KFA FOUNDING LEADERS EXPERIENCE PRELIMINARY COFFEE CUPPING AND TASTING
The Kapeyapaan Farmers Association (KFA) founding leaders in Barangay Alegre, Bansalan are on their 5th month of training. The participants had their preliminary coffee cupping and tasting last 16-17 of June 2021 to wrap up their Coffee Quality training. Soon, they will experience a more accurate coffee cupping and tasting in a more appropriate facility. They also had strategic planning for building their association.
This month’s training started with a review from Aldren Banal and Ina Joji of different coffee roasts and coffee taste profiles. Each participant took turns tasting the fruits, nuts, and chocolates to help them with coffee aroma descriptors. Next, they also experienced the coffee flavor map with the guidance of Sonny Bautista. Afterward, they were asked to smell roasted coffee beans and then ground coffee beans.
The coffee beans used for cupping and tasting were from the KFA members who participated in this month’s training, namely: Ernesto B. Abalde Jr, Arlene A. Angelia, Asterio B. Avila Sr, Merlito T. Banados, Nelson T. Banados, Allan Mark D. Espinosa, Jocelyn S. Marino, and Salome A. Milagrosa. The participants spent the rest of the day familiarizing themselves with their own coffee’s aroma and fragrance. One by one, they cupped and tasted each coffee without knowing from which member it was.
With pointers from Sihaya Ansibod, each participant identified all the coffees’ dominant aroma and fragrance as we revealed which coffee was theirs.
Continuing the next day, the members resumed experiencing the coffee flavor map with Sihaya and then sat down with Ama Lakan for the association’s strategic planning. As part of this, they did a workshop on handling customers. The participants practiced explaining their coffee’s variety, processes, and flavor profile to coffee buyers.
The 2-day training ended with everyone proud of themselves for pulling through the past five months of training, excited for next month’s graduation day, and hopeful for their brand new in-depth knowledge and skills of coffee.