It's time to talk about one of the main reasons why we love coffee so much and where all those explosions of our senses come from.
Did you know that before coffee is roasted it is actually green?
Well yes, it's not that beautiful brown color we see in the advertisements that makes our mouths water and we even smell it.
Before coffee reaches its full potential, it goes through a transformation process called roasting. In this process, the coffee bean goes through several stages. When exposed to heat, the bean absorbs it and changes its tone and size. It reaches almost double its original size and goes from green to yellow, then to brown, and finally we reach the sensual part of the bean where we see its dark color, and not only does its physical part change, but this is what gives it all the aroma and fine flavor that characterizes it.
And although in theory it seems like a simple, very simple process, it really isn't. It's such a complex process that some specialize so much in it that they participate in world championships, where the world's best roasters showcase their best attributes to prove who the best in the world truly are.
One of the most famous world championships is the World Coffee Roasting Championship, where certified judges rate roasters' skills. To participate in this major event, you must have a license from the WCE, the coffee competition body, better known as Competition Bodies. They are the ones who can grant licenses to participate in the world championships. This opportunity is obtained through national champions and thus be able to send a representative from their community.
Their judges rate competitors on dozens of criteria, but during their first qualifying phase, these criteria are: Pre-roasting, Lab and Practice, Green Bean Evaluation, Roast Sample, Open Cup, Roast Plan, Production Roast, and Blend Roast. Roasters are provided with equal equipment and work areas to carry out their processes and thus provide the best experience for the judges.
In 2019, official roaster events were held in several cities around the world to select the best coffee roasters. One of these was the Master of Roaster Korea, which awards prizes to the best coffee roaster, the best barista, the best cold coffee-based beverage, the best coffee preparation, the best coffee-based dessert, and the best coffee utensils. In this competition, the award for Best Roaster went to Colombian JuliΓ‘n Duque, who participated with a Red Honey coffee produced in LΓbano, Tolima.
The 2019 Roast Master Coffee Festival took place in Amsterdam, New York, and Milan, where awards were given to the best roasters. In Milan, Mihaela Lordache and David Flynn, from the Netherlands, were honored, while in New York, the winners were Evan Inatome and Rodrigo Vargas of Elixr Coffee Roasters.
The main event of the year is the World Coffee Roasting Championship, held at the Taiwan International Coffee Show. The winner for best roaster was Russian Arseny Kuznetov, and second place went to Bogdan Georgescu of Romania.
One of the most important coffee championships, the World of Coffee, is expected to take place this 2022 season. It will resume its main exhibitions in Melbourne and Warsaw from June 23 to 25. This will not only host the championship but will also feature educational elements such as workshops, conferences, and a variety of educational materials provided by the SCA. And here comes the most interesting part: there will also be a highly sensorial experience called "Roaster's Village," a tasting room with the unique characteristic of a coffee and espresso bar, where innovative machine samples, organic coffees, and wonderful extracts will be on display.
Ultimately, these are events that engage our senses, and not only that, they infuse our minds with new insights and learning. What better way to celebrate an event than to learn from the best and witness the art of coffee making? A truly exquisite art that fills each of our senses and offers a fantastic sensorial experience. These championships provide a great opportunity to showcase the talent of our region and become known for the quality of our roasters. They are people dedicated to a single passion that fills their hearts, and they defend the title of the best coffee in the world.