Processing Methods Bootcamp 2021 was held in October at Tamborine Mt Coffee Plantation (TMCP). Over four days, our students picked and processed 14 lots, comprised of: Fundamental Series (4 lots), Hybrid Series (4 lots), Hydro Series (2 lots), two Commercial Grade (natural and washed).

Students got their hands dirty on the first day. They planted a row of Yellow Catuai coffee trees under the expert guidance of Kane Dabbouss from Red Soil Organics. For the first time, student strip picked coffees to produce two Commercial Grade lots: natural and washed.

We had a star-studded line up of guest speakers.

1. Felipe Sardi (Colombia) from La Palma y El Tucan joined us via Zoom. He presented on regenerative agriculture from the perspective of a specialty coffee producer - a topical issue in our current climate.

2. Andres Destarac (Guatemala) from Finca San Serapio also joined us via Zoom. He indulged our students in a Q&A session on the life of a specialty coffee producer in Guatemala. This was certainly an enlightening experience for many as they had recently endured the hard labour behind processing coffee.

3. Sarah Jin, a 2020 Processing Methods Bootcamp alumna and Northern Region Brewers Cup champion, hosted an incredible Brewing Masterclass. Who knew that subtleties in water temperature, grind size and brew equipment could result in big differences in the final cup!

Thank you to our generous sponsors MilkLAB Co, Comandante, FTA Coffee and Neli Coffee. And thank you to our wonderful team for such an incredible course.

Photography & videography by Connor Bowden.