New Instructor Development Program Co-hosted By Artisan in Ann Arbor

Jan. 2, 2014
Happy New Year!
Big News -- the SCAA's Instructor Development Program (IDP) and the all-new Advanced Instructor Development Program (A-IDP) will both be offered in beautiful Ann Arbor, MI on Feb. 8 & 9, 2014. Artisan Coffee Imports is co-hosting the educational program with local roasters, Zingerman's Coffee Co. and Mighty Good Coffee. Artisan is especially proud to be helping to bring this "train the trainers" course to Michigan. "It's a way to raise the bar for training and education at any coffee company," says Ruth Ann Church, Artisan's President. "To be in specialty coffee, you also really have to be about education."

The location will be one of Zingerman's classrooms, close to the roaster, which is near the Ann Arbor airport. (Yes! You can fly your little Sand Piper nearly up to the front door!)

The course will look a little like this... only with Ildi Revi as the instructor!

For all the details and registration, go to the SCAA website with a click here for the regular IDP, and a click here for the Advanced IDP.

The Advanced IDP is designed to help instructors refine the art of giving feedback to students. The SCAA is considering making this course a requirement for those teaching internationally.
Sign up today!

Skill Building Workshop in Ann Arbor a hit!

The SCAA Skill Building Workshop, May 13-14, in Ann Arbor, MI was a treat for coffee professionals and a watershed for the coffee industry in southeastern Michigan. Maybe even for the Midwest as a region.

Tom Isaia and the crew from Coffee Express as well as Allen Leibowitz from Zingerman's and Greg Miricle from Great Lakes Coffee were all instrumental in getting the event together. As if those 3 names aren't big enough, the event also brought in Trevor Corlett from Madcap Coffee Roasters in Grand Rapids, Jack Groot frim JP Coffee and the Midwest Barista School, and a large contingent of Canadians, such as Richard Ottenhof, of Multatuli Coffee in Kingston, Ontario.

I was the only green coffee importer represented, as far as I know amongst this crowd of ~ 100 top notch coffee professionals. As Artisan Coffee Imports I cupped some amazing coffees during Allen's Comparative Cupping course (see video). As a generic SCAA member, it was fun for me to be a porter for Trevor's Milk & Latte Art class (see video).

The informal Motown Barista throwdown of latte art at the Plymouth Bean coffee company was my first throwdown. Three judges (Allen, Jack Groot and Sherry from JP Coffee) quickly gave a thumbs up or thumbs down as two baristas at a time competed to create delicate rosettas in the foam and crema of the lattes they pulled. The excitement and suspense created a wonderful and fun atmosphere -- collegial even.