About a week before leaving for Costa Rica | watched the Netflix series, Full Swing. It is a docuseries about golfers and the PGA Tour. Jordan Spieth shot to the top of his game linearly: dominating as a junior and going on to succeed in his pro career, but this isn't the story of all the athletes in the series. Matt Fitzpatrick "bursts" onto the scene by winning the 2013 United States Amateur Championship, supposedly out of nowhere. This prompted a couple of conversations. We love the stories of overnight success: an underdog capturing the attention of the world by winning as a rookie. Yet, without fail, upon closer inspection these golfers weren't new to the game by any means, they didn't suddenly go from mediocre to world champion. It was just the spotlight that was new. It seems that most of the time, it doesn't really matter who you are, it's the groundwork that counts.
Volcan Azul is one of the three coffee farms owned by Alejo Castro and his family. In the last few years, Alejo has partnered with roasters at the forefront of high end specialty coffee, creating a huge demand for his coffee and his time. Since then, the spotlight has remained on the Costa Rican farmer. Volcan Azul has been represented at World Barista Championships many times, has been used to win many National Barista Championships and been at the pointy end of the Costa Rican Cup of Excellence consistently. Looking at it from the outside, it appears that something clicked for Volcan Azul in recent years.
Bu hikaye Coffee Magazine dergisinin Issue 43, Autumn 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Coffee Magazine dergisinin Issue 43, Autumn 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
The Pursuit of Practice
The willingness to improve must come with the acceptance that practice is the only way forward.
A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE
We travel to Costa Rica with Kate Burnett; specifically to a region that has been in the spotlight in specialty circles for the last couple of years. Volcan Azul, one of the farms run by the Castro family, has made waves with some of the best coffee professionals in the world showcasing their coffees on the world stage. But success doesn't happen overnight, and the effort is definitely worth the wait.
GRIPIT AND RIP IT!
Get your grind on with the new era of handheld grinders as we appreciate how far this gadget has come in recent years.
Hitting Right Notes
Retha van Rhijn is the 2023 South African Cup Tasters Champion and a woman of many talents
Oceanic Coffee
The accepted wisdom about coffee farming conditions is changing. Rory Kleu, an agronomist, investigates the possibilities of low altitude grown coffee and smashing the myths of the coffee belt.
Like a Rolling Stone
The City of Roses has always been a fertile breeding ground for some of South Africa's most competitive talents - now meet Bloemfontein's newest star - SA Barista Champion - Stevo Kühn! From humble beginnings, this talented human has followed his heart and his passion, and now spends his time travelling extensively both Nationally and abroad as a sought-after barista trainer, competitor and allround inspiring mentor to many in the rock 'n roll world of coffee!
