From its inception at The Amsterdam Coffee Festival back in March to its North American launch at The New York Coffee Festival earlier in October, Roast Masters™ is fast becoming a festival feature favourite and an acclaimed international title in itself.
As always, a carefully selected group of roasters will battle it out across three days as they hope to showcase world-class roasting, blending and brewing to a discerning panel of judges.
As we gear up for the competition's next chapter at The Milan Coffee Festival, here's a sweeping look at what you can expect, from the green beans to the coffee machine.
Meet The Competitors...
This year we have 15 hopeful roasters representing a broad stretch of Italy, from the Apulian "Heel of the Boot" to the northern reaches of the Alps, all of whom will be yearning to become Italy's first Roast Master. Raising the stakes and adding an international component are eight other determined roasters from Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Latvia, Belgium and France. Get to know the full list of competitors here.
The Panel...
Heading up our panel of Roast Masters™ judges at The Milan Coffee Festival is Anne Lunell, Carista and Brewers Cup Champion from the world-renowned Swedish roaster Koppi. Having judged every Roast Masters™ competition, Anne will certainly have a clear idea of what it takes to earn this coveted title.
Also adding their diverse range of expertise will be: Reubens Gardelli, current WCE World Coffee Roasting Champion and owner of Gardelli Specialty Coffees; Chiara Bergonzi, SCA educator, consultant, celebrated international judge, Latte Art Champion, author and artisan roaster of Lot Zero; and Davide Roveto, restaurant consultant, founder of Caffè Cognetti – Microtorrefazione, certified SCA educator and international Barista Championship judge.
The Competition Kit...
This one's for the gear nerds. Our roasters & baristas will each be performing their disciplines on the Faema E71E. Launched in 2018, this sleek machine was made for the benefit of the barista as much as it was for optimum extraction. Featuring a GTi control system and three individual groups with intuitive, electromechanical control panels for managing different coffee varieties, an external adjustable pressure setting and pronounced steam wands that provide more flexibility and give more of a visual element, this stunning example of Italian design is perfect for Milan.
For the Single Origin discipline each roaster will be using the same green coffee from Falcon Coffee. For this competition the green beans have been sourced from Peru, where Falcon have set up a sustainability project. Falcon will also take the winner of Roast Masters™ Milan on a trip-to-origin to meet the producers behind their competition coffee. Learn more about Falcon's work in Peru here.
We've said it time and time again, good quality coffee demands high-quality water. That's why we're teaming up again with BRITA, who will be providing their distinctive filter water for the whole competition. Likewise, our friends at Alpro will once more be our go-to plant-based dairy alternatives.
Another Round...
Following it's successful introduction at The New York Coffee Festival, Roast Masters™ Milan will feature a third discipline: The Pour Over. Six roasters who have proven their mettle in The Single Origin and The Espresso Blend rounds and made it to The Final on Day 3 of the festival will answer the question How far can you take coffee? with their unique filter roast, brewed using the pour over method.
Roast Masters™ takes place at The Milan Coffee Festival from 30 Nov - 02 Dec 2019. Entrance is completely free – sign up to our Coffee Club for tickets.