Overview
Sydneysiders and coffee addicts can temporarily detach their caffeinated IV drips, wipe the sleep out of their eyes and sip the last of their espressos — the Aroma festival is setting up at The Rocks and it's about to wake you up to all kinds of coffee experiences, culminating with festival day on Sunday. To get you through the week, we've got five of the best coffee workshops on offer in five java-filled days.
Wednesday: Pablo & Rusty's Coffee Roasters Deconstructing Espresso
Get to know your beans inside and out and deconstruct your morning cuppa at this informative workshop by Pablo & Rusty. Meet the team behind Sydney's specialty coffee roasters, who'll teach you the basic characteristics of espresso and how to evaluate a good roast. You’ll get an insider's look into current coffee trends, popular regions and their flavours and what beans and blends are best suited to the way you drink your brew.
Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday, July 18, 12.30pm (also Thursday); Shop 2.04 and 2.05, 140 George Street, The Rocks; tickets $10. Limited places, book to secure yours.
Thursday: High Coffee
We're sure even the Queen needs her daily caffeine hit. Drink your espresso like royalty and experience 'High Coffee' at Baroque Bistro Patisserie. As you sip your signature single origin espresso martini, treat yourself to coffee-infused petit-fours by Baroque's head pastry chef Jean Michel Raynaud plus savoury canapes by chef Drew Bolton. Your caffeinated treats include a coffee macaron, coffee eclair, coffee cake, coffee tartlets and coffee chocolate truffle. Don't expect to go to bed early that night.
Tuesday, July 16, to Saturday, July 20, 3pm; Baroque Bistro Patisserie, 88 George Street, The Rocks; tickets $60 with espresso martini/$45 without. Limited places, book to secure yours.
Friday: Coffee Cup Candle Workshops
There's nothing better than the aroma of a coffee shop. But besides kidnapping your favourite barista and his precious espresso machine, it can be hard to replicate the same smells in your living room. Get the next best scent at this Coffee Cup Candle workshop. Bring along a coffee mug, tea-cup or glass and fill it with a coffee, mocha, hot chocolate or chai latte scented candle. The Candle Factory are Sydney's favourite candle company and will show you how to measure, blend, colour and fragrance the soy wax into a day's worth of delicious coffee smells.
Thursday, July 18, to Sunday, July 21, 10am and 11am; The Candle Factory, Shop 5 Metcalfe Arcade, 80-84 George Street, The Rocks; tickets $5. Limited places, book to secure yours.
Saturday: Delano - The Pour Over at Home
Coffee snobs take note, 'pour over coffee' is gaining popularity among caffeine fiends all over the world, and here's your chance to see what all the fuss is about. Learn to brew your own filter-roasted single origin coffee and get advice to perfect the method at home. You'll get all the tips from the award-winning coffee connoisseurs Delano and have the chance to purchase brew equipment packs to make sure you've got all the right tools to brew your perfect cup yourself.
Saturday, July 20, 3pm; Shop 2.04 and 2.05, 140 George Street, The Rocks; tickets $10. Limited places, book to secure yours.
Sunday: Reuben Hills - Comparative Regional and Cultivar Cupping
Ever tasted notes of wood, nuts or fruit in your cappuccino? Maybe there were wafts of caramel, smoke or flowers in your last latte. Hopefully there were no signs of leather, sweat or fur in your espresso this morning, but all these aromas can be found in your coffee during a coffee cupping. The team from Surry Hills' favourite brekkie spot, Reuben Hills, will help you measure the flavours, aromas, body and characteristics of your coffee and discover the influence region and climates play in the overall taste of your brew.
Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21, 11am; Shop 2.04 and 2.05, 140 George Street, The Rocks; tickets $10. Limited places, book to secure yours.
Check out the full program of Aroma workshops and special events at their website.