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Nathan Zucker
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Nathan Zucker
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Nathan Zucker
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Nathan Zucker
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Nathan Zucker
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Nathan Zucker
The specialty coffee industry is constantly evolving.
While there’s a continued focus on farmers and processing—along with the barista’s role in properly executing cappuccinos, pour-overs, and everything in between—there has also been a significant development on the consumer side: Customers want to know more about where their coffee comes from and how to replicate a perfect cup at home.
Crema, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, offered classes when they first opened, primarily out of necessity.
“We were introducing a product in a new way, and people didn’t understand,” co-founder Ben Lehman explains. “So, key to our business strategy was to help educate the market—an educated consumer is an empowered consumer.”
Of course, in the decade since they first introduced Nashville to coffee’s third wave, the local scene has grown significantly. Lehman says there has never been more interest than they are seeing now in brewing coffee, making latte art, and preparing espresso.
“Coffee has come of age in Nashville,” he adds. “People are trying so many different roasters and coffees that questions are naturally arising.”
Heeding the call for more in-depth coffee knowledge, Crema recently promoted a full-time public educator; she's dedicated solely to public education, which will allow them to introduce a variety of new classes and events. In addition, a newly forged partnership with Dr. Bryan McClarey, a learning scientist, will further enhance their focus on education.
“We’re relocating our roasting operation to make room for a dedicated training lab,” Lehman says. “It's going to be really neat—for our internal teams, our wholesale partners, and the public.”
Alongside Crema, 8th & Roast, Barista Parlor, Frothy Monkey, and Dose Coffee and Tea are upping their educational offerings, too. Here’s a look at what and where you can learn.
Crema Coffee Roasters
While most shops focus solely on cuppings, or coffee tastings, Crema also offers a series of separate classes for those interested in mastering both espresso drinks and pour-overs at home. Classes are limited to six students, so seats fill up quickly, and registration and payment is available online.
“Espresso Basics” starts with the fundamentals of grinding, dosing, and tamping espresso, along with the principles of espresso extraction. Digging a little deeper, “Espresso Theory” gets into the science of extraction, brewing ratios, and extraction percentage, along with specific tools needed to pull the perfect shot. Once you’ve mastered the basics of preparing silky-smooth milk in the “Milk Steaming” class, you can move on to “Secrets of Latte Art,” which offers plenty of handson practice throwing picture-perfect works of (milk) art to top those espresso drinks.
For anyone mystified by the tasting notes on the side of the coffee bag, or curious about new coffee origins, “Taste & Evaluation” is a guided cupping that helps students discover the nuances between different beans. “Great Coffee at Home”shares all the tips and tools needed to brew a delicious cup of coffee on your own.
crema-coffee.com/allaboutcoffee
8th & Roast
On the third Tuesday of every month, 8th & Roast hosts an open-to-the-public class at the shop from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Classes are led by head coffee roaster Jimmie Getty on topics that include coffee sourcing, roasting, or brewing. Seating is limited, and space must be reserved in advance, either online or in the store. Additional classes will be available at the new Charlotte Pike location, now open.
“The coffee community is made up of people who are passionate about learning, customers and professionals alike,” Getty says. “I think people are naturally curious about coffee, and coffee professionals do a good job of sharing information that is free and accessible.”
Following a recent cupping event, Getty invited attendees to create their own custom coffee blend, based on flavor profiles they discovered during the class.
“I've noticed a general willingness from our customers to participate in [these] cupping events, even if they're unfamiliar with the practice,” he says. “We always end up having a great time talking about what we're tasting, and people are generally surprised at how well they can distinguish between different coffees when they're able to taste them side by side.”
eighthandroast.com/in-house-events
Dose Coffee and Tea
Dose is ramping up its public education classes for 2018 with a variety of tastings and pairings every other month. “Coffee With the Owner” is a new series where owner Keith Steunebrink leads casual tastings and discussions in the shop. Registration for all classes is available online.
Steunebrink has seen the appetite for specialty coffee expand considerably since he and his partner opened the doors to their first location in 2009. As testament to that growth, their current featured roaster program, now in its seventh year, had more than 50 different roasters on the shelves at last check.
“The program really seeks to serve our customers by showcasing the wide range of coffees and varietals available,” Steunebrink explains. “When customers are exposed to information, like single-origin information, roasting notes, etc., it often serves as a gateway to further discovery.”
Frothy Monkey
In addition to regular cupping events with their staff, Frothy Monkey has hosted public cuppings since they started roasting their own coffee in 2014. Every Friday, coffee lovers can visit the roasting facility and participate in a hands-on class.
Barista Parlor
The multi-unit coffee shop and roaster is working on a public education program that's modeled on the same level of quality training their baristas receive. Their lead educator will offer attendees a professional level education with small class sizes on topics, such as roasting tours, homebrew classes, and quality-control introductory classes. Check their website for forthcoming details.