Saturday

Building Your Home Coffee & Tea Bar

Saturday, October 24
9:30pm

Making better coffee and tea at home doesn’t mean more tools, you just need the right tools for you! In this session we will break down which tools make the difference when brewing at home, what’s worth the money to invest in, and how to set you up for success in your at-home experience. We will look at practical set-ups for different types of coffee and tea drinks, based on who you are, your routine, and get a clearer picture on how you can set up your at home coffee and tea bar so you brew better and with less stress and mess.

Nicky Reardon, Fruits & Roots
Nicky Reardon is the owner and head roaster at Fruits & Roots Coffee Roasters in Columbus. Over the past decade, she’s gone from coursework at the Specialty Coffee Association and a one-kilo roaster at home to running a production roastery, mobile pop-ups, and ongoing work with farmers and co-ops. What keeps her hooked is the learning and the relationships, from the people who grow coffee and tea to the people drinking it. She love talking about everything from the nerdy science of extraction to figuring out how to make a good cup while also being a mom and doing five other things at once. Her goal is simple: make high-quality coffee and tea practical, welcoming, and easy to talk about without overcomplicating it.

How It’s Made: A Wheel-Thrown Pottery Mug

Saturday, October 24
9:30am

Go behind the scenes of handmade pottery and watch a ceramic mug come to life on the pottery wheel. Ryan Durbin of RD Ceramics will demonstrate every step of the process, from a lump of clay to pulling and attaching a handle, while sharing the techniques and design choices that make a mug both beautiful and comfortable to use. Audience questions are encouraged throughout the demonstration.

Ryan Durbin, RD Ceramics
Ryan Durbin is the owner of RD Ceramics, a pottery studio in Highland Heights, Kentucky, where he creates colorful wheel-thrown functional pottery designed for everyday use. He has been making pottery for 18 years and selling his work professionally for the past ten years at art festivals, galleries, and through his online shop. Ryan also teaches pottery workshops and co-hosts the Wheel Talk podcast, where he shares conversations with ceramic artists from around the world. When he’s not in the studio, he enjoys helping others discover the craftsmanship behind handmade pottery.

Vote: Live Tea Blending & Tasting

Saturday, October 24
10:15am

Join us for a live tea blending where you will vote alongside your fellow audience members to create a unique tea. Will we create a beautiful blend or a basic brew? Upon completion of the native Ohio ingredient tea blend, we will taste our creation and let the judgment commence.

Cass Ruhlman, Antiquity Tea
Cass’s love of tea began when she studied abroad in college. As an avid gardener it was only natural that she began growing her own tea blends. What started as a hobby bloomed into a wonderful profession. Currently, Cass works with over two dozen local farmers to help grow around 80% of tea blends, right here in Southern Ohio.

The Science of Flavor: What Is Coffee Fermentation?

Saturday, October 24
11:15am

Join coffee fermentation specialist Carlos Amaya from Finca La Joya for an accessible exploration of one of the most important and misunderstood topics in specialty coffee. Learn what fermentation is, how microorganisms influence flavor development, and why processing decisions at origin have such a profound impact on the final cup. Carlos will share with us how science and craftsmanship come together to create exceptional coffee.

Coffee A Conversation Across Cultures

Saturday, October 25
12:15pm

Our panelists will share their experiences as women entrepreneurs, the challenges and opportunities of owning a local coffee shop, and how their cultural backgrounds influence the spaces they create, the coffee they serve, and the communities they bring together.

Alejandra Flores, Unataza Coffee
Alejandra Flores is a coffee entrepreneur and community builder with a passion for specialty coffee, hospitality, and creating meaningful connections. Originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, she now lives in Northern Kentucky, where she owns and operates a neighborhood coffee shop that blends exceptional coffee with a warm, welcoming atmosphere inspired by Latin culture. Alejandra is driven by a desire to serve others with excellence and purpose. Her leadership is centered on hospitality, quality, and investing in her team while continually learning about specialty coffee and business growth. Whether developing new coffee flights, mentoring baristas, or engaging with the local community, she believes coffee is more than a beverage—it is a way to bring people together.

Latte Art Throwdown

Saturday, October 24
2pm.

Come see the best latte artists in the region and decide which one you think is the best!

Sunday

Beyond the Bean: A World of Tea for Coffee Lovers

Discover why your next favorite craft beverage may already be waiting for you

Sunday, October 25
9:30am

Love specialty coffee? Discover why tea may become your next favorite craft beverage. Join Churchill’s Fine Teas for an engaging, interactive tasting experience exploring the surprising similarities between coffee and tea—from terroir and craftsmanship to aroma and flavor. Through live demonstrations and guided tastings, you’ll learn how one tea plant creates hundreds of unique flavor experiences while finding teas perfectly matched to your coffee preferences.

Angela Qu, Churchill’s Fine Teas
Angela Qu is the owner of Churchill’s Fine Teas, an award-winning Cincinnati tea company dedicated to inspiring curiosity through tea, culture, and history. Originally from Taiwan, Angela combines her lifelong appreciation of tea with firsthand experiences visiting tea gardens and producers throughout Asia. Known for her engaging storytelling and interactive presentations, Angela has become one of Cincinnati’s leading tea educators. Whether introducing guests to rare first-flush harvests, demonstrating Japanese matcha preparation, or sharing the history of chai in India, her goal is simple: to help every guest discover that tea is far more than a beverage—it is a journey of culture, craftsmanship, and connection.

Building Your Home Coffee & Tea Bar

Saturday, October 24
9:30pm

Making better coffee and tea at home doesn’t mean more tools, you just need the right tools for you! In this session we will break down which tools make the difference when brewing at home, what’s worth the money to invest in, and how to set you up for success in your at-home experience. We will look at practical set-ups for different types of coffee and tea drinks, based on who you are, your routine, and get a clearer picture on how you can set up your at home coffee and tea bar so you brew better and with less stress and mess.

Nicky Reardon, Fruits & Roots
Nicky Reardon is the owner and head roaster at Fruits & Roots Coffee Roasters in Columbus. Over the past decade, she’s gone from coursework at the Specialty Coffee Association and a one-kilo roaster at home to running a production roastery, mobile pop-ups, and ongoing work with farmers and co-ops. What keeps her hooked is the learning and the relationships, from the people who grow coffee and tea to the people drinking it. She love talking about everything from the nerdy science of extraction to figuring out how to make a good cup while also being a mom and doing five other things at once. Her goal is simple: make high-quality coffee and tea practical, welcoming, and easy to talk about without overcomplicating it.

What Makes Coffee Exceptional?

A Farmer’s Perspective

Sunday, October 25
11:30am

What enables exceptional coffee? Renowned Honduran producers Fabio Caballero and Carlos Amaya share their firsthand perspective on the factors that shape quality at origin, including terroir, variety, elevation, farming practices, harvesting, and processing. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the craftsmanship, dedication, and decisions required to produce truly extraordinary coffee.

Healthy Coffee—No Sacrifices

Sunday, October 25
12:30pm

What’s in your coffee? Flavorings, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, oh my! We will talk about how to enjoy that cup of coffee or tea without compromise.

Raven Rivera, Pure Survival Syrup
Raven Rivera never planned on a career in the beverage industry. But when mold-related health issues turned her family’s world upside down, scrutinizing ingredients became a necessity. Years of research and experimentation taught her that healthier choices don’t have to mean sacrificing flavor. Those lessons eventually inspired Pure Survival Syrups, a rapidly growing Cincinnati-area syrup company built on one simple belief: your daily indulgence doesn’t have to be bad for you.