Workshop Description: What does freshness in coffee taste like? What causes green coffee to age prematurely? How should you store your beans for optimal shelf life?
This workshop explores what coffee freshness truly means, how it’s impacted, and practical ways to preserve it. Led by Chris Kornman and Isabella Vitaliano from the Crown’s Research Team, participants will engage in guided tastings of both fresh and aged coffees, and delve into recent experiments and findings on coffee storage and shelf life.
Learning Objectives:
1. Recognize key sensory markers of staleness in roasted coffee and age in green coffee
2. Understand the underlying causes of staleness and age
3. Gain actionable strategies for optimizing storage and preservation of freshness
4. Improve the ability to communicate about freshness, seasonality, and the importance of proper storage
Date: Friday, April 10, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Room Number: 31 C
Category: Cupping
REGISTRATION FEES:
EARLY BIRD Regular* - $250
EARLY BIRD Paid Member* - $210
Regular - $275
Paid Member - $230
*Early Bird pricing ends March 1, 2026
Booking: To book your place in this Workshop, head to the World of Coffee San Diego Registration & Booking Portal and add a session to your order. Already registered? Simply login using the credentials created at purchase to access your booking and add other paid events to your badge.
Instructor
Chris Kornman
Director of Education
Chris Kornman is a coffee romantic and educator, and a quality specialist with a history of indiscreet coffee buying, roaster fires, ill-advised travel, and oversharing. He is the author of Green Coffee: A Guide for Roasters and Buyers and regularly contributes coffee-related disquisitions to publications worldwide. He lives and works in Oakland, California.
Isabella Vitaliano
Lab & QC Specialist
Isabella Vitaliano is a Lab & QC Specialist at Royal Coffee. Originally from Orlando, Florida, she worked as a barista and manager of a coffee research and development program in 2020. After moving to SF in early 2022, she oversaw operations of a coffee program at three cafes before coming to Royal Coffee. Her background in biomedical sciences lends a hand to her excitement around education and research in the coffee industry. You will most likely find her reading, hiking, or baking.