the benelux chapter
2024 events worth to be mentioned
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We will attend the Horeca Expo on Sunday 17 and Monday 18 November 2024. We will also organize two competitions. For more information, you can scroll down.
Calling all Tea Baristas to show their skills!
We are
attending the
HORECA EXPO in Ghent
Join us on Sunday 17 and Monday 18 November 2024
PROGRAM
Hall #2, Sweet Inspirations
SUNDAY, 17 November 2024
10:00-11:00: Taste Tea by ESTA member Lorela Lohan, founder of WanderlusTea, a business tea consultancy (Brew Bar)
11:00-12:00: Presentation about the importance of water quality when brewing tea by BRITA’s Water sommelier Kristof Timmermans
12:00-16:20: Tea Tasting competition (2 sessions)
Register here: https://estaeducation.wufoo.com/forms/q1uyid251wm1qag/
16:20-18:00: Taste Tea by ESTA Member Stijn Van Schoonlandt, founder of Kruze, a company specialising in traditionally roasted single-origin coffees and high-quality pure and unique blended teas (Brew Bar)
MONDAY, 18 November 2024
10:00-11:00: Presentation Food & Tea Pairing by Nathalie Verschooris (Tea sommelier and founder of Amithee, a company giving tea workshops)
11:00-12:00: Presentation on a brand new international T-Magazin by the distributors Gerrit and Gairt Scholten by Treasure Tea, ESTA member (Wholesaler of Tea, tea accessories & Tea magazines)
12:00-13:00: Presentation on the importance of quality tea in HORECA by Lorela Lohan, Founder of WanderlusTea
13:00-14:45: Matcha Latte Art Battle @competition area
Register here: https://estaeducation.wufoo.com/forms/q1uyid251wm1qag/
15:00-16:00: Mocktail time by Sri Lanka Tea Board - Kruze
Mocktail time: An exclusive tea mocktail event with Ceylon tea by ESTA Member Embassy of Sri Lanka, professionally prepared by ESTA member Stijn van Schoonlandt of company Kruze. They showcase the exquisite flavours of Ceylon speciality tea to the Belgian market. Join us for this enchanting evening featuring innovative Ceylon tea mocktails, where tradition meets modern mixology
16:00-17:00: Taste Tea by ESTA member Lorela Lohan, founder of WanderlusTea, a business tea consultancy (Brew Bar)
The European Speciality Tea Association will host two tea-tasting competitions on Sunday and Monday.
ESTA TEA TASTING COMPETITION
Who can taste best under pressure? That is the key question of this competition.
Participants must use their sense of taste and smell to identify the different cups of tea from a set of 3.
This competition tests participants' ability to discern subtle flavour nuances, their knowledge of tea varieties and, their ability to perform under time pressure.
A true challenge for the senses!
Competition Details can be found in French and Dutch via this LINK.
ESTA MATCHA LATTE ART BATTLE
During this battle, 2 participants compete simultaneously.
They have 4 minutes to weigh, strain, whisk, and steam the matcha and milk or vegetable drink to finally create their best matcha latte art and present it to the judges.
This competition is all about precision, creativity, and speed. The judges will pay attention not only to technical skills but also to the aesthetics and overall look of the latte art. It will be a spectacle for participants and spectators alike!
HERE YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS in Dutch & French
The winners of the Tea Tasting Competition on Sunday and the winner of the Matcha Latte Art Battle on Monday will win a cheque offered by BRITA to participate in the European championship in Amsterdam in 2025.
Meeting with the…
ESTA Benelux Board Members
Once again ESTA was participating in the Amsterdam Coffee Festival
It was good to be at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival again and witness how many coffee people are now getting excited about tea. We brewed and served some delicious teas from China, Myanmar, Japan, Thailand, Nepal and many other countries, crowned the first Dutch Matcha Latte Art Champion and delivered workshops on How to Brew Tea Like a Pro.
Nearly 10,000 visitors attended the event, and eight volunteers, mainly from the Benelux chapter, helped to make it a great success for ESTA. Lorela Lohan, Joyce Maina, Annabelle Maes, Ann-Katrin Witt, Yang Ping, Irina Petrovska and Annemarie Tiemes brewed and served teas from Tanzania, Japan, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Nepal, all much appreciated and complimented by the visitors.
Nearly thirty delegates attended three workshops on How to Brew Tea Like a Pro which focussed on the four key areas of water quality, correct brewing temperatures, tea/water ratios and quality of tea
The first ever Dutch Matcha Late Art Championship was held, with 16 competitors going head to head in a knock out format. The two finalists were Anne van Renkum and Noëlle Meis, and the winner was Anne van Renkum. Congratulations!
Anne van Renkum and Noëlle Meis
Here is the winning moment for Anne as outlet as our three expert judges make their decision and our Superb host Wendelien van Bunnick announces the result.
Anne van Renkum won some Golden Chai from Bradleys Tea, ceremonial Matcha from Kaori, a matcha set from Mount Everest Tea, a bottle of champagne, a Teasy and a sensory kit from Brita and free membership and 500 Euros from ESTA.
Our presence at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival was made possible by:
A big thank you to all of our sponsors for supporting ESTA at this event. The enthusiasm for tea, given that it was a coffee event, was amazing.
Amsterdam Coffee Festival moves to a different venue next year and we hope to be there.
Chapter Election Result
Annabelle Maes
ESTA is pleased to announce that Annabelle Maes of Kaori Teas and Spices in Meulebeke, Belgium has been elected as National Coordinator for our Benelux Chapter. Annabelle says “In my company I have always seen it as my goal to involve customers, professionals, and tea lovers to the maximum about production process and origin of the tea I am providing by education, demonstration and information. In ESTA I find these exact same values. It unites people all over the world from the bush to the cup that strive to live and provide an honourable process of cultivating and selling tea. I believe in Belgium and the Netherlands great efforts are being done as well through education and selling and consuming speciality tea.”
Annabelle will officially take up her position on 1st April, and her first task will be to assemble her committee so if you are interested in volunteering in this way to help the chapter with activities then please contact us. If you want to speak to her before 1st April she will be at the Amsterdam coffee Festival on 30th March at the ESTA Brew Bar.
If you would like more information you can view the press release click here.
Het allereerste Chapter
De leden komen uit alle hoeken en windstreken van de wereld, uit zo’n 28 verschillende landen, daarmee is the European Speciality Tea Association een echte wereldwijde organisatie!
En vanuit de liefde en het enthousiasme en voor thee ontstond het idee om als allereerste het chapter op te richten voor België, Nederland en Luxemburg. ESTA BENELUX!
In samenwerking met een operationeel team vanuit the European Speciality Tea Association, bouwen verschillende thee specialisten en koffie experts samen om de echte thee beweging in gang te zetten #jointhespecialiteamovement met als doel het creëren van een platform voor verbinding, educatie, fun en communicatie.
In de komende tijd gaan we samen aan de slag om dit te realiseren. We gaan werken aan events, webinars, tea-jams, training, en uiteindelijk Benelux Tea Barista Cup! Mocht je hieraan bij kunnen en willen dragen? Schrijf je in en let us know!
Chapter pioneers zijn: Kiona Malinka (Crusio Thee), Liesbeth Sleijster (Butterfly Coffee), Willem Huisman (Brita), Lorela Lohan (WanderlusTea).
“We are like Tea, we don’t know our own Strength until we’re in Hot Water”
ESTA Benelux is een organisatie met als missie om te creëren en ontwikkelen mét de thee community door het bouwen van een platform voor verbinding, educatie, fun en communicatie voor liefhebbers, professionals, horeca, theeplantage-houders, sommeliers, barista’s, kortom iedereen die liefde voor thee voelt of wil ontdekken.