Origin visits & coffee growers

Veneziano’s Brazilian Microlots Program Continues

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Brazil coffees provide the base of some of our espresso blends. Recently our general manager Ben Romeril and roaster Jack Allisey visited farms in Brazil, touring the regions of Pocos de Caldas and Carmo De Minas. As a result of this trip are excited to share the news about our Brazilian coffee shipments.

Our Brazilian coffee program for our signature blends will draw from five main estates with lots that have scored 84 – 85 points: Fazenda Laranjal, Fazenda Sertaozinho, Fazenda Cachoeira, Fazenda Rainha and Fazenda Recreio. In addition we’re committed to some unique microlots that have achieved 85+ points.

The first container we have received is a Yellow Bourbon from Fazenda Laranajal which we are roasting as a single origin as well as experimenting with as part of our ever changing seasonal blend. Our second shipment will contain coffee sourced from Fazenda Cachoeira followed by Fazenda Recreio.

Here’s an overview of the profiles of these Brazilian beauties:

Exclusive India coffee tour for Veneziano wholesale customers

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COSTS: Reduced Tour Fee of US$1500 covers all hotels, meals and ground transportation.
DATES: January 13-18th, 2013.
CONTACT: Pat Connolly, our Melbourne Roaster is your Team Leader (pat@venezianocoffee.com.au)

Each year, Veneziano Coffee Roasters pay a visit to one of our key specialty coffee producers in India, the Kaapi Royale coffee company and Sethuraman Estate farm. Kaapi Royale, home of the world’s first (and to date only) R certified fine Robusta, supplies Veneziano with most of its Indian coffee.

The 2013 Origin Tour is scheduled for January and is open to our wholesale customers, providing a great opportunity for them to accompany us and gain some in depth knowledge of origin beans and processing methods. Read full article to find out more.

Jean-Paul Sutton’s Kenya experience

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Jean-Paul (JP) Sutton is state manager and barista extraordinaire at Veneziano Coffee Roasters in Brisbane’s West End. He has an impressive record in competing in barista competitions; finishing in the top three in the Queensland barista competition every year he’s competed. JP won the title of Queensland Barista Champion in 2011, and looks forward to competing, and hopefully winning, again this year.

As part of Veneziano’s commitment to supporting the professional development of its team and his campaign for the 2012 Australian Barista Championship, JP visited Kenya in March to get a get an up-close view of Gethumbwini Estate and Thika coffee mill, as well as dropping in at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange to witness the coffee auctions. JP says the highlight of his trip was definitely being one of the first people to have the opportunity to cup the new season Kenyan coffees.

Visiting the Gethumbwini Estate reveals

Veneziano to host pre-auction Cuppings in MELB & BRIS, June 12

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*UPDATE* Finca Santa Felisa Cupping Event

Cupping details:
Date: Tuesday June 12th
Time: 4pm
Where: Brisbane and Melbourne First Pours

Veneziano Coffee Roasters are proud to support specialty green coffee trader, MTC Group and their new origin partner Finca Santa Felisa, by hosting cupping sessions featuring their exciting new season coffees, available for online auction, on the same day.

Auction:
Date: Tuesday June 12th
Time: 11:30pm Bris, Syd, Melb Time

Get that India ya!

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Veneziano’s Brisbane based roaster Andrew Dickson reflects on his trip to India, including a visit to the India Coffee Board and Sethuraman Estate, one of Veneziano’s trusted coffee partners. Just quietly, we think he’s trying to hint at another origin trip. Here is his story:

There’s no doubt that there are some downsides to working in a Brisbane roastery; long hot days, production schedules and people emailing and calling from Melbourne dribbling in your ear. However, even the worst situation has a silver lining, and for a roaster that means an origin trip! For those who don’t understand “origin trip”, this is an all expenses paid trip to Hong Kong for quiet, reflective drinks with the company’s CEO at a live band venue call Sticky Fingers.

OK maybe not, but that would be nice.

Veneziano’s Craig Simon wins Australia Barista Championship, 2012

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Craig Simon finally did it. With his fourth attempt at the Australian Barista Championship, 2012 has proven to be his year. He will head to Vienna in early June to contend for the World Barista Championship.

“I am very excited to represent Veneziano Coffee Roasters and Australia in Vienna in a few weeks”, says a proud yet humble Craig. The judges clearly agreed he’s the man for the job, he scored 60 points higher than this year’s runner-up Will Priestly who was second runner-up last year, and he has the admiration and support from his fellow competitors and peers.

It was a long journey that began almost two years ago, when Craig selected coffee sourced from the farm Finca El Manzano owned by Emilio Lopez of Cuatro M Single Origin Coffee. Craig competed using that coffee at the Victorian barista competition in 2010 and has used it ever since.

My Visit to El Manzano Estate

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Fine-tuning the coffee palate, El Salvador

Craig Simon recently returned from visiting one of Veneziano Coffee Roaster’s direct trade partners, Emilio Lopez of Cuatro M Single Origin Coffees and his coffee farm, Finca El Manzano in El Salvador. It wasn’t his first trip there and when you speak to Craig, or Simo as we call him, there is a sense that a great rapport exists between him and Emilio.

Primarily he was on a ‘competition coffee’ seeking expedition, though as he points out, “It’s about much more than trying to find that holy grail of coffee; a competition only lasts 15 minutes, and we need to be able to make and provide great coffee all year round”