Can't live without coffee? Neither can I.


As life in the ad world has taught me, ideas are best coxed with caffeine. Mornings seem brighter, worlds made possible and of course, the daily grind becomes less of a grind. So when it was announced that a Coffee Festival would take place right here in Singapore, I for one was not shy about expressing my enthusiasm for the event. Put both coffee and festival together and we're talking the largest gathering of bean snobs, beards, plaid shirts, suspenders and tote bags.

What's not to look forward to?



Friday.
Bare in mind that I carefully chose to visit the "Festival" on a weekday. A good decision as it turns out, for people were being turned away as the event organisers were forced to implement crowd control upon ticket holders. Not to mention, a fairly misleading article from the Straits Times added to the confusion as to what to expect at the Coffee Fest as opposed to the social media reviews of people who paid good money to attend. See article from mothership.

Nevertheless, my experience from the Festival was pleasant and the crowd could even be described as largely missing in action. Surprised?

With the awesome folks from Spiffy and Dapper Coffee. Probably the best people you'll ever meet. Promise.

The Good
1. There were next to no queues at the ticket counters, the staff were friendly and very accommodating.
2. No crowds in the building too. Coffee and tea samples were readily dished out and exhibitors were more than enthusiastic about talking to us about their products, the beans, the roasting process and where we could find more information.
3. A fairly well-rounded mix of bean distributors, cafes, machine sellers, tea purveyors, and not to mention a mini flea market too.
4. Educational - somewhat. I'd never realise you could create alcohol inspired tea flavours or that it's never too late to find out the difference between a dark and a light roast.

The Bad
1. There didn't seem to be a large difference between the VIP ticket holders and the general admission tickets. Both allowed access to all of the festival although it probably depends on how much value and importance you would place upon the VIP Lounge.
2. The Labs were small and it was difficult to gain entry into each of the sessions already limited capacity
3. A really bad idea having the cafe proprietors cook within the Pit Building as there was no proper exhaust. The floor where they were serving food got smokey and oily and not a pleasant indoor environment to be in.

Verdict?
A great first try for the organisers. While teething problems were a shame, my experience was a pleasant one and I look forward to being a part of the next one.