From the wonderful coffee culture of Iceland, where there is, in fact, an ”X” in espresso, comes this awesome chance for Reykjavikings to try some tasty American roasted coffees, courtesy of Sprudge pal Jay Lijewski. The event listing is here, but we won’t even pretend like we know how to read Icelandic, so let’s kick it over to that wacky ol’ Google Translator!

Jay Lijewski is the former Spirit Director and part of West Coast Operations for Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea.  Jay has worked as a barista for years and most recently at Intelligentsia. Jay is also a góðkunnur (?) that introduces the Nordic Cup barista and the WBC over the past year.  Jay is staying here in this country with his wife Jess, and as we all remember, that they themselves were baristas here for Nordic Cup in Iceland 2009. They are a short stop and go over to Copenhagen next week. They live in LA and travel on a motorcycle, as is the fashion among baristas in LA currently.  Jay collected coffee from various coffee burning district in the USA as it comes with to allow us to taste and experience. He will discuss on how it is to be coffee bartender in the USA and the culture around it. It will be interesting to hear him tell of his experience and taste the coffee.  Everyone is welcome to come and listen to Jay and taste the coffee as he waits requested.

Our analysis? “Coffee burning district” is like the best name for a roaster ever, Jay Lijewski is a TOTAL góðkunnur, and ugh, we love Reykjavik so much. The event is Saturday, January 14th, from 7:30 til 10pm at Kaffismiðja Íslands (Kárastígur 1, 101 District, Reykjavik), a cafe owned by Sonja Bjork Grant and Ingibjörg Jóna Sigurðardóttir, two of the most talented, intelligent, and dedicated people in all of specialty coffee.

If you are in town and need directions, or get lost, simply walk up the hill towards the big church steeple, in the opposite direction of the hot dog stand.

(Ed note: Thanks to Haukur S. Magnússon, Editor of The Reykjavik Grapevine, for confirming “X” in espresso’s common usage and linguistic validity “throughout all of Iceland.”)

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Congratulations to Tumi Ferrer of Kaffitár, your Icelandic Barista Champion for 2011! Not only is Tumi a proven world-class barista and clear HunkShot™ candidate, he’s also the author of regularly published blog. Read more about his competition journey and get an overview of barista culture in Reykjavik at Tumi’s English-language website, Coffee Prose.

Tumi, if you’re out celebrating at your favorite olstotes kormarks tonight, let us be the first to say “Skál!”

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