Vilnius, Lithuania is officially getting bumped to the top of our “I want to go to there” list of up-and-coming coffee destinations. Last week we took a look at a gorgeous new cafe called No Sugar and talked with 2012 Lithuania Barista Champion Mindaugas Ryškus about the emerging Lithuanian coffee scene. This week brings details about an exciting coffee conference called “Dark Times“, happening next week at Galerija Vartai in Vilinus, put together by the fine folks at Crooked Nose & Coffee Stories, a roaster founded in Vilinius’ Old Town in 2011.
Emanuelis Ryklys, founder of Crooked Nose & Coffee Stories, writes to us about his vision for the event: “We are organizing coffee tastings and courses and we have noticed that a simple coffee lover has almost nowhere to go where they could listen to interesting stories about coffee that they will be able to understand and enjoy.” Mr. Ryklys says that this conference will “help to rediscover the dark drink and will blow more emotions into this everyday ritual”.
Despite focusing on an accessible, engaging event for all comers, Crooked Nose has put together an interesting line-up of speakers that would not be out of place at any of the more established coffee conferences:
“A botanist Terese Joksiene, working and teaching in the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences, will do a presentation about coffee biology. Aroma specialist, collector and founder of “Kvapu namai” stores Laime Kiskune will talk about complexity of coffee aromas. Marc D’erceville, working at “Ciop Ciop” food studio in Vilnius, will do a speech about coffee paring with food. And writer Solveiga Masteikate will talk about the coffee as a reason to meet.”
It sounds like they’ve put a lot of effort into building collaboration with people throughout Northern Europe. They will have Lennart Clarkx, of the recently founded Dutch coffee importer This Side Up, talking about the African coffee market. Jan Chudíček and Radek Skopa from We Brew in the Czech Republic will be talking about the products they create, including the gorgeous decanter below, and the emerging Czech coffee scene.
Tickets to the “Dark Times” conference are available online at www.bilietupasaulis.lt. We’re officially fascinated by the Vilnius coffee scene–send any tips you may have on the subject directly to tips@sprudge.com
