FROM THE EDITOR

WHEN I WAS A KID, every couple of years my family took a four-hour trip to a park in Upstate New York for the family reunion. Like most kids, I hated any car trips that lasted more than 10 minutes, especially if I had to sit in the back with my brother, which I invariably did. He insisted on putting his dirty, stinky feet on me every chance he got, and I threatened to whack him with whatever large hardback book I’d brought to read in the car.
     While the car ride was bad in a way that made me wish I had the measles to get out of it, I wouldn’t have missed the reunions for anything. There was this energy that came through when long-distance relatives started unpacking coolers and catching up on news. While the grown-ups were busy, we kids tried to outdo each other in horseshoes, volleyball and a game we invented called “whack the boy cousins with a rock.” After, we’d all gather to chow down BBQed chicken, buttered corn on the cob and my mother’s special dish, glorified rice. Of course, it wasn’t always that perfect—one of my uncles could be counted on to get a little drunk and fall off the dock, one of the kids would end up pushing another off the monkey bars, and my grandmother was likely to force-feed someone enough macaroni salad to make them puke.
     Although I haven’t been to a reunion in more than a dozen years, I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately. Mainly due to the recent Roasters Speakeasy events that we’ve hosted—one in Washington, D.C. at Coffee Fest and one here in the Pacific Northwest at a local brewpub. We called them speakeasies not in the tradition of the illegal barrooms during Prohibition (although I’m sure there were roasters to be found in those speakeasies as well), but in the hopes that these events would be a place where attendees felt comfortable enough to speak their minds and put their thoughts on the table. (Plus, “blind pig,” the slang term for speakeasy, just didn’t feel right).
     At both events, roasters and other coffee people of all experience levels gathered in the spirit of fun, education and creating community. New roasters had the opportunity to ask questions of industry gurus like Peter Giuliano and Paul Thornton, established roasters shared business and community notes with their neighbors, and everyone had a chance to eat, drink and discuss their love of coffee. Not surprisingly, both events yielded a few tense moments when participants asked difficult questions about ethics, roasting secrets, accreditation classes and the future of coffee—but the ensuing discussions were open, honest and helpful. At the end of the event here in Portland, the night ended with a group heading over to The Stumptown Annex to cup a new crop of coffees and watch videos taken at origin.
     These regional events and groups aren’t just happening here—they’re popping up around the country, as roasters see a need that isn’t being filled elsewhere. The Gulf Coast group was one of the first, and a reader wrote to tell us about a new group he’s forming in the Southwest (see pg. 16). While these regional get-togethers are not designed to replace existing organizations, such as the Roasters Guild and the SCAA, they can work hand-in-hand by offering additional opportunities for education and community. They also offer the opportunity for the exchange of regional-specific concerns, such as dealing with floods, humidity, altitude and the local business climate.
     Although I didn’t notice it while we were planning these events, I now realize that they really were designed in the spirit of great family reunions. The roasting community is a family, one that’s spread around the world and is bonded by coffee rather than blood. Sure, we have our squabbles, our pushy cousins and our share of falls, but we also have the jokes and laughter, the friendly competitions and the energy that comes from being part of something larger than ourselves. And that’s what makes the roasting community a true family—it’s because no matter what happens, as soon as the event is over and we’ve loaded ourselves back into the car (or plane) for the ride home, we’re already looking forward to the next time we can get together and speak easy about roasting and business and whatever else is on our minds.

Keep the flame burning,

Shanna

P.S. If you’re interested in getting involved in a roasters’ group, or want the scoop on upcoming events, please visit the event calendar at www.roastmagazine.com.