FiORi Coffee to run Q Grading in Bali

FiORi Coffee is teaming up with the Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia to host a Q Grading course in Bali on 8 October. For six-day, Owner of International Coffee Consulting Group, Rocky Rhodes, and the Coffee Quality Institute’s Director of Q Grading and Education Programs, Trish Rothgeb will put cuppers through their paces so that they can gain accreditation. In addition to establishing a shared language and baseline for quality, the course will give participants the chance to determine both their coffee and sensory knowledge. There will be three days dedicated to teaching and calibration, with the remaining three reserved exclusively for exams. While on the tropical-island, attendees will take advantage of their close proximity to a coffee growing region, by taking a trip to Java to visit some Banyuwangi plantations. “I have a bit of a love affair with Indonesia because I lived there for a long time,” said Damien Newnham, FiORi Coffee CEO. “We started purchasing more and more coffee from there about 18 months ago – the caramelisation and flavours we’re getting are pretty special.” Damien said running a course in Bali, as well as trading with Indonesia, makes sense for FiORi ethically and environmentally. “Purchasing coffee from Aceh in Sumatra feels much more like supporting your neighbor,” Damien said. “But it also means I can justify making the trip over there a few times a year to check out processes and make sure the crop’s doing well.” Rhodes and Rothgeb will run the Q Grader course from Kopi Bali Lab in Sunar Bali. The locally owned facility is one of just a handful in the region with the capacity to host the course. The Indonesian Coffee Festival will also take place in October, giving participants a chance to take part while they’re in the region. “We’ve already had three of our major clients sign up to take part in the course,” says Damien. “It will be great to get to show them around and see some of Bali’s beauty.”