Sign up for us as we discover the highlights of the 2024 Ljubljana Espresso Pageant, a colourful birthday party of Slovenia’s ever-growing specialty-coffee tradition.
BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT
Featured photograph courtesy of Tim Hafner
This September, Barista Mag On-line was once at the floor in Slovenia to witness considered one of Europe’s most enjoyable espresso occasions: the Ljubljana Espresso Pageant. Held on the Ljubljana Town Museum, the development introduced in combination espresso fans, roasters, and trade pros for 2 caffeine-filled days of tastings, competitions, workshops, and conversations.
The competition boasted an excellent lineup of visitor audio system for lectures and cuppings, that includes famend espresso professionals, global champion baristas, and most sensible cooks from Slovenia and past. The power all over the development was once contagious, with energetic discussions and interactions at each nook. The venue itself was once no longer handiest a great house for exploring the sector of forte espresso but additionally introduced a superb opportunity to be told extra about Slovenia’s historical past and the attraction of its capital, Ljubljana.
Let’s take a look at some highlights from the competition!
Wisdom, Innovation & New Flavors
One in every of my non-public highlights was once the Sensory Room, the place competition goers may just pattern coffees from around the globe. Some of the coffees I cupped was once one from Los Nogales farm in Colombia, produced by way of Angie Hernández Arango. I had the chance to speak along with her in regards to the daily existence on the farm, gaining perception into their sustainability practices and the demanding situations they face. I additionally were given to take a look at their herbal low-caffeine Typica, a wide range that in point of fact stood out to me with its distinctive taste profile—blank and easy.
I additionally had the privilege of attending a number of lectures at The Lab, however one who in particular stood out was once by way of Jorge Castro from Café Inmaculada in Colombia, the place he spoke about increasing unique types. The target market discovered that cultivating those types no longer handiest calls for meticulous care but additionally opens up new probabilities for growing unique taste profiles that may set farms aside within the aggressive specialty-coffee marketplace.
Showcasing Skill & Slovenian Espresso
The aggressive spirit was once palpable all over the competition, particularly on the Barista Struggle Problem and the Latte Artwork Throwdown. It was once exciting to peer Aleš Gorenc from Barcaffe take house the Latte Artwork Throwdown trophy, executing a seahorse design in entrance of none as opposed to Manuela Fensore and Carmen Clemente, each Global Latte Artwork Champions. The next day to come, Sabin Minea from Mala Pražarna confirmed outstanding ability and creativity in successful the Barista Struggle Problem.
On the center of the competition was once the colourful Roaster Village, a bustling house full of native and world espresso exhibitors. This was once the place I had the chance to fulfill a few of Slovenia’s most sensible roasters and check out their distinctive choices. The Slovenian espresso scene is really getting into its personal, and I used to be in particular inspired by way of the variety of flavors and methods on show. I even had the risk to take a look at a co-fermented espresso, in addition to a espresso brandy and an incredibly scrumptious decaf that stood out for its smoothness and intensity of taste.
Moderating the Uniqueness Espresso & Haute Delicacies Panel
A key second for me in my view was once moderating the “Uniqueness Espresso & Haute Delicacies“ panel. Bringing in combination the culinary and low worlds, the dialogue featured famend espresso professionals like James Hoffmann, Tim Wendelboe, Dale Harris, and most sensible Slovenian cooks like Igor Jagodic, Tomaž Bratovž, and Mojmir Šiftar. We explored the position of forte espresso—and low generally—in fantastic eating, discussing whether or not espresso can also be handled with the similar recognize as wine or different key components, and checked out the way it can improve the full gastronomic revel in.
Side road Meals, Signature Beverages, and Slovenia’s Rising Espresso Scene
The competition wouldn’t had been entire with out its indulgent meals choices and artistic espresso cocktails. The road meals scene was once filled with surprises, starting from artisanal Slovenian fare to world bites that completely complemented the espresso on be offering.
After all, I couldn’t withstand sampling the signature beverages crafted by way of Global Espresso in Excellent Spirits Champion Martin Hudak. His leading edge cocktails—expertly mixing espresso with spirits—had been a standout revel in and the very best strategy to wrap up an afternoon of tastings.
This 12 months’s Ljubljana Espresso Pageant highlighted simply how a lot Slovenia’s specialty-coffee tradition has advanced because the tournament’s first version in 2016. Being a part of this 12 months’s festivities, it’s transparent that Slovenia is carving out a hard-earned position at the international espresso level. Make sure you stay a watch out for subsequent 12 months’s version of the Ljubljana Espresso Pageant—you received’t wish to omit it!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior on-line correspondent for Barista Mag and a contract copywriter and editor with a number one focal point at the espresso area of interest. She has additionally been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, offering content material to lend a hand train folks about baristas and their paintings.
Subscribe and Extra!
Out now: It’s the October + November 2024 factor of Barista Mag! Learn it free of charge with our virtual version. And for greater than 3 years’ price of problems, discuss with our virtual version archives right here.
You’ll be able to order a difficult reproduction of the mag via our on-line retailer right here, or get started a subscription for twelve months or two.
