DISCOVER & TASTE Coffee Tour - Uptown StGilles

THE COFFEE TOURS Specialty coffee is booming in Brussels, with the emergence of new coffee shops and initiatives like the Brussels Coffee Week, but also thanks to the implementation of quality beans in more and more HoReCa places, grocery stores etc. However, specialty coffee is still far too unknown. Now is the time to explore what the capital city of Europe has to offer. These caffeinated explorations of the city, and also the methods of preparation are unusual, fun as they are highly informative, and match a complete coffee basics course, with an extra sprinkle of fun and walking. FOR WHO The Brussels Coffee Tours are for everyone, with a focus on the consumer/coffee lover experience to better understand your favorite beverage! It is also suitable for HoReCa professionals who are often still unaware of what specialty coffee is, helping them to understand the poor relation of their sector but also to better understand the customer experience related to coffee. I'm here to help and hope to bridge the gap between the amateurs and the professionals. No prerequisites are necessary for this tour. Tea drinkers greatly appreciate this tour, even when they think they don't like coffee ;) OBJECTIVE The goal of the Brussels Coffee Tours is to discover innovative places when it comes to specialty coffee, but also to discover and understand how to consume/taste coffee based on objective quality criteria. Understanding the production chain from field to cup, the difference between specialty and commodity coffee, and learning how to better buy coffee are also central to the objectives of the Coffee Tours. DISCOVER & TASTE, AN EDUCATIONAL TOUR! - UPTOWN ST GILLES, EDITION During the Brussels Coffee Tours - Discover and Taste - , we wander through different areas of Brussels, depending on the edition, because traveling around specialty coffee is always a great idea to discover local trends. We will stimulate your taste buds by tasting espresso, milk drink, but also filter methods and sometimes even cold brew, nitrogen infused or not, all at my expense. You don't pay any extra for your drinks. During this UPTOWN ST GILLES edition, we visit 4 to 5 places in the lower and upper parts of Saint Gilles, including a coworking space serving specialty coffee, amazing specialty cafés, some of them serving local pastries or vegan dishes and a cold brew mini tasting. We will make you aware of the different coffee professions and discuss various topics such as: the differences in philosophies and the new waves, preparation methods, consumption habits, the barista's job, the science behind milk, sugar, taste, quality, specialty coffee, labels, roasting styles, recipes etc... but also the information to decipher on the coffee bags in order to buy better and thwart global marketing. GOOD TO KNOW The tours always take place outdoors. We walk from one place to another and have a look at the places, but the groups being large compared to the capacity of the places, we do not consume sitting inside. It is best to bring comfortable shoes, WARM clothes in winter (better too many layers than not enough!!) and an umbrella in case of rain. Water is always recommended as well. Mask and gel in Covid times. Have breakfast beforehand because we don't have time to eat during the tours. Pssst, join us: INSTA @ok_coffee_tips YOUR HOST Thomas Wyngaard is the founder of OK Coffee and one of the few Specialty Coffee experts in French-speaking Belgium. He is an independent consultant, teacher (certified by the Specialty Coffee Association from January 2018 to April 2021), tour-ist and broadcaster. After training in France, Poland and Estonia, he worked with the best in Belgium, and then migrated for almost 2 years to New York where he served as a consultant and trainer. In addition to training in the coffee business, he collaborates with Belgian roasters committed to the recognition of specialty coffee, working towards a better world "one bean at a time".