martedì 10 novembre 2015

Umami Barista Camp – the first Italian coffee training lab has started

The first Coffee Diploma System - CDS Coffee Week took place in Florence, cradle of the Italian Renaissance, in November 2014.
From 11 to 16 November 2014, the Poggio Arioso farmhouse in Scandicci, on the outskirts of Florence, hosted the first Umami Barista Camp – a one-week training course based on the Coffee Diploma System of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe that has redefined the Italian training format for baristas and coffee professionals.
Three years ago, the coffee expert Andrej Godina and the multiple Barista champion Francesco Sanapo founded the so-called new Italian coffee Renaissance, started with the Io bevo caffè di qualità (“I drink high quality coffee”) events and Pausa Caffè Festival, the first made-in-Italy Coffee Festival. These events set a trend that actually led to the creation of the Umami Coffee Campus – a place where people could meet, share their professional experiences and learn more about high quality coffee. Taking the cue from the first Barista Camp organized by the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe – www.scae.com, four Italian SCAE authorized trainers had the idea of creating a similar, 100% Italian event, where participants could share the experience of a high professional training week ending with the Coffee Diploma System certification exams, thus enriching their educational baggage. The first CDS Coffee Week, aka Umami Barista Camp generated precisely from this intuition (for info, please send an email to umamibaristacamp@gmail.com).
SCAE Coffee Diploma System is the most comprehensive coffee education system available and the most extensively awarded coffee certification in the world. If you are a barista wanting to improve your skills, become a roaster, trade in green coffee, perfect your sensory skills, or just brew great coffee, then the diploma has a module applicable for you.
The Umami Barista Camp deals with the following topics:
introduction to the world of coffee, green coffee (botanic varieties, producing countries, processing methods, transport, sale and product certifications), tasting (cupping, sensory exercises, arrangement of a tasting lab, creation of tasters’ panels, SCAA cupping forms), roasting (defining the roasting process, the influence of the roasting curve on the final cup profile, control and adjustment of the roasting curve, cupping of samples), filter methods (filter brewing methods, parameters for a perfect filter coffee, using the refractometer, tasting), the espresso coffee & barista’s skills (the world of espressos and cappuccinos, brewing a perfect espresso, milk frothing and latte art techniques).
The first editions of the Umami Barista Camp saw the presence of dozens of baristas and professionals from all over Italy, over 30 single-origin coffees for tasting, four Authorized SCAE Trainers – Andrej Godina, PhD in Science, Technology and Economics of the Coffee Industry, Marco Cremonese, master roaster, Andrea Matarangolo, trainer barista and Latte Art champion, Simone Guidi, trainer barista and junior roaster, Alberto Polojac, green coffee expert and professional taster and Davide Spinelli, trainer barista and Italian aeropress champion.
The Umami Barista Camp is highly professional but its courses are run in a familiar, informal environment where coffee experts and lovers can create and take part in a sort of permanent training lab on the Chianti hills. Depending on individual needs, the training experience can last from 3 to 6 days, during which participants can choose their specific training modules and start articulate educational paths that can last up to one or two years – or just a week, depending on their personal objectives.
The Umami Barista Camp is a permanent training lab where participants can attend classes and practical sessions on the chosen module while sharing their experiences, thus creating a “training community”. It is a comprehensive experience, during which people attend actual classes and share convivial moments like a happy hour in Florence or a walk among the olive trees of the Poggio Arioso farm.
After the first edition, almost all participants chose to take part in the second edition to complete their training with other modules, to repeat the same modules or simply to share their skills and knowledge with new people.
During the Coffee Week, participants can choose their own study plans according to their specific needs and previous professional experiences. To attend the Umami Barista Camp, you must therefore enrol on a daily basis and choose among the training packages offered by the organization.
The CDS Coffee Week of Florence includes the following certifications:
barista skills: foundation, intermediate and professional
brewing/filter methods: foundation, intermediate and professional
green coffee: foundation, intermediate and professional
roasting: foundation, intermediate and professional
sensory: foundation, intermediate and professional
Moreover, the Umami Barista Camp teachers offer professional specialization courses on topics such as espresso coffee tasting, Latte Art, roasting for micro roasteries, web marketing for roasteries.
The Coffee Diploma System offers an introductory module followed by modules in five core areas of coffee:
Introduction to Coffee (10 points) 

Green Coffee, Sensory Skills, Roasting, Brewing, Barista Skills. Each of the five core modules offers qualifications at three levels:
·      Foundation (5 points) 

·      Intermediate (10 points) 

·      Professional (25 points) 

Students will receive a certificate for each examination they pass and points are awarded towards their Coffee Diploma. When they earn 100 points they will automatically be awarded with the overall Coffee Diploma certificate.
The Foundation level provides the first taste of a particular coffee discipline. A great way to get initial insight into the basic skills in an area and help you decide if you want to go on to learn more.
The Foundation level requires no previous experience.
Courses at this level would be expected to take 1⁄2 - 1 day.
Intermediate: suitable for those already working in the area with a firm knowledge of the basic skills. Experience working in the field is recommended before attempting this level.
It is not mandatory to hold the Foundation qualification in order to be able to participate in the Intermediate courses, but strongly recommended.
Courses at this level would be expected to take at least 2 days (including exams).
The Professional level is suitable for those wanting to pursue specialist knowledge at a high level in their field. Success at this level should indicate to employers’ competence to work in this field.
Extensive experience working in the field is recommended before attempting this level. Candidates must hold the Intermediate qualification to be able to participate in the Professional courses.
Courses at this level would be expected to take at least 3 days (including exams).
Classes are run by teachers/tutors – Authorized Scae Trainers (AST) specialized in specific CDS modules – who provide the attendees with presentations, practical sessions and bibliographic info. The classes of each module are subject to limited enrolment so that restricted groups are created and attendees can interact actively with the teacher and with each other.
The equipment provided at the Camp consists in top-quality tools that are necessary to meet any training needs. It includes: gas and electrical roaster, grinder for espresso coffee (equipped with cooling system), flat-burr grinder for filter and manual pour-over coffee, espresso machine with multi-boiler technology, filtering systems to obtain the best water quality for espresso and filter pour-over coffees, refractometer, water analysis kit (temporary and total hardness, PH, TDS), set of green coffee screens, kit of sieves for coffee grind size, a wide library including the most important books on coffee.
Technical support for practical sessions and cuppings at Umami Barista Camp is provided by Dalla Corte Espresso Machines, filter machines by DM Italia, tools, quality control lab equipment and roaster temperature probes by Hario, water filtering cartridges by Water & More, roasted coffee by Torrefazione Piansa, Le Piantagioni del caffè and Coffeel, green coffee by Sandalj and Imperator, decaf coffee by Demus.

Andrej Godina: “The format of the so-called ‘Camp’ – based on intensive training over a number of days – allows attendees to carry out an in-depth study of the Coffee Diploma System topics they are more interested in and to share their experiences with the other attendees, thus basing their educational baggage on a permanent training lab format. Umami Barista Camp is more than lessons given by Authorized SCAE Trainers – it is a community of trainers who offer their theoretical knowledge and practical skills, and try to convey them in the most effective way. The Umami Barista Camp format is unique in Europe – it is a training period that allows participants to access foundation, intermediate and professional CDS certifications.”
Marco Cremonese: The Barista Camp started in 2012 to meet the general need of knowledge on various coffee-related topics. These topics are very different from one another and certainly need to be studied separately, but should also be considered as connected to one another for a more global vision of the world of coffee. During the Umami Barista Camp, in-depth courses in the different specific sectors take place. This way, baristas have the chance to know and study topics that seem very far from their everyday lives, but in fact influence their activities. 
They are also able to debate with colleagues, exchange opinions and ask for information to deepen their knowledge about the different topics. Unlike traditional courses, the Camp allows attendees to choose their personal training plan on the spot, according to their most specific needs. They can meet and discuss with some of the greatest experts in the various sectors; moreover, the connection with the SCAE Coffee Diploma System provides them with high-profile professionalism and with an international perspective that allows them to face the world of coffee with an impartial attitude. Obviously, roasting sessions with gas and electrical roasters cannot be missing.”
Simone Guidi: “The Umami Barista Camp started in September 2014 as a result of the idea that an event should be created to allow baristas, professionals of the sector but also newcomers to experience an intense training week. The Umami Coffee Campus events – which immediately got a strong and positive feedback –, paved the way for the Umami Barista Camp, which is a more specific and specialized event during which any coffee topic is covered.
The Barista Camp started because of an ever-increasing training demand. A customized, intensive training plan chosen directly by each attendee (i.e. anyone can choose the area they want to specialize or improve in) proves to be the best way to increase one’s interests and skills. Attendees at the Umami Barista Camp can decide to stay for one, three, five or six days.
All these activities are connected by SCAE, the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, which has the aim of spreading the knowledge of high quality coffee. During the Camp, attendees can attain all CDS certifications, as well as the renowned Coffee Diploma (once they have completed a number of SCAE training plan modules and earned 100 points).
Obviously, this Camp is not open to baristas only, but to anyone who already works in the coffee sector or has just entered it and want to know more. As a barista, I would suggest that my colleagues start getting informed, studying and researching to improve their work and to get keener on this special world. The Barista Camp is therefore a unique occasion for baristas to deal with all the topics, questions and explanations they need about coffee – from bean to cup. Why are we focussing on the barista? Because baristas are the final actors of a very long production and supply chain, and they are in direct contact with final customers … so, they should not be unprepared! We try to increase professionalism in this sector – a sector that is loved, yet overestimated as concerns quality. What really matters, now, is to start training. The Umami Barista Camp is a special occasion, a week that can change our general vision of coffee. It may be a way to make research stop being a duty and become a pleasure … or – why not? – A PASSION!”

lunedì 29 giugno 2015

Roasting is an art: three training days on coffee roasting 20-22 July 2015



UmamiRoastingCamp is a full 3 days of training on coffee roasting process: the coffee course will teach you on green coffee analysis, on how to design a good roasting profile, on how to control the roasting parameters for an excellent roasting curve. You will guided to follow the coffee educational program of the roasting module, foundation and intermediate level of the Coffee Diploma System - SCAE, Speciality Coffee Association of Europe. In the Petroncini’s coffee tasting lab you will taste the roasted coffee to proof how the cup change modifying the roasting profile. The teorethical chemical topics will be implemented with the practical sessions on the roasting machine to train and be able to pass the roasting CDS exams. During the three days you will taste the same coffee roasted with different roasting profiles prepared using the cupping SCAA protocol.

Trainers AST - Authorized SCAE Trainer:
Andrej Godina, coffee expert, PhD Science, Technology and Economy in the Coffee Industry - Università degli Studi di Trieste, Marco Cremonese, master senior roaster, Alberto Polojac, green coffee expert and coffee taster, Andrea Matarangolo, trainer barista. 



During the roasting course will be explained the following topics:
- heat transfer from the roaster to the bean
- differences and importance of conduction, convection, radiation
- basic roasting and the roasting profile
- usage of the SCAE roasting profile LOG
- how to identify and control the three roasting phases: drying, roasting and cooling
- chemical and physical bean changes (weight, color, density, sugar, acidity)
- workspace management and tools for roasting

Info: info@umamiarea.com


mercoledì 29 aprile 2015

Master roasting & sensory coffee course - 25,30 May 2015

Roasting and sensory master

Roasting coffee is a craft and art
During this 5 day course, we will take you through the production process from green bean analysis to controlling taste elements. Together we will explore the flavour attributes that roasting can influence and see how to manage them to get all the best characteristics of that bean into the cup.
This will include a cursory examination of coffee and roast chemistry along with some advanced thermodynamics and heat transfer issues.
Learn hands-on roasting techniques also bringing your own coffees for roasting and analysis.
Day four and five of the course will focus on sharpening your sensory skills with different acid solutions and aromas and applied sensory science including  quality control programmes, product development  and basic of statistics.

TRAINERS:
Paul Songer
Currently on the Cup of Excellent staff, Paul is head judge for many of the competitions, and an expert in sensory analysis. He is known for his knowledge of scientific and statistic principles, and synthesising these in a meaningful way in sensory exercises. His consulting company is Songer and Associates.

Alberto Polojac co-trainer

Owner of Imperator in Trieste, where he is in charge of quality control and training. AST SCAE Trainer since 2010 and Q grader since 2012, he offers courses and consulting on green coffee classification, the art of tasting and roasting. Since 2014 he is also a board member of Speciality Coffee Association of Europe chiairing the International Developement Committee.

LOCATION: Poggio Arioso – Scandicci (FI)

PRICE: 1.900 € for 5 day training, 1.200 € for 3 days roasting, 800 € for 2 days sensory


INFO: info@imperator.cc - info@umamiarea.com



Biography for Paul Songer

Paul Songer has been in the specialty coffee business for over 25 years. He began his career at Allegro Coffee Company, a medium-sized wholesale specialty roaster in Boulder, Colorado, repairing and installing espresso machines. He gradually moved from equipment to cupping and training, writing technical manuals and conducting training with sales staff, customers, and internal sensory panels as manager of training and research. During this period he was also a partner in a Boulder coffee house, a business that continues to thrive.
In 1998, Songer took the position of Director of Coffee Operations at Coffee Analysts, an independent lab specializing in the sensory, chemical, and physical analysis of coffee. This led to further independent research and a certificate of sensory analysis at the University of California at Davis. During this period he was a judge for one of the initial barista competitions held at the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) convention in 1998.
He served for over 10 years on the Technical Standards Committee of the SCAA and has given several technical presentations at their conferences. He has had numerous articles on coffee published and is the co-author of the SCAA Water Quality Manual, which deals with the chemistry of water and its effect on brewing coffee.

He currently is a head judge for Cup of Excellence (a producing-country based coffee competition) and also works as an independent consultant specializing in application of sensory analysis techniques to the coffee business, product development, and sensory panel training. Offered seminars include cupping training, roasting, and brewing.