London
Coffee
Festival
2024
The Truman Brewery, London
Free coffee, new flavours and vibes.
Its Brewing
Excited to be back celebrating the one beverage I love the most, coffee. What is even more exciting about this festival is that all the drinks are FREE! The London Coffee Festival truly celebrates coffee in every single way and it's a place where all coffee lovers unite to drink different types and kinds of coffee under one roof. And, did I mention it is free? So, it is hard not to drink all the coffee you come across! With big brands present such as Alpro, Hermaninos, Jenki and more of my favourites, I could not resist trying them all (even if I have a caffeine crash later). But, a festival is not a celebration unless you go all out. But hey, it's not a festival if you don't go all out, right? So, drink up until you can't anymore!
The
Cupping
Session
This experience was cool because I'd never done anything like it before. We got to try coffee from Indonesia, and you could tell because it had unique flavours. They told us it was called "cupping," and it was all about smelling the coffee grounds. A great break from drinking.
Central to the experience was the captivating ritual of coffee cupping, an artful process designed to engage all the senses. Our guide instructed us to first immerse ourselves in the individual aromas of the grounds, a sensory symphony ranging from fruity notes to nutty undertones, with whispers of chocolate and fleeting hints of cherry weaving through the air.
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Guided by technique, we delved into the heart of each cup, drawing in the essence with each breath. Yet, there was a strict rhythm to follow – a mere 15 seconds allotted to capture the essence of each cup. With a spoon in hand, we carefully broke the surface tension three times then, swirling the contents before smelling the coffee. Each cup was so different as some smelt of fruity mixes and some, nutty and smooth. It was a great experience.
Hermanos
Columbian Coffee
Hermanos or 'brothers', Victor and Santiago Gamboa created this special coffee brand first in 2018 in Walthamstow which soon expanded to various London neighbourhoods growing across the UK. This was one of my favourite stalls and coffee at the event. Firstly, the people were kind, and engaging and the coffee tasted amazing so I went back for seconds. I had their coffee bean named Maria, which had subtle hints of nutty, chocolate and very smooth. The syrup-like sweet finish is so lovely you do not need any sugar in your coffee (unless you have a sweet tooth). Loved every moment of each sip.
Jenki
You might be thinking, this is not coffee. Well, the festival has expanded its options this year with more vendors, including those who are not coffee-related. Jenki, ceremonial graded matcha from Uji, Japan is a mellow blend of calmness, promising a slow release of positive caffeine boost that some might say is better than your morning coffee. I can tell you, this is one of the best matcha I have tasted that I kept going back. With the smoothness, and no bitter or 'grass' like the taste I finally felt at peace about finding the right matcha. You won't be disappointed either!
Alpro
Ah, another favourite! Still arguably, the best alternative milk out there for coffee. Alpro is something I always talk about and never get enough of. Their stand gets better with each year and brighter. This time around, I was recommended by the Alpro ambassador the butterfly pea latte, natural in flavours with hints of spices. Now, this was not my favourite but I did admire the beautiful blue colour.
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Alpro is a brand that I have never been disappointed in and I have tried others. You can easily get your preferred milk at a supermarket and I have not looked back ever since I started having Alpro in my coffee.
Moma
While I'm not usually a fan of oat milk, I must admit, this oat milk was exceptional. It managed to retain all the delightful flavors without overpowering the taste of the coffee. The harmony between the oat milk and the coffee was truly commendable. When your oat latte is as velvety smooth as the one I enjoyed, you just know it's going to be a great coffee. Mama prides itself on specialising in oat milk crafted from premium British oats, which many would argue is currently the finest and trendiest oat milk available.
Rude
Health
Cute, catchy and caught my attention. It's a product that seems to be popping up in more and more supermarkets lately, and I must say, the taste lives up to the hype. Opting for a soy latte left me satisfied. However, I was disappointed by the challenge of finding soy barista milk anywhere. On the bright side, if you love oat milk, you won't encounter any such difficulty.
Conclusion
As always, this was an enjoyable and exciting experience, especially seeing all my favorite brands in one location. I even had the chance to share the fun with my sister and mom, who joined me for the occasion. Over two separate days filled with walking, indulging in copious amounts of coffee, and enjoying the complimentary goodies, it provided the perfect opportunity for us to bond over our shared love for coffee.
