The aroma of freshly roasted coffee permeates through the venue, Exhibition World Bahrain, where the first large-scale event of the Bahrain Coffee Festival is held in Bahrain. The Bahrain Coffee Festival is held over five days with over 100 coffee brands from both local and international locations.
This festival is being held with the cooperation of DXB Live, the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority, and Exhibition World Bahrain, with the purpose of establishing Bahrain as a stop on an Arabian/regional market for speciality coffees—as both a marketplace and an educational, performance, and experience venue! Attendees will see the diversity of speciality coffee, from small indie roasters pouring single origins to international coffee shops showcasing their new concepts and flavour innovations!
From December 9 through 13, the Exhibition World Bahrain will host an event that combines competition and education in the coffee industry. The main stage will provide plenty of excitement with events such as Latte Art throwdowns, Cup Tasters Challenges, the Barista Speed World Championship, and the Home Brewer World Championship, along with many different types of workshops for both beginner and advanced levels, offering techniques on how to brew using the V60 method, the Home Roasting method, and the Aroma Wheel method.
For those who want to experience more culture while enjoying their coffee, the organisers of this event have included several additional cultural offerings related to coffee. These options include the Arabic Coffee Protocol presentation, a mini-coffee museum, and the Coffee & Music Lounge, a place where you can enjoy music playlists while participating in pour-overs of your favourite coffee.
The competition offers a fun atmosphere, with an exciting “Smackdown” competition where 42 competitors showcase their ability in artistic latte art. There will be a wide range of creativity and excitement during the Smackdown Competition. This type of competition has an artistic focus and emphasises speed, artistic skill, and presentation instead of a polished, corporate atmosphere. The Smackdown will showcase raw talent from around the world, reminding everyone of the enjoyment that comes with drinking a cup of coffee and that there is a craft aspect involved when drinking coffee.
The worldwide history of coffee provides additional flavour to the tastings being held during this festival. Arabica coffee beans originated in Ethiopia from trees in prehistoric forests, demonstrating how natural hybridisation created the current Arabica coffee bean before it was cultivated by humans. The history of Arabica coffee tastes is rich and varied; every cup contains a historical record of botanical development.
For new coffee drinkers, novice baristas and professionals interested in learning about emerging coffee trends, the Bahrain Coffee Festival will have many surprises for attendees. You can expect to find combinations of coffee beverages and mocktails, coffee with desserts, and all types of coffee and food sensory experiments. You will also have the opportunity to taste many different types of coffee that are not typically available at your local café. For Bahrain, the festival offers a way to showcase the latest developments in coffee enjoyment and provide a flavour for what is to come as the new wave of coffee grows in popularity.
