The 2017 New York Coffee Festival proves that “Coffee doesn’t ask questions, coffee understands”

At the bottom of this posting is a quick image gallery of photos taken at the fest.

We had the chance to visit with this year’s New York Coffee Festival taking place within the Metropolitan Pavilion. Featured were a wide range of coffee tastings, demonstrations, music performances and a whole lot more; all taking place on the 1st, 2nd and 5th floors of the building. It’s every true coffee lover’s dream come true. If you really love your coffee then you’d have gotten a big kick out of this experience.

Immediately after entering the building, the strong welcoming whiffs of java filled my senses and it was right then and there that I knew I was where I belonged at that mid-afternoon moment. Although, I admit, morning would’ve had a greater flair of poetic justice about it.

Plenty of good natured folks were on hand to share their brews. After my eighth cup of joe I knew I had to take a little break, at least until my next caffeine infusion. Off to the top floor we went for a brief listening of an ongoing lecture. On my way back down I caught sight of a sign on the stairwell wall. Below a downward pointing arrow were the simplest of God inspiring words, “MORE COFFEE”.  I knew then what this already near-perfect festival was missing: Punchlines! Immediately old jitter juice related quotes came to mind. Not that coffee’s a laughing matter. It isn’t. I’m just as deadly serious as the next guy, that is, without my cup in the morning. Send me into the day without my favorite brand and my ruined day’s a foregone conclusion.

All kidding aside, I got to chat with a number of coffee purveyors; some based within the United States and others from afar. Thanks go out to all who gave us their time. Amongst them were the people behind Brooklyn-based Devoción; Chalo (Funky Feel Good Food); Matchaful with their premium, organic matcha from Japan; Natalie’s juices from Florida; Califia Farms (Better Coffee for All); Tim Tam’s most interesting of biscuit-eating experiences (bite off both ends, stick one end into your hot drink, suck it through the other and quickly stick the remainder in your mouth before it melts); Chris Calkins who shared with me the inspiring story behind his Gotham Coffee Roasters, and most importantly; my favorite of the bunch: Mr Black’s Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur. Had a wonderful conversation with the chap there who shared with me how they use imported beans from around the world along with vodka and sugar cane to create their awesome tasting concoction. It’s available in the UK; its originating land of Australia, and now; in the U.S.. I got to taste this item and what a treat! It went down smooth as silk and the liquor was an added plus!

I’m looking forward to participating in next year’s festival, yet there’s one thing I’m hoping will be available when that time comes; a few coffee necessities like cream, milk and sweetener would be nice? I can appreciate the need to have folks tasting the coffee bare without all the extras, but honestly, after a few tastings one cup ends up tasting just like the other. Prepared my favorite way I’d have been able to appreciate that which I was tasting and would, in all likelihood, have continued my own personal taste-testing.