London Coffee Festival 2015

It’s not even a caffeine induced craze that keeps me up at night. Nailing a late night espresso and lying awake is rewarding, kind of. But being awake and agonising over the ideal grind size, brewing ratio, tamp pressure, extraction temperature, type of grinder, coffee bean, portafilter…that is torture. Surprisingly, though, it is also fun. In a geeky kind of way. And addictive, really addictive. 

Coffee is a blooming industry. According to the British Coffee Association, coffee is the most popular drink worldwide with around two billion cups consumed worldwide every day, and approximately 70 million drunk here in the UK each day. The coffee scene has become an integral part of the British high street, growing 10.7% in turnover to reach £7.2 billion in 2014. 

The independent coffee scene is thriving with artisan roasters up and down the country producing some amazing coffee. The cafes, too, have taken things to a whole new level, combining technology, passion and know-how to tease flavours out of coffee I didn’t know existed. In Bristol we are lucky enough to have FCP Coffee (and others) who regularly offer tasteful delights such as this one: “Plums, brandy, brown sugar & cocoa as a shot; Fudge, hazelnuts and chocolate in milk.” 

As I have plunged myself into the world of weighing out my coffee (18g since you’re asking), measuring the water temperature before brewing and explaining to everyone that my Aeropress is not actually a Swedish penis enlarger but one of the trendiest ways to make coffee, I realised that I needed to surround myself with like-minded coffeesseurs. What better destination for a novice pseudo barista than the London Coffee Festival?

The London Coffee Festival celebrates London’s bustling and vibrant coffee scene.  The festival will feature over 250 artisan coffee and gourmet food stalls, tastings and demonstrations from world-class baristas, interactive workshops, street food, coffee-based cocktails, live music, DJs, art exhibitions and much more. Highlights this year include the inaugural Coffee Masters competition, the White Label Kitchen and The House of Coffee & Co – the festival’s brand new VIP Hospitality Suite.

If, like me, you spend too much time geeking out on coffee forums, find yourself sleep deprived from dreaming up new ways of descaling your espresso machine, seeking out the latest coffee gizmo and beans, or you simply want to indulge in all things coffee, then you should consider coming along to the festival.

The London Coffee Festival takes place at the Old Truman Brewery from 30th April – 3rd May, grab your tickets here.