I’m bringing The Home Barista Show to Johannesburg.
Johannesburg isn’t just another city I’m taking this to. I lived there for a long time. And a lot of how I think about coffee was shaped by the city.
Why I built the Home Barista Show
I didn’t build The Home Barista Show because I wanted to run events.
I built it because I kept seeing the same thing happen to people who were trying to get into coffee at home. They would buy good equipment. Follow instructions that looked precise. Do everything they thought they were supposed to do. And still end up with something that didn’t taste right. Then they assume they’re the problem.
So they try to fix it by buying something else. I’ve watched that happen enough times to know it’s not random. I’ve experienced it myself. I am that home brewer with the trigger-happy “Buy Now” index finger.
That’s where the Home Barista Show came from.
What the show actually is
The Home Barista Show is built for people who brew at home and want to understand what they’re doing while they’re doing it.
It’s not an event where you stand back and watch. Instead, you make coffee and handle the equipment. You adjust something and see what changes, asking questions while the grinder is still in your hand, not after the fact.
That’s the difference.
Dubai
The first show was in Dubai, at Café Rider.
The brands that supported that first show helped make it possible. Sage, Noon, DaVinci Gourmet, Subko, Café Rider and Brewing Gadgets all backed it with the kind of support that makes one think that maybe home brewers do matter.
I made a call early on to include presentations. I thought people would want structure. Something to follow.
They listened. They paid attention.
But the feedback afterwards was clear and unanimous. Too much talking. Not enough doing. People didn’t come to listen to someone else explain coffee. They came to try it themselves. To understand it while they were doing it.
I rebuilt the show around that feedback.
And that’s the idea I took to Sharjah.
Sharjah
The second Home Barista Show happened in Sharjah. At Archers. A smaller space. People closer together.
It worked.
No one was waiting for anything to start. They were already in it. Brewing, tasting, adjusting.
The sponsors understood what the show had become. Mirzam, Comandante, Acaia, Brewista, UFO Dripper, Archers and Brewing Gadgets all supported.
Cape Town
Cape Town was the first time I took the show out of the UAE. And to the city where I was born.
Before the doors opened, 83 tickets had sold. Another 43 people bought tickets on the day. I think people showed up because they wanted access. Not to watch. To understand what they were doing and why it sometimes didn’t work.
Seam Coffee, Cape Coffee Beans, La Marzocco South Africa and Brewing Gadgets supported that event.
Bean There
Bringing the Home Barista Show to Johannesburg feels like bringing something to the city that didn’t exist when I needed it. And there was one name I wanted involved from the start.
Bean There has been part of South African coffee for a long time. Founded in 2005, it became the first roaster in the country to focus on Fairtrade Certified coffee.
But Bean There is special to me for another reason.
My wife and I spent five difficult years trying to have a child. When she finally fell pregnant, with twins no less, we wanted to mark it with the people who had been around us through that time. Jonathan, Bean There’s founder, offered the roastery as the venue for our baby shower.
That meant a lot to me then. It still does.
Profitec and the Go
Bean There is supporting the event with Profitec, showcasing the Profitec Go.
The Profitec Go is a fantastic home espresso machine. It heats up quickly. Gives you control. And it doesn’t overwhelm.
We’re giving one away at the event.
Timemore Bricks
Bean There is also supporting the event with Timemore, showcasing the Timemore Bricks grinder.
Timemore was founded in 2012. Over time, they’ve built a reputation for equipment that people can pick up and use without feeling like they’ve stepped into something they don’t fully understand yet.
The Bricks grinder is a good example of that. It’s consistent. Easy to use. And, as a piece of design, beautiful.
What happens on the day
You spend time at the machines, grinding, adjusting, tamping, and extracting. You try something, see what happens, and then try again.
If something doesn’t make sense, you ask. Right there. While you’re doing it.
There are people around you who know what they’re doing, and others figuring it out at the same time. Conversations start. You compare what you’re seeing and tasting.
You leave understanding more than when you arrived, not because someone told you, but because you worked it out yourself.
And one of you will win a Profitec Go.
Tickets
If you want to be there, you can get your ticket here.
FAQ
What is the Home Barista Show Johannesburg?
It’s a hands-on coffee event for people who brew at home. You make coffee yourself, use the equipment, and ask questions while you’re doing it.
Where has the Home Barista Show happened before?
It has taken place in Dubai, Sharjah, and Cape Town. The Cape Town event had 140 attendees.
What makes this event different?
You don’t stand and watch. You take part, using the equipment and learning in real time.
What equipment will be featured?
The event will feature the Profitec Go espresso machine and the Timemore Bricks grinder, along with other brewing equipment.
Is there a giveaway?
Yes. One attendee will win a Profitec Go espresso machine.
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