London Coffee Festival 2012

The capital's coffee addicts prepare for a heady weekend as the London Coffee Festival returns to town
Rakesh Ramchurn23 April 2012

Once upon a time in the eighties, coffee in London meant a hot drink made from soluble granules and coming two ways: white or black. Now coffee has replaced tea as the Londoners’ drink of choice, with coffee bars springing up all over the capital offering everything from the flat white to the frappe.

So it’s only right that we have a festival devoted to our favourite stimulant, and April will see the second London Coffee Festival take over the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane for three days of coffee, food and music.

Highlights include the Sensory Espresso Bar which allows visitors to try coffee made by the UK’s top baristas or to take part in master classes exploring what exactly makes the perfect brew.

The True Artisan Cafe has allocated coffee shops and roasteries three-hour slots in which to serve their signature drinks. These include everything from fruit or alcohol-infused brews, to an intriguing Popcorn Coffee, inspired by a food scientist who said that coffee had a flavour profile similar to that of corn.

Meanwhile, the Brew Bar will serve coffee made through numerous brewing techniques, from stove brewing to aeropressing, allowing aficionados to argue over their favourite method.

The festival will also host the final round of the UK Barista Championships, a contest to find the nation’s best coffee maker. More than 70 contestants have been whittled down to the final 20 who will be judged on coffee knowledge, presentation and ability, with the winner representing the country at the World Barista Championships in Vienna this June.

Alongside the coffee there will be food stalls selling everything from hog roast to dim sum and entertainment in the form of a programme of live music acts.

And if this all sounds a little too indulgent, keep in mind that half of the proceeds from tickets will go towards Project Waterfall, which helps to provide access to clean water in coffee-growing African countries.

Seems like we’ve come a long way since the dark days when granulated coffee ruled the roast.

London Coffee Festival, runs from April 27-29, londoncoffeefestival.com. Tickets from £4.50.

Rakesh Ramchurn is a freelance writer focusing on lifestyle, culture and the arts. Follow him on twitter: @Rakesh_Ramchurn. Read his feature on London's top 5 coffee bars here.

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