For more information, visit www.cafemakers.com.
Hetzel of Cafemakers first accredited coffee judge from Hawaii
Special to West Hawaii Today
A Waimea-based coffee consultant has become the first Hawaii resident to be certified as a coffee cupping judge by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.
In a five-day series of exams held in January in Waterbury, Vt., Andrew Hetzel of coffee consultancy Cafemakers successfully completed 21 sensory skill and coffee knowledge tests necessary to obtain accreditation.
Participants traveled from as far as Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Portugal in pursuit of the certification.
“Most people are surprised to learn that taste is not considered when assigning coffee a grade in Hawaii,” Hetzel said. “The proof of coffee quality is always in the cup, yet that’s the one place that we’re not looking.”
To become a SCAA cupping judge, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in aroma identification, organic acid identification and green coffee grading, as well as, accurately grade dozens of sample coffees from Brazil, Indonesia, East Africa, Central America and Colombia.
“I plan to instruct others in Hawaii to taste and rate coffee to internationally accepted standards,” Hetzel said. “Tasting protocols are necessary so that we can improve the quality of our crops, maintain Hawaii coffee’s good reputation and secure the future of coffee farming in the state.”
Hetzel is the founder and president of Cafemakers, a coffee industry business consultancy based in Hawaii. Cafemakers provides strategic business counseling, marketing and quality improvement services for coffee retail chains, roasters and trade associations worldwide.
Named one of the top young business entrepreneurs in the state by Pacific Business News, Hetzel is also a frequent presenter at food and beverage conferences, a judge for coffee competitions and a writer for coffee industry trade publications.
For more information, visit www.cafemakers.com.