Thai Robusta in Athens: Our Alumni Bring the Cupping Together
Taking The Finest Robusta Thailand to World of Coffee Athens 2023 involved much more than packing coffee. In the account we shared that July, Natt Muangsiri described the preparation, practical problems and people behind an international cupping of eleven Thai Robusta samples.
Working with MEKA gave the team the opportunity to arrange a cupping room. Coffee displays, sample information and brewing equipment travelled with us, but preparation continued on arrival. Local water affected extraction, so the team tested grind settings, roast batches and brewing ratios before presenting the coffees.
The most memorable help came from our alumni. Former students from Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand volunteered to weigh and grind coffee, arrange tables, prepare water and organize the tasting materials. Skills practised in class became shared work at an international event. For Natt, seeing former students take those responsibilities with confidence was one of the proudest moments of the trip.
Reaching the right audience took work too. Natt joined other cuppings, spoke with people interested in Robusta and invited them to the session. Coffee Quality Institute representatives Lisa Conway and Kristin Schrader joined and brought colleagues to experience the Thai coffees.
The photographs show visitors tasting alongside displays of The Finest Robusta Thailand awards and sample information. At the end of the session, people wanted samples to take home, and the remaining coffees were shared among them.
Thank you to MEKA, our alumni, volunteers, families and the wider team of sponsors and supporters who helped make this possible. This memory belongs to everyone who contributed. Read the original account and explore the photographs below.
Photograph: The Finest Robusta Thailand
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