A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

Three Questions with IWCA Executive Director Blanca Castro

When International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) Executive Director began her job years ago at the Guatemalan coffee association Anacafé, she knew next to nothing about coffee.  “I just pretended that…


The Origin Story of Turtle Island Coffee in Vancouver, B.C.

A new Indigenous-owned coffee company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, called Turtle Island Coffee has launched with the goal of exposing more people to high quality specialty coffee and Indigenous…


How to Make the Best Coffee at Home By James Hoffmann: Book Review 

James Hoffmann’s new book, How to Make the Best Coffee at Home, is finally out, and is the perfect guide for both professionals and amateurs. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos by Tanya Nanetti James Hoffmann is one of the most recognizable people in the world of specialty coffee. His YouTube channel is both informative […]


Joven and Atucún Join Forces to Empower Young Farmers

The two brands have collaborated to create a unique coffee bar and support young farmers in the coffee and cacao industries. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Joven Coffee  For their first-of-its-kind bar, Joven Coffee and Atucún Chocolateria combined coffee beans, extracted cocoa butter, and organic cane sugar. Committed to supporting young farmers […]

A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

Book Review: From Nerd to Pro, by Patrik Rolf

From Nerd to Pro: A Coffee Journey is an autobiography by roaster, café operator, and coffee competitor Patrik Rolf sharing his coffee journey. BY TANYA NANETTI SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo by Tanya Nanetti I’ve read plenty of books on coffee over the years: manuals on how to brew great coffee at home, books on […]


Coffee News Recap, 20 Jan: Last chance to apply for PRF El Salvador Mayorga Scholarship and volunteer positions, World of Coffee Dubai attracts more than 12,000 visitors & other stories

Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week. Here are this week’s stories. Mon, 16 Jan World of Coffee Dubai 2023 attracts more than 12,000 visitors from 48 countries. The event, which was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, also included over 180 exhibitors and 36 […]


Test Drive: Update Your Grinding With More Comandante Grinder Accessories

The popular hand grinder has more to offer with a new line of tools and accessories now available. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Feature photo by Tanya Nanetti To brew the perfect cup of coffee, it’s important to choose the right coffee equipment. One essential is a reliable coffee grinder. Most coffee lovers start with a […]


U.S. Coffee Championships 2023 Denver Qualifiers Reach New Heights

The next group of coffee champions moves on to nationals at the Denver qualifiers. BY KATE VAN PETTENSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE Photos by Matthew Temple and courtesy of Specialty Coffee Association The high-flying world of U.S. CoffeeChamps competitions reached new heights as coffee professionals flocked to the Denver qualifiers for the 2023 season, hosted in […]

A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

Philadelphia’s Café Don Pedro Seeks to Build Up Small Businesses

A Dominican-owned coffee roasting company called Café Don Pedro recently launched in Philadelphia with ambitions for direct trading and boosting more Latino-owned small businesses throughout its supply and distribution networks….


3 Elements Coffee: Supporting Veterans, One Cup at a Time  

The Australian roasting company helps to create opportunities for veteran communities.  BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of 3 Elements Coffee  Brisbane, Australia-based 3 Elements Coffee, founded by Navy veteran Terry McNally in 2016, has a mission to support the transition of ex-military personnel into the commercial workspace. To help achieve their goal and raise […]


Brewing at Home and On the Road with Darrin Daniel

We check in with the Cup of Excellence executive director to learn his current coffee-brewing habits. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Featured photo by Emre via Unsplash Brewing coffee is, for many coffee professionals, more than just a job.   They usually brew coffee every day, both for themselves and their customers. Perhaps they do it […]


The Barista League Releases New Competition Calendar

Presenter of sustainable, accessible events, The Barista League plans to hold 12 competitions in 10 countries in the months ahead. BY J. MARIE CARLANBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Photos courtesy of The Barista League The Barista League has officially announced its event roster for the next year. Last year saw 10 Barista League events worldwide, and the […]

A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia

The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia is over, and we’ve got the scoop on all the fun!

BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Photos courtesy of Vasileia Fanarioti and Juan Henao

During the last week of February, the 2022 Barista League champions gathered in Colombia for this year’s Mystery Coffee Vacation. It was an action-packed trip filled with learning, competitions, and of course, lots of fun!

The Barista League team organized the trip with the help of Café Tío Conejo,  a specialty-coffee producer in Manizales. Support also came from BWT, Crypto Baristas, and Need a Barista. I joined the group on behalf of Barista Magazine to document their journey. It was an unforgettable experience!

A huge group of coffee people gathered under a round wooden meeting hall structure with exposed beams and a walking terrace built on the second story.
The Barista League champions joined local baristas in fun competitions at the Recinto del Pensamiento nature reserve.

Connecting Coffee Cultures in Colombia

The trip kicked off in Manizales. Here, the champions were welcomed by coffee producers at Recinto del Pensamiento, a nature reserve located in the region. After lunch, there was a fun competition where local baristas joined forces with the international champions and shared their love for coffee. The evening ended with lots of dancing!

The following day started by tasting some of Colombia’s awarded coffees during a cupping session at Recinto del Pensamiento. Then it was time to watch some national coffee competitions, while the champions had the chance to brew coffee they brought from their respective countries.

On the third day, we headed to the Café Tío Conejo farm in Manizales. As well as learning about harvesting and processing, we got to taste coffee cherries and watch the coffee hulling process. The Café Tío Conejo team had prepared another coffee cupping for us, where we got to try some of their delicious processed coffees.

A young woman in braids sifts through coffee beans that are being processed on a large wooden drying tray under a wooden canopy.
During our visit to Tío Conejo, we visited the farm’s drying station and learned about natural, washed, and honey processing.

On the last day of this journey, the group headed to Bogotá to compete in the La Rumba Barista. It was the first Barista League competition ever held in Colombia, and it was truly special! Some of the champions paired up with local baristas to compete for an evening packed with sensory challenges, espresso brewing competitions, and coffee cocktail crafting.

In the end, Lorena Villanueva and Carolina Pinilla, who paired up with Ivette Veraloor from Spain’s Nomad Coffee, won first place, earning them a spot at next year’s Mystery Coffee Vacation!

A Trip to Remember

The trip also featured some of the most incredible activities and lots of gifts. From a coffee tasting at Bogota’s airport to DJ appearances in Recinto del Pensamiento and La Rumba, everyone had a great time. We spent an evening at Hotel Termales El Otoño, where champions could relax in thermal pools. There was also a silent disco experience in the Café Tío Conejo farm where we watched the sunset together, sharing music and dancing.

Four people wear blue light-up over-ear headphones for the silent disco, all smiling and lit up with green polka dot lights at the Barista League Mystery Vacation.
Champions and local baristas gathered together at Café Tío Conejo for a silent disco party!

To top it off, our last night out was filled with Latin and Caribbean music and lots of dancing in one of Bogotá’s best clubs—a great way to end this unforgettable adventure!

My favorite part of the trip? I got to connect with so many people from different backgrounds with one common passion: coffee! This trip showed us how coffee can bring people from different countries together and can be used as a bridge for cultural exchange.

A big thank you goes to The Barista League and the Café Tío Conejo team for putting together this amazing adventure, making sure everyone felt safe, and creating an incredible experience. I’m already looking forward to the 2023 Barista League competitions, and I can’t wait to see what the next Mystery Coffee Vacation will be like!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior online correspondent for Barista Magazine, and a freelance copywriter and editor with a primary focus on the coffee niche. She has also been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, providing content to help educate people about baristas and their work. You can follow her adventures at thewanderingbean.net.

The post A Recap of The Barista League’s Mystery Coffee Vacation in Colombia appeared first on Barista Magazine Online.

Shopping cart0
There are no products in the cart!
Continue shopping
0