Columbus Farmers Market Helping Build City’s Roasting Culture

A Columbus farmers market program is helping build a coffee culture in what is arguably Ohio’s most enlightened coffee city. After selling out the inaugural event last year, the North Market Coffee Roast is returning this year, adding several new roasters and introducing hundreds of patrons to the city’s specialty coffee elite.

The event takes place Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will include cuppings, brewing demonstrations, music and informational seminars. Participating local roasters and retailers include: Backroom Coffee Roasters (Upper Arlington), Bexley Coffee Shop (Bexley), Boston Stoker (Dayton), Café Brioso (Downtown), Crimson Cup Coffee (Clintonville), Hemisphere Coffee (Mechanicsburg/Clintonville), Impero Coffee (Short North), LTown Coffee (London), One Line Coffee (Columbus), Silver Bridge Coffee Company (Gallipolis), Stauf’s Coffee Roasters (Grandview), Thunderkiss Coffee (Columbus) and Upper Cup Coffee (Olde Town East).

Here’s a full schedule:

• 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Coffee Roast demonstrations and self-serve coffee in the Dispatch Kitchen

• 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., “Open Bar”, practice with a professional Barista on one of two espresso machines in the Dispatch Kitchen

• 9-11 a.m., live music by Ira Chaiffetz (banjo)

• 9-9:45 a.m., demonstration: “Espresso Drinks 101” in the Dispatch Kitchen with John Justice of Café Brioso and Erik Fenstermacher of Boston Stoker

• 10-10:45 a.m., demonstration: “Seed-to-cup” in the Dispatch Kitchen with Jeff Davis of Café Brioso and Mark Swanson of Stauf’s Coffee Roasters

• 11 -11:45 a.m., demonstration: “Comparative Tasting: Profiling and Regional Differences” in the Dispatch Kitchen with Dave Eldridge and Brandon Bir of Crimson Cup Coffee

• 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., live music by Ian Hummel (singer, guitarist)

• 12- 12:45 p.m., demonstration: “ with David Forman of One Line Coffee and Henry Dean of Boston Stoker

• 1-3 p.m., live music by Dan Heidt (singer, guitarist)

• 1 – 2 p.m., Home Roasters Competition, judged by Chris Bishop of Backroom Coffee Roasters, Henry Dean of Boston Stoker, Dave Eldridge of Crimson Cup Coffee, Joe Timmons of LTown Coffee, Lorraine Walker of Silver Bridge Coffee Company and Tommy Goetz of Stauf’s Coffee Roasters. Email [email protected] to register.

• 3-5 p.m., live music by Steve Harper (guitar)