Pittsburgh Coffee Week brims with contests
Pittsburgh is gearing up for a caffeine infusion.
The fifth annual Pittsburgh Coffee Week will be held Saturday through Oct. 26 at various coffee venues around the city.
The celebration will kickoff with Steel City Sip & Sweets at Nova Place in Allegheny Center where more than 20 coffee shops, juiceries and bakeries will offer samples of their drinks and sweets. Attendees will be able to vote for the “Best Sip” and “Best Sweet.” The event will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday and tickets are $25 and $5 for ages 12 and under. Proceeds will benefit Lending Hearts, a children’s cancer nonprofit.
Organizer Christina Dickerson of Dickerson Creative Communications and Vasso Paliouras, executive director of Lending Hearts, came up with the Sip & Sweets idea when they met for coffee. Lending Hearts worked with Commonplace Coffee in Lincoln-Lemington and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jameson Taillon, who has battled testicular cancer, to create a special coffee blend that benefits their nonprofit. When Ms. Dickerson and Ms. Paliouras presented the Sip & Sweets idea to Commonplace owner T.J. Fairchild, he suggested that the event kick off the Coffee Week festivities, Ms. Dickerson said.
Last year’s inaugural Sip & Sweets featured burnt almond torte, brownies, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, scones and several types of coffee. This year’s menu is still under wraps, but it will include gluten-free and vegan items in addition to regular sweets.
Ms. Dickerson noted that the event serendipitously falls on the Sweetest Day, a Hallmark holiday that is celebrated on the third Saturday in October.
Tickets are available at steelcitysipsweets19.splashthat.com, and also will be sold at the door.
Other events for the Coffee Week are:
• Sunday: “Birds & Beans” from 1 to 4 p.m. at Redstart Roasters in Point Breeze. Learn about ethical sourcing and birdfriendly coffee while enjoying treats from local bakeries and restaurants along with coffee.
• Monday: “Coffee & Spirits: A Tasting Experience” from 7 to 9 p.m. at Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery in the Strip District. Learn how industry professionals taste rum, coffee and whiskey, how they make and pair their products and why the drinks taste the way they do. Ages 21 and up only.
• Tuesday: “Coffee & Cocktails” from 6 to 8 p.m. at De Fer Coffee & Tea in the Strip District. Enjoy live music, free coffee tastings, roasting demos and $6 cocktail specials.
• Wednesday: “Release Party & Tasting” from 6 to 8 p.m. at La Prima Espresso, Downtown. Enjoy tastings of La Prima’s new barrel-aged coffee along with Liberty Pole Spirits samples.
• Oct. 24: “Coffee Taster’s Competition” from 5 to 8 p.m. at Convive Coffee North Hills. Learn to taste and identify differences in coffees. Prizes will be awarded in a round for professionals, a round for the public and a matchup between the two winners. Slots are available for competition, or guests can watch while enjoying food and winning door prizes.
• Oct. 25: “Feel the Flow Barista Challenge” from 7 to 10 p.m. at Arriviste Coffee Bar, Shadyside. Five teams of two baristas will serve a large order of drinks as quickly and perfectly as possible. Spectators can enjoy vegan food from Relish and records for sale by The Government Center.
• Oct. 26: “Latte Art Throwdown & Closing Party” from 6 to 10 p.m. at Commonplace Coffee’s headquarters in LincolnLemington. Winners of three latte art competitions earlier this year will square off for the grand prize. There will be snacks and beer. Robert Chaffin of Commonplace Coffee said the previous three latte art competitions were held at De Fer, Artisan in Garfield and Reginald’s in Bethel Park, and said this capstone event is for coffee professionals and the general public.
Attendees can RSVP for the individual events on pghcoffeeweek.com.