+ Description

Step into the extraordinary world of rare and wild teas with this exclusive workshop. Sourced from across the globe, these teas represent the pinnacle of craftsmanship and rarity, often produced in limited quantities and highly sought after by connoisseurs. Participants will have the unique opportunity to taste five exceptional teas, each with its own story and distinct flavor profile. From rare varietals to wild-foraged treasures, this session offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience to explore some of the world’s most expensive and elusive teas.

+ Description

The conversation and relationship between roaster and retailer / cafe is such an important one to foster. As a barista, or cafe owner, understanding how your roasting partner approaches roasting can be such a useful bit of information when it comes to your approach on dialing in. What roasting system do they roast on, what do they aim to highlight in their roasts? We will look into these questions, as well as see how some of these variables change how we dial in the same coffee, but roasted differently, and more to equip you with some talking points to help build and strengthen your relationship with your roaster / roasting partner.

+ Description

Confident in your coffee sensory skills? Put them to the test in this fun workshop with Covoya Coffee. Blind taste and smell sections of the flavor wheel and make your guess with the answers revealed at the end! This is a fun workshop for all looking to sharpen their coffee sensory skills.

+ Description

Sooner or later, every cupper encounters a defect—an unwelcome flavor that stands out in the cup. But not every “off” note is a true defect, and skilled cuppers must learn to recognize the difference. In this workshop, we’ll explore the most common flavor defects in coffee, what causes them, and how to accurately identify and describe them. We’ll cup several coffees that *might* contain defects to build confidence in recognizing these attributes. This session is intended for participants with prior cupping experience and comfort discussing coffee attributes and quality levels—ideal for roasters or anyone interested in green coffee purchasing.

+ Description

Mental health plays a critical role in retention, performance, and workplace culture, yet it is often overlooked in cafe operations. This workshop examines the psychological demands of coffee work and how managers can build systems that support well-being without sacrificing standards. Participants will leave with strategies to recognize burnout, normalize support, and lead teams with care and accountability.

+ Description

Historically speaking, there has never been a consensus on the perfect packaging for coffee. From cans, to jute, polymer bags, nitro flushing, to even glass containers, the variables of each of these vessels related to quality is a constant & subjective debate. What containers preserve the life of the coffee roast best? Does a dark roast last longer in cans than a kraft bag? What is economically viable for reuse without quality compromise. We will explore the different approaches to these questions based on two different roaster experiences.

+ Description

Tea doesn’t have to stop at “hot or iced.” In this hands-on workshop, you’ll discover how a few simple ingredients can transform tea into premium, café-worthy creations. We’ll talk about how this can enhance your overall menu and tea experience for your customers, and why this matters. We’ll give you an inspiration menu and then get creative! Watch live demos of drinks like a hibiscus margarita mocktail, mint mojito, and iced chocolate matcha and even get the chance to experiment with your own flavor combinations.

+ 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.

+ Description

In this workshop we will taste some coffees and talk openly about all things seasonal blends! The seasonality of green coffee, using the strong feelings of North Eastern seasons to impact our blend and roasting choices, and working with Artists in your community to make designs to help the blend stand out.

+ Description

Why does one coffee taste clean and bright while another tastes juicy and fruity? In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how processing methods can contribute to the flavor of what’s in your cup. After a quick intro to what happens to coffee cherries after harvesting, you’ll taste a lineup of coffees that highlight different processing styles. Expect insightful comparisons, new sensory perspectives, and a deeper understanding of what’s behind the flavors you love.

+ Description

The coffee industry demands new ways of doing business to ensure a future for coffee farmers as well as all of us. Rather than thinking outside the box, imagine there was no box in the first place. What ideas would be generated if there were no societal barriers. Coffee By Design Owner and Chief Creative Director, Mary Allen Lindemann facilitates a panel of industry superheroes who hold us accountable to our standards of transparency and integrity, as we work towards positive impact and equity for all in coffee. Listen. Learn. Make Positive Change a Reality. The choices we make matter.

+ Description

Experts in nearly all things coffee, Christopher and Jay will be discussing the ground breaking and influential projects they are working on. These industry lions have a lot to say and we get to hear it all!

+ 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!

+ Description

There are over 3,000 styles of tea produced worldwide every year, and when exploring them it can be easy to get lost in names, descriptions, and expectations. During this cupping exercise you'll taste 8 black teas; all produced via orthodox methods and coming from different origins. Each tea we taste will be from one of the major exporting regions. By the end of the session, you should be able to identify where a black tea comes from based upon specific flavor profile identification in conjunction with leaf appearance differentiation. Beginners, advanced cuppers, baristas, roasters, and anyone interested in expanding their flavor knowledge repertoire will surely enjoy this cupping.

+ Description

This workshop helps to inform about workplace community while growing coffee knowledge and customer connections. Learn how to support staff, train new baristas, and strengthen networks in the coffee industry—all while creating memorable experiences through coffee!

+ Description

We will take a dive into the nuances and differences between a more traditional drum roasting system and some newer fully convective roasting systems. What similarities and differences are there in each (in terms of recipe/curve building, work flow of a production day, cup profiles, etc.). Does one system reign supreme? Does it even matter?! Such big questions. We will aim to lay out our experiences and observations collected over a decade plus of roasting in a non-biased way and go deep down the rabbit hole of roasting systems.

+ Description

Dive into the diverse and fascinating world of oolong teas in this workshop with Yin of Broken Cup Teahouse, where you will get to explore and sample both fresh and aged varieties! Join us in this guided tasting experience to learn about how cultivar, terroir, oxidation, roast, and age all come together to make oolong teas the beautiful teas that they are!

+ Description

An intermediate sensory workshop focused on one of coffee’s most misunderstood attributes: body. Taste coffees across roast levels and compare milk with different fat contents to better understand texture, concentration, and strength, while building practical tools to assess body more confidently in the cup.

+ Description

Coffees from Vietnam have traditionally been overlooked by the specialty industry, it’s time to take another look. We will cup various processing methods, regions and qualities from the current harvest.

+ Description

What separates cafés that merely survive from those that truly thrive? In this candid conversation led by Jennifer Wilder of LANEY & LU and GINGER FOX, three café owners including Jess Sabine, The Rose Room Cafe, Karen Bassett, Wayfarer Roasters, and Harry Sultan, Another Round, unpack what it takes to build businesses that are financially sound, culturally strong, and deeply rooted in community. From coffee quality and guest experience to leadership, systems, and long-term vision, this panel goes beyond trends to explore what sustainable café ownership really looks like - and what today’s leaders must prioritize to grow with integrity.

+ Description

Unlucky in the coffee aisle? In How to Shop for Coffee, we'll discuss where to buy coffee, what details to look for on coffee labels, and how to decipher those mystifying flavor notes. This workshop includes a coffee tasting where we will compare and contrast brewed coffees with their labels. Don't settle for a bummer brew! Join us in How to Shop for Coffee.