This weekend, Old Truman Brewery hosted the annual London Coffee Festival. Back in 2010 the first festival had over 7,000 attendees, which has grown every year, so I popped down yesterday to see what all the fuss is about.
I only started drinking coffee about 3 years ago, when I started my first job, and needed to get through the day. I still turn to coffee for a caffeine fix but have started to pay more attention to what coffee I drink and what I actually like about it.
My favourite sample of the day was an M&S ground coffee: Colombian Antioquia 100% Arabica coffee. Described as ‘smooth butter caramel with notes of brown sugar and berry fruits’. My palette is not quite expert enough to detect all of those flavour elements, but I enjoyed my taster and will be getting a bag!
A lot of the stalls at the festival were for samples and trade orders, but many were hosting tutorials for latte art, filtering coffee and milk steaming.
As if I wasn’t sufficiently caffeinated from working my way around the samples, Baileys were hosting an espresso martini bar! Topped with what I now know are Arabica beans.
It’s not all coffee. Some of my favourite tea, snack, dairy-alternative milk brands had stalls too.
The City of London are running an initiative I’ve noticed to encourage people to recycle their coffee cups in special bins. If you’re a coffee shop fiend you might consider getting a reusable cup you can hand over to your barista at any high street coffee bar and most others.
Some people are practical. No bells and whistles needed, just keep my drink warm! If that’s you, you’re not too fussed about how it looks, and might not be that keen on spending too much on it.
Ikea – £6 | Thermocafe – £6 | OXO – £10 | Thermos – £24
For something a little snazzier.
Corkicle – £20 | Bodum – £20 | KeepCup – £22.50 | Contingo – £47
If you don’t mind hot drinks in plastic, or opt for an iced coffee, I love these!
Kate Spade – £14 | T2 – £16 | Kate Spade – £16 | Bando – £27
No matter was Donald Duck Trump says, climate change is real. So, take a little less from the environment and go reusable!
Filter coffee, not people.
