This Week in Indian Coffee: 23 October 2026

23 October 2026 · Issue 02

Here's what's inside:

1. This weekend: espresso in Delhi, lattes in Pune, coffee-making in Kolkata, and roasting in Rohtak.
2. Plan ahead: a manual-brewing workshop in Delhi next weekend.
3. Watch from home: India's Suhas Dwarakanath at the World Barista Championship.
4. The ₹14,160 question: meet James Hoffmann, or buy a brewer and grinder?

1. Coffee plans

Delhi: get some time behind an espresso machine

Espresso 101: From Basics to Better Shots · Saturday, 24 October
Kaapi Machines, Hauz Khas · 1–3pm · ₹599, including tax

Get some practice pulling and adjusting espresso shots. The session covers grind size, how much coffee goes in, and how much comes out. Useful if you're getting started or wondering why your shots keep changing.

Details and booking

Pune: make your own latte

Creamy Latte · Multiple dates through 31 October
The Hype Cafe, Viman Nagar · From ₹999

Pull an espresso, steam the milk, and make your own latte. Ingredients and equipment are provided. Choose your date and session on the booking page.

Dates and booking

Kolkata: build a coffee you like

Craft Your Coffee at Kulture · Sunday, 25 October
Kulture Specialty Coffee & Bistro, Park Street · 1–2:30pm · From ₹400

Start with an espresso and try different milk textures, flavours, and ingredients with a barista's help. A relaxed coffee-making session rather than a technical espresso class.

Details and booking

Rohtak: see coffee being roasted

Coffee Roasting & Specialty Coffee Experience · Listed every Sunday
Cafe By The Bae – Coffee Roasters · 10–11am · From ₹999

Watch a live roast, taste coffee, and try brewing. You'll also hear about where the beans come from and how processing and roasting change them. Check the Sunday, 25 October slot before making plans.

Dates and booking

Listings checked on 23 October. Confirm your date, timing, final price, and availability before travelling.

2. Next weekend: manual brewing in Delhi

The Art of Manual Brewing · Saturday, 31 October
Kaapi Machines, Hauz Khas · 1–3pm · ₹599, including tax

If espresso isn't your thing, this hands-on session covers grind size, water temperature, coffee-to-water ratios, and pouring. Aimed at beginners and intermediate home brewers.

Details and booking

3. Watch from home: the World Barista Championship

Panama City · 22–25 October

Last week, I wrote about the skill behind a good cup of coffee. This weekend, you can see it at competition level: four espressos, four milk drinks, and four signature drinks in 15 minutes.

Suhas Dwarakanath is representing India. Meet him on the official competitor page.

The organisers offer a free live stream and performances on the WCC YouTube channel. The official schedule lists the semi-finals for Saturday and finals for Sunday, in Panama's local dates.

How do Indian baristas get there?

By winning the national championship. Looking ahead, the India International Coffee Festival is scheduled for 26–28 February 2027 in Bengaluru. The listed prelims have already happened. Keep an eye on the festival for the next national finals.

Official Indian competition details

The ProCoffeeAcademy team sent over a guide to the world competitions and India's qualification route. Useful if you've wondered how all these championships fit together.

4. James Hoffmann in Hyderabad: one ticket, or a brewer and grinder?

Saturday, 21 November · Roast CCx, Banjara Hills
3pm or 7pm · ₹14,160, including GST

James Hoffmann is coming to India! The earlier listing shared on Reddit showed ₹20,000. The organiser's current price is ₹14,160.

The event runs for about an hour, with a talk and Q&A, a photograph with James, book signing, coffee, and snacks. Bring your copy of The World Atlas of Coffee if you want it signed.

Official event details and tickets

I'd love to go. That's not really the question.

I wouldn't be surprised if this sells out. There are enough people in India who can afford it. And honestly, if I had that kind of spare cash, I'd book a flight, get a hotel, and go meet one of my coffee heroes!

With flights, a hotel, and maybe someone coming along, I could easily spend ₹50–60K on the trip. If I had that money to spare, I'd love to do it.

But so much of what I've taken from watching Hoffmann is about making sensible choices as a home barista. What do you actually need? Where is your money better spent?

So this comment in the Reddit discussion made me laugh:

“I can either go to this or get a decent grinder”

After all those videos helping us decide what to buy, of course we're going to compare it with a grinder!

Fine. What else does ₹14,160 buy?

I checked a few Indian shops. Here are three brewer-and-grinder combinations for less than one ticket:

Already have a brewer? What about just a grinder?

Already happy with your brewer? Here's what the same money could go towards:

One ticket, or a grinder and money left for coffee. That Reddit comment really wasn't exaggerating!

Would you buy the ticket, or put it towards your coffee setup?