Rethinking coffee at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival

Rethinking coffee at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival

Mar 16, 2016 |  by  |  Event, Food, Lifestyle
About the author
Born in Toronto, living in Amsterdam, Sara studies music and works as a writer and researcher in both cities. Here to try to help you find what Amsterdam has to offer.

The specialty coffee movement is gaining traction. In Amsterdam alone it seems like there are more independent cafés and coffee roasters opening every day, with the rise similarly reflected across the world. And not only are there more coffee suppliers than ever before, but the coffee they’re serving is changing. It’s what some experts are referring to as the ‘third wave of coffee’ —a movement that has pushed back against the idea of coffee as a quick caffeine fix, and instead approaches it as a complex, artisanal product.

Coffee culture

Emblematic of this trend is the Amsterdam Coffee Festival, a three-day event that promises to show you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the much-loved product. This year’s festival, held at the Westergasfabriek, features everything from local vendors, to professional barista competitions, to public lessons on how to brew tea and make latte art. If you’d like to consider yourself a coffee connoisseur -or even if you just really enjoy a good cappuccino from time to time- this festival is where you’ll find everyone involved with local coffee culture, all in one place.

Tickets for entry into the festival aren’t necessarily cheap, but 50% of the proceeds go towards Project Waterfall, a non-profit organization that works on clean water projects with communities in need in coffee-producing countries. With the increase in coffee popularity around the world, knowing where your coffee comes from (and how your purchases impact others) is an important part of what this festival means at an international level.

After a day of industry-only events, the festival opens officially to the public tomorrow at 17.00, with lessons and workshops running from Friday to Saturday and other events and vendors open through the weekend. Stop by for a drink, shop around, and explore what has come to be an international, and growing, scene.

The Amsterdam Coffee Festival

When: March 18-20
Where: Westergasfabriek, Haarlemmerweg 8E
Tickets: €18,- | Here
More info: Website & Facebook event

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