Excitement is brewing for this year’s DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival, and the Coffee Education Lab by Cafe Kreyol is back with an invigorating lineup of workshops and sessions that promise to deepen your appreciation for specialty coffee. On the weekend of November 16-17, 2024, immerse yourself in the world of coffee with hands-on learning led by two of the industry’s most passionate experts: Joseph Stazzone and Eric Girard. Whether you’re keen to master the art of professional coffee cupping, delve into the adventurous life of a coffee hunter, or understand the intricate nuances of processing methods and coffee varieties, these sessions are crafted to elevate your coffee knowledge to new heights. Don’t miss this chance to engage with the masters and savor the rich complexities of coffee like never before! All classes are first come first served and are included with your admission ticket!
Saturday, November 16, 2024
10:30am - Cupping Specialty Coffee Like a Professional, by Eric Girard
12:00pm - Life of a Coffee Hunter, by Joseph Stazzone
1:15pm - Cupping Specialty Coffee Like a Professional, by Eric Girard
2:45pm - Understand Processing Methods and Varieties, by Joseph Stazzone
Sunday, November 17, 2024
10:30am - Cupping Specialty Coffee Like a Professional, by Eric Girard
12:00pm - Life of a Coffee Hunter, by Joseph Stazzone
1:15pm - Cupping Specialty Coffee Like a Professional, by Eric Girard
2:45pm - Understand Processing Methods and Varieties, by Joseph Stazzone
Cupping Specialty Coffee Like a Professional
10:30am & 1:15pm on Saturday and Sunday
Coffee is graded, similarly to wine, based on 10 attributes that make up a 100 point scale. Specialty coffee professionals use this scoring system, created by the Specialty Coffee Association and implemented by Coffee Quality Institute, in order to objectively apply a quality evaluation to each coffee. In this hands-on workshop, Eric Girard, the Director of Operations at Cafe Kreyol, will take you through each attribute, how to assess them, and a practical application as you cup high scoring coffees from around the world.
Life of a Coffee Hunter
12:00pm on Saturday and Sunday
Join Joseph Stazzone, President and "Chief Coffee Hunter" of Cafe Kreyol, as he takes you through his journey from drug smuggling, into traveling the world searching for coffee partners, and creating a more sustainable and equitable supply chain. Check out this video for a preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnhR02FWNqc
Understanding Processing Methods and Varieties
2:45pm on Saturday and Sunday
Post Harvest Processing is one of the most distinguishable factors that impact the quality (and attributes) of specialty coffee. Walk with Joseph Stazzone, President of Cafe Kreyol, through details of Washed, Honey, and Natural Processed coffees, how they are impacted by different varieties of arabica, and what that translates to in your cup of specialty coffee.
Meet the Speakers
Joey Stazzone is the owner of Cafe Kreyól, a coffee company founded on principles of direct trade and sustainable development. He founded Cafe Kreyól after a mission trip to Haiti in 2012, aiming to improve the lives of Haitian farmers through fair trade practices. His innovative business model focuses on paying farmers based on coffee quality and creating sustainable jobs through the importing of specialty coffee. Stazzone has been a licensed Q Grader since 2015, and became a Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) Educator on Quality Evaluation in 2022. He has been on the international jury for the Bolivia Quality Cup Presidential Tournament 4 times, and an international judge in the Cup of Excellence. Stazzone has given dozens of lectures on Direct and Transparent Trading as well as Fermentations and Post Harvest Processing. Most recently his company was awarded "2023 Macro Roaster of the Year" by Roast Magazine. Through his work at Cafe Kreyol, he provides consulting to hundreds of producers a year, conducting experiments on coffee fermentations, pH testing, and post harvest processing, in order to help them develop their best possible option.
Eric Girard serves as Cafe Kreyol's Director of Operations. Eric evaluates over 100 coffees each week, meticulously designing roasting profiles and managing international green coffee purchasing. His commitment to quality has led Cafe Kreyol to receive over fifteen 90+ scores from Coffee Review and earn a spot in the "Top 30 Coffees of the Year" for both 2020 and 2021. Additionally, his roasting expertise was recognized with a Silver Medal at the Golden Bean tournament in 2022. Eric also co-authored a scientific study on post-roast resting times and their impact on sensory evaluation.
