Shelbi R. Ankiewicz, Sabina Mammadli The Georgian Dispatch, 20 December, Tbilisi: Shavi Coffee Roasters is a Georgian café in Tbilisi that’s striving to raise standards in the coffee industry by providing free weekly workshops to the public.
The café operates as a specialty coffee roaster by selecting beans directly from farmers and roasting them in-house. November 15 was the first time Shavi held a workshop to demonstrate coffee techniques and educate people about the coffee industry. Barista Giorgi Latsabidze said they started the event to become a trendsetter in the industry and to motivate people in Georgia to get more involved with coffee.
“We want to encourage more people to get into coffee because Georgia is lacking in this culture,” said Latsabidze. “With this kind of [workshop], we are starting to educate and share our passion and love for coffee with everyone we can.”
The workshop takes place at the Shavi café in Vera every Wednesday from 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Attendees can expect to learn about the V60 coffee method, the process behind it, what kind of beans to select, the correct amount of water, and the time needed to perfect a cup of coffee. The barista leading the event will also explain the different stages of coffee, such as blooming, pouring speed, and extraction levels.
The event is dedicated to the V60 method, which is one of the most popular among the AeroPress and French presses. The beans used for each workshop depend on the attendees and their prior coffee knowledge. For beginners, Shavi’s classic Columbian roast, “Thermal Shock,” is used. It gives hints of leche, apricot, and candy, which the attendees are asked to explain after they taste the coffee.
Latsabidze said Shavi acts primarily as a hub for foreigners because their coffee tends to be more on the sour side, and Georgians prefer more bitter coffee. However, he said they hope these workshops change people’s opinions and entice them to become more engaged with the coffee process.
“It may have been a part of your day to drink coffee previously, but the more you learn about it, the more thought you’ll give to what you are drinking and how you’re drinking it,” Latsabidze added.
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