm

Tea

Brew Like You Care: or why you can and should stop throwing tea into a bag and sending people out the door with it

Ren Wheeler, Rite Tea & Espresso Bar

+ Description

This class is targeted towards cafes and restaurants interested in upping their tea programs. What sets our program apart from so many other establishments is not necessarily the tea we’re sourcing, or expertise of staff, it really comes down to one thing: we actually brew the tea. It sounds simple, but its actually rarely done. In this class, we’ll show you the myriad of ways we do this; and will answer any and all questions on how you could accomplish this in your own establishments.

Sensory

Acids 1&2

Mika Thomas, Joe Coffee

+ Description

An intermediate sensory workshop exploring the role of acidity in coffee flavor and structure. Taste and compare the four most common acids in water and in brewed coffee, then put your palate to the test with a guided sensory challenge designed to sharpen your perception and deepen your understanding of acid complexity in the cup.

Cupping

The Difference Water Makes

Andrea Costa, Third Wave Water

+ Description

Ever wonder why the same coffee tastes incredible in a café, but kind of eh at home? Or why a sample that shines in the lab falls flat for customers? Spoiler: it’s the water. Water makes up the majority of your brew and has the biggest impact on what ends up in the cup. Too many minerals, too few, or the wrong balance can mute sweetness, , and hide a coffee’s true character. Using different waters throughout the supply chain also only adds confusion — after all, nearly 98% of the beverage is changing. In this relaxed, hands-on cupping, we’ll put water front and center. You’ll taste the same coffees brewed with different waters and explore how mineral content affects sweetness, acidity, clarity, and balance. Approachable and sensory-focused, this session is for baristas, roasters, and curious coffee drinkers alike — no chemistry degree required.

Beyond the Cup

TBD

Gerra Harrigan, StoneX Coffee + Chris Walkley, Bank of New Hampshire

+ Description

TBD

Roasting

/

From Partnership to Cup: Roasting and Understanding East African Coffee

Barbara Jordan, JNP Coffee

+ Description

Focusing on coffees from Burundi and Rwanda, the session will begin with an overview of green coffee characteristics and roasting approaches for high-altitude East African coffees, followed by a discussion of roast development and quality control. Participants will then take part in a guided tasting focused on comparing different roasting profiles and understanding how roast development influences flavor, balance, and overall cup quality. Designed for roasters and baristas, this tasting will emphasize practical evaluation skills and real-world applications for dialing in East African coffees. The workshop will also highlight what goes into every cup of coffee — from quality improvement efforts at origin to training programs that empower women and youth — demonstrating how education, opportunity, and strong partnerships contribute to long-term sustainability and value creation. This workshop connects roasting technique, producer relationships, and sensory evaluation to demonstrate how intentional practices across the supply chain lead to exceptional coffee.

 

3:30pm–4:45pm

Espresso

Basket, Dose, Time - Extraction Concepts

Michael Acosta

+ Description

TBD

 
 

4:30pm–5:30pm

Tea

Whisk(e)y & Tea Pairing

Ren Wheeler, Rite Tea & Espresso Bar

+ Description

You’ve heard of food & beverage pairings, but in this class we ditch the food and double down on beverage & beverage pairings! Taste through three whiskies from Tamworth Distilling paired with teas from around the world by Ren Wheeler who owns linger, an all day cafe that turns whisky bar by night. Learn the basics of whisk(e)y, tea, and ask all your burning questions about facilitating ticketed tastings in your own space!

Sensory

The Machine Whisperers

Jim Connolly, Sure Shot Coffee Service

+ Description

This class is geared towards cafe owners and baristas that own & work on espresso machines all day and want to know what’s going on in there. We’ll go over how water & power come out of your wall and then end up as espresso in your cup. As we trace the water and power pathways throughout the machine we’ll make stops along the way to explain common problems and how to diagnose them. The second half of the session will be reserved for Q&A so if you have a burning question about your particular setup, ask away!

CUPPING

All levels

CVA Descriptive Analysis Workshop

BethAnn Casperson, Equal Exchange

+ Description

The SCA introduced a new coffee evaluation system in 2024 called the Coffee Value Assessment System. It is a 4 part system that aims to capture value and redefine the way coffee is evaluated. In this workshop, participants will learn about 1 part of this system, called the Descriptive Analysis which is focused on creating a common vocabulary between tasters and measuring results. The workshop will begin with a brief presentation to explain the CVA system. Participants will then explore aroma references and experience different levels of flavor intensity that make up the descriptive form. These exercises will culminate in a coffee tasting to apply the lessons learned earlier in the workshop.

Beyond the Cup

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Clarity Is the Strategy: Three Leadership Frameworks for Profitable, People-First Hospitality Companies

Jennifer Wilder, Laney & Lu, Palette, and Ginger Fox

+ Description

In hospitality, chaos is often mistaken for commitment. But the cafés that last - and scale - are built on calm: grounded leadership, strategic planning, and informed action. In this solo workshop, Jennifer Wilder - Founder & CEO of LANEY & LU, PALETTE, and GINGER FOX - shares the three core frameworks that drive her businesses and allow them to grow with discipline, strong culture, and predictable profit - without founder burnout. This session is designed for café owners and hospitality leaders who want clarity, control, and confidence in how they lead.

Roasting

Who’s Afraid of Coffea Canephora?

Roxy Martinez-Dobbs, Cafe Reynard

+ Description

Who’s afraid of Coffea Canephora and its flagship varietal, Robusta? What is this strange beast haunting the lowlands of West Africa, Vietnam, South India, and the Americas? What do you mean it’s got savory/umami notes? Will it save us all from climate change? We’re here to teach you how to appreciate the great ugly duckling of specialty coffee, and the vital role this strange monster plays in the coffee ecosystem, from the legendary Vietnamese iced coffee to the classic espresso blend. We will go over the basics of sourcing and roasting this misunderstood beast.

 

6:30pm

Panel

How Did I Get Here? Opening Panel

(Moderator) Gerra Harrigan, StoneX Coffee
Rachel Apple, Algrano
Bailey Arnold, Minor Figures
Dave Ferreira, Deathwish Coffee

+ Description

So many career coffee professionals started behind the counter, slinging lattes and mopping floors.  Once bitten by the coffee bug, how can you navigate a career in coffee?  Where is the road map?  Learn from these incredibly successful and passionate coffee veterans as they discuss their journey through their careers.