Join us as we explore the highlights of the 2024 Ljubljana Coffee Festival, a vibrant celebration of Slovenia’s ever-growing specialty-coffee culture.

BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Featured photo courtesy of Tim Hafner

This September, Barista Magazine Online was on the ground in Slovenia to witness one of Europe’s most exciting coffee events: the Ljubljana Coffee Festival. Held at the Ljubljana City Museum, the event brought together coffee lovers, roasters, and industry professionals for two caffeine-filled days of tastings, competitions, workshops, and conversations.

The festival boasted an impressive lineup of guest speakers for lectures and cuppings, featuring renowned coffee experts, world champion baristas, and top chefs from Slovenia and beyond. The energy throughout the event was contagious, with lively discussions and interactions at every corner. The venue itself was not only a perfect space for exploring the world of specialty coffee but also offered a great opportunity to learn more about Slovenia’s history and the charm of its capital, Ljubljana.

Let’s have a look at some highlights from the festival!

Knowledge, Innovation & New Flavors

One of my personal highlights was the Sensory Room, where festival goers could sample coffees from around the world. Among the coffees I cupped was one from Los Nogales farm in Colombia, produced by Angie Hernández Arango. I had the opportunity to talk with her about the day-to-day life at the farm, gaining insight into their sustainability practices and the challenges they face. I also got to try their natural low-caffeine Typica, a variety that really stood out to me with its unique flavor profile—clean and smooth.

I also had the privilege of attending several lectures at The Lab, but one that particularly stood out was by Jorge Castro from Café Inmaculada in Colombia, where he spoke about growing exotic varieties. The audience learned that cultivating these varieties not only requires meticulous care but also opens up new possibilities for creating distinctive flavor profiles that can set farms apart in the competitive specialty-coffee market.

Showcasing Talent & Slovenian Coffee

The competitive spirit was palpable throughout the festival, especially at the Barista Battle Challenge and the Latte Art Throwdown. It was thrilling to see Aleš Gorenc from Barcaffe take home the Latte Art Throwdown trophy, executing a seahorse design in front of none other than Manuela Fensore and Carmen Clemente, both World Latte Art Champions. The next day, Sabin Minea from Mala Pražarna showed exceptional skill and creativity in winning the Barista Battle Challenge.

At the heart of the festival was the vibrant Roaster Village, a bustling area filled with local and international coffee exhibitors. This was where I had the opportunity to meet some of Slovenia’s top roasters and try their unique offerings. The Slovenian coffee scene is truly coming into its own, and I was particularly impressed by the diversity of flavors and techniques on display. I even had the chance to try a co-fermented coffee, as well as a coffee brandy and a surprisingly delicious decaf that stood out for its smoothness and depth of flavor.

Moderating the Specialty Coffee & Haute Cuisine Panel

A key moment for me personally was moderating the “Specialty Coffee & Haute Cuisine“ panel. Bringing together the culinary and coffee worlds, the discussion featured renowned coffee experts like James Hoffmann, Tim Wendelboe, Dale Harris, and top Slovenian chefs like Igor Jagodic, Tomaž Bratovž, and Mojmir Šiftar. We explored the role of specialty coffee—and coffee in general—in fine dining, discussing whether coffee can be treated with the same respect as wine or other key ingredients, and looked at how it can enhance the overall gastronomic experience.

Street Food, Signature Drinks, and Slovenia’s Growing Coffee Scene

The festival wouldn’t have been complete without its indulgent food offerings and creative coffee cocktails. The street food scene was full of surprises, ranging from artisanal Slovenian fare to international bites that perfectly complemented the coffee on offer.

Of course, I couldn’t resist sampling the signature drinks crafted by World Coffee in Good Spirits Champion Martin Hudak. His innovative cocktails—expertly blending coffee with spirits—were a standout experience and the perfect way to wrap up a day of tastings.

This year’s Ljubljana Coffee Festival highlighted just how much Slovenia’s specialty-coffee culture has evolved since the event’s first edition in 2016. Being part of this year’s festivities, it’s clear that Slovenia is carving out a well-deserved place on the global coffee stage. Make sure to keep an eye out for next year’s edition of the Ljubljana Coffee Festival—you won’t want to miss it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior online correspondent for Barista Magazine and a freelance copywriter and editor with a primary focus on the coffee niche. She has also been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, providing content to help educate people about baristas and their work.

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