Let me tell you a story. Last year, I looked around the specialty coffee scene and kept seeing the same thing. Big trade shows. Championship stages. Fancy booths. Lots of professionals. Lots of serious faces. And almost no space for the people who make coffee at home.
I wanted a place for them. For us. So I created the Home Barista Show.
The first show happened in Dubai. The second one took place in Sharjah. And now, something I did not expect this soon is happening. The Home Barista Show is going to Cape Town. Saturday 6 December. The Old Biscuit Mill. A full day of tastings, workshops, competitions, and a community that finally gets to meet face to face.
And if I am honest, it hits me in a very personal place. I was born in Cape Town. I never thought I would bring this idea back to the city where my story began. Yet here we are.
Why I built this show
People assume specialty coffee lives in cafes and roasteries. That’s the part of the industry that has marketing budgets. So that’s all we see. What we don’t see is what’s happening in homes all over the world. More people brewing. They learn through trial and error, buy grinders, drippers and espresso machines. They watch videos, ask questions, experiment.
And they get good at it.
Home brewing is growing. Given a shot in the arm by Covid-19. And driven in part by younger drinkers getting into coffee. And, specifically, brewing that coffee at home. That is a huge shift. The learning is happening outside of cafes now. In homes. In small kitchens. On dining tables. On balconies.
But home brewers had no event created for them. So that became the idea.
What happened in Dubai
The Dubai show took place at Cafe Rider. The doors opened and within minutes the room was alive. Not hectic. Not chaotic. Just full of energy. Everywhere you looked, someone was learning something new.
Champion baristas stood beside home brewers. No distance. No ego. Just conversations. Ask a question. Get an answer. Try a new technique. Laugh about the ones that did not work. The vibe was comfortable. Welcoming. Real.
I think it was the first time many people realised they were part of something bigger.
What happened in Sharjah
Sharjah came next. Archers Coffee Roastery hosted the event. People brewed on the UFO Dripper. They tested the Brewista Artisan kettle. They tasted chocolate from Mirzam. Acaia showed the value of accuracy at home. And Comandante supplied a Home Barista Show branded grinder.
It never felt like a lecture. It felt like spending time with people who cared about coffee and wanted to share what they knew.
Now the Home Barista Show comes to Cape Town
So here we are. The Home Barista Show Cape Town takes place on Saturday 6 December at The Old Biscuit Mill. The event runs from 10am to 6pm. You can spend the whole day with us or drop in for a short visit. Either way, you will learn something and taste something you have never tasted before.
Of course, this event is possible only because La Marzocco, Seam, and Cape Coffee Beans believe in what I am doing. I’m thankful for that.
La Marzocco
La Marzocco has been part of espresso culture for nearly a century. At the Cape Town show they will run espresso tutorials. You will learn dosing, distribution, puck prep, and milk texturing. Espresso is going to feel magical instead of intimidating.
Seam Coffee
Seam is one of the most respected roasters in South Africa. At the show they will lead cupping sessions. You will taste coffees from different regions and compare flavour side by side. You’ll be encouraged to ask questions and learn the small details that make coffee from Ethiopia taste different to coffee from Rwanda or Brazil.
Cape Coffee Beans
Cape Coffee Beans has been the heartbeat of home brewing in South Africa for more than 12 years. At the show they will run a pourover tasting activation. The same coffee brewed through different drippers. Same beans, same water, same grind. Different flavour.
What the day will look like
We’ve designed the day’s agenda so that you can decide to stay with us for the whole event, or pop in at your convenience. Either way, you will get the full Home Barista Show Cape Town experience.
Cuppings with Seam. Espresso tutorials with La Marzocco. Brewing demonstrations with Cape Coffee Beans. Touch the gear. Try it. Talk to someone who knows how it works.
There will be unlimited tastings, workshops, competitions, music, stories, chit chat, coffee stains on shirts. It is all included in the ticket.
And a tote bag with surprises that are worth more than the ticket price.
A growing community
The Home Barista Show community has grown faster than I ever expected. More than eighteen thousand strong so far. I look forward to having Saffas join.
They ask questions, share recipes, debate grinders. They encourage each other. It feels like the early days of something special.
See you there
Home Barista Show Cape Town. Saturday 6 December. The Old Biscuit Mill.
Everything is included. Tastings. Workshops. Giveaways. Competitions. And a tote bag filled with goodies to take home.
If you come alone, you will meet people. If you come with friends, you will make more. I hope I will see you there.
Click here to pick up your tickets now.
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This event is going to be great and we’re so happy CCB is going to be a part of it!