AUP Paris Chapter Coffee Tasting at the Belleville Brûlerie

On January 12, 2019, the AUP Alumni Paris Chapter held its first event of the year – a coffee tasting at Belleville Brûlerie with alumna Lacy Audry G’13. A lively group of 14 alumni with diverse backgrounds and graduation years got together to enjoy the robust aromas of the Brûlerie’s offerings, as well as an up-close experience with the quality beans that are making it a darling of the Parisian coffee scene.

Lacy found her raison d’être in the coffee world while participating in the AUP Sustainable Development Practicum in Auroville, India. Lacy collaborated with Marc’s Coffees, one of the Practicum’s local partners. She has continued living her passion for the coffee bean and sharing her expertise with the world since graduating from AUP.

As part of the event, Lacy gave an overview of the coffee-making process from bean to cup, emphasizing the importance of a transparent supply line while talking through some of her numerous capacity-building initiatives in the coffee domain. The multi-stage tasting began with appreciating the unique scents of freshly ground beans and ended with sipping a spoonful. Participants took notes about aroma and flavor prior to discovering which coffee blend was which. Everyone had the opportunity to take home their preferred blend – a choice of ground or whole beans – in a Belleville Brûlerie tote bag as a souvenir of the day.

This type of tasting is a privileged experience usually reserved for industry professionals. “It’s totally different from wine tasting,” said an alumnus who works in the wine industry. One of the goals of the event was to provide the community with unprecedented access to something more original than your standard wine-and-cheese night. One alumna commented, "I just happened upon the invitation in my mailbox and I'm so glad I did!”

The AUP Paris Chapter extends a big thank you to all those who attended on the day, and to Lacy, both for her expert tasting knowledge and for her ongoing efforts to improve campus coffee culture at the AMEX Café. What a great start to the year!

In the coming months, the AUP Alumni Paris Chapter will be holding regular events both on and off campus. They are committed to providing opportunities and experiences as diverse and unique as our alumni community. If you would like to know more about upcoming activities and want to get involved check out the chapter page on AUP Global.