Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/158781
FROM THE EDITOR Getting up to speed on coffee and tea LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Fresh Cup welcomes letters to the editor at comments@freshcup.com. Letters must be 250 words or less. Authors must provide verifiable phone number and city and state of residence. 12 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com with similarly passionate people. And on the local level, coffee and tea shops often offer cuppings and tastings that are open to the public. Start showing up to these, and they'll likely lead you to friendships that will further your educational efforts. Second, delve into the world of social media. This is a notable advancement from when I started in the industry, and plugging into social media lets you supplement the community-building efforts you do in person. A platform like Twitter is an effective way to build a dynamic online community that allows you to keep in touch with trends and industry goings-on. It's never been as easy to stay informed as it is now. And third, read up. There are myriad books available covering "third wave" coffee and specialty tea that offer in-depth glimpses of these industries. And of course, magazines like the one you hold in your hands keep you up to date from month to month, while online publications offer daily enlightenment. The comprehensive knowledge housed in books, magazines and blogs make them important components of a well-rounded industry education. The dense, ever-changing worlds of specialty coffee and tea aren't easy to navigate, and keeping up with the constant flow of information takes dedication. By remaining a student of your respective industry, you will be fully educated and informed, and therefore able to present the best-possible product to your customers. STEPHANIE KREUTTER A s September dawns, children are bidding adieu to their carefree summers and trudging back to the rigors of school. Though most of us with careers in coffee and tea don't have to make such a dramatic return into busy work weeks, there is certainly a "back to business" feeling that takes over with summer's end and fall's onset. And because working in coffee or tea is an educational pursuit of sorts, our return to the grindstone is not all that different from what a student endures. The parallels between studying coffee or tea and engaging in traditional education were on my mind this month after I received an email from a new roaster asking for tips on learning about and engaging in the specialty-coffee industry. While considering his question, I thought about the fast rate at which specialty coffee and tea are evolving—they're both entirely different worlds from when I entered them in 2005. As such, working in these fields is a process of continual education, and having access to constant learning opportunities is vital. In answering his email, I offered three tips for getting involved in the specialty-coffee industry (which also apply to the tea world): First, get yourself out there. Those who work in specialty coffee and tea often talk about how these industries are "all about the people." Both these worlds are deeply rooted in community, and engaging in these communities fosters opportunities for further learning. Organizations like the Barista Guild, the Roasters Guild and the Specialty Tea Institute offer courses and community-building events that can bring you up to speed on the nuances of your respective beverage while connecting you