Columbus coffee trail energizes International Coffee Day
Tuesday, Sept. 29 is International Coffee Day, and Experience Columbus wants to take you on a trip–if not around the world, then at least around the city.
Today marks the sixth anniversary of the Columbus Coffee Experience, also known as the coffee trail, which takes residents on a tour of the local roasters that go above and beyond the Starbucks standard. The trail has grown from just eight roasters at its genesis to 17 today, with more set to be added next year.
“We have a large number of independent roasters that are surviving really well, that want to work together as a community. And quality is kind of top of the line as well,” said Joe Vargo, director of interactive marketing at Experience Columbus.
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Vargo helped form Experience Columbus’s trail promotions, which also include the Columbus Ale Trail and the Made in Cbus Trail, but coffee was indeed the trailblazer. He said more than 10,000 people have completed the trail since its inception.
And those 10,000 have not gone away empty handed; prizes await those who embark on this caffeinated pilgrimage. After checking into four shops on the trail’s mobile website, coffee enthusiasts can collect a Columbus Coffee Experience t-shirt. After visiting all 17 stops, they can earn a free travel mug.
The trail came about to celebrate and promote Columbus’ unusually rich community of local roasters, something Vargo attributed to the efforts of “legacy roasters” in the city.
“So Stauf’s is kind of the original local, high quality, premium coffee roaster. They have a huge commitment to education,” he said. “And so a lot of the people that came up through that company over the years have started their own shops.”
Vargo cited this penchant for education and cooperation as local roasters’ biggest advantage against giant coffee chains. Many of the shops offer cupping, allowing customers to taste coffees side-by-side and find the roast that’s right for them. The robust coffee culture also means talented roasters don’t have to move to a bigger city to advance in the industry.
The dynamic roasting industry in Columbus means the list is ever-growing. Early each year, new shops are added, but each needs to adhere to the strict standards of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. Next year, Vargo said Experience Columbus will add Florin Coffee, among others.
Vargo encouraged anyone interested in coffee to visit these local shops and learn about where their cup of joe is coming from.
“I think the best thing to do if you’re really into coffee, or even if you’re a beginner coffee drinker, it’s to talk to the baristas when you go in,” Vargo said. “They really want to share their knowledge with you.”
More information on the Columbus Coffee Experience can be found on the Experience Columbus website.
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