The American Barista & CoffeeSchool [ABC's] is the first and only professional school in the U.S. devoted to domestic and international specialty coffee business education and hands-on barista training. No other coffee school can match the scope of ABC's educational and retail success-building curriculum.

In 2007, ABC's will expand its curriculum to include consumer classes and Coffee Excursions to countries of origin.

Consumer Classes
This new in-depth course for consumers to be held January 18 through January 20, 2007 will teach you about coffee from seed to cup and give you at-home barista skills. You will have the option to attend for either two or three days.

During the two day class, you will learn the difference between specialty coffee and the coffee your parents drank every day, be introduced to the secrets of using a French Press, Vacuum Pot, Mocha Pot, Drip Coffee Maker and Pour-Over Device, cup coffees from the world's coffee producing regions, get hands-on experience with a variety of home coffee and espresso preparation techniques on the newest and best home equipment available on the market, and take a guided tour of a coffee roastery.

The optional third day class will give you hands-on experience in advanced barista techniques, teach you how to pair the right coffee with the food, and let you experiment with the many flavors that can be added to various coffee drinks.

Class Dates:
January 18-20

Class Cost:

• 2-day $940
• 3-day $1,330

Receive $100 off if balance is paid 30 days prior to class.

Please visit ABC's or call 800.655.3955 for more information.

    
Join Us in Guatemala for the Trip of a Lifetime

Our Coffee Excursion is an 8-day, 7-night, all-inclusive, land-only (flights not included) program from January 5 through January 12 in Guatemala. In addition to the first-class accommodations, the program provides unprecedented coffee education. We will introduce concepts of cultivation, processing, and tasting that can only be experienced at origin. We are limited to the first 16 registrants and encourage you to enroll early.

Explore the beautiful colonial cities and famous coffee-growing regions of Guatemala with ABC's and our partner in Coffee Excursions, Guided Coffee Discoveries, a company that has hosted orign retreats for coffee professionals and enthusiasts since 1995.

The ABC's coffee excursion has incorporated the best of all worlds; the science and culture of coffee, and the history and culture of the people and country that surround it.

First Stop: Finca Pastores
The first part of the week, Hans Masch of Guided Coffee Discoveries, and his family will host our excursion at his family hacienda on his coffee plantation, Finca Pastores, in the colonial town of Antigua. There, you will experience first-hand, the ambiance of old world Guatemala, dedicated to the growth and production of one of the finest coffees in Guatemala. Amenities in the Masch home include antique furnished private rooms with baths, spa facilities with lap pool, a gourmet kitchen to prepare exquisite meals of local delicacies, and staff that regards its guests as family.

Second Stop: Lake Atitlan
On the second part of the trip, you will find yourself on the shores of �the most beautiful lake in the world�, Lake Atitlan. Surrounded by towering volcanoes, you will travel around the lake by boat visiting some of the 12 lakeside villages, each named for a disciple. The indigenous culture here is evident in the language, religion and coffee, most of which is produced for the organic and fair-trade markets.
    
Third Stop: Finca Dos Marias
The final part of the week will be enjoyed at Finca Dos Marias, where the Jones family has been producing coffee for five generations. It�s like a turn-of-the-century time capsule. You will learn how the Jones� commitment to health and education has changed lives. You will walk through virgin cloud forest in search of the endangered Quetzal bird, dance under the stars with the local children, and climb to the bottom of our waterfalls.

The final day, you will fly across the path we traveled bus and spend the final night in Guatemala City.

If you are interested in completing your week in Guatemala, Guided Coffee Discoveries will be happy to help you with arrangements to visit the Mayan ruins of Tikal, the Indian Market of Chichicastenango or a return to Lake Atitl�n.

Please visit ABC's or call 800.655.3955 for more information.

Class Dates:
January 5 - 12

Class Cost:

• Single Occupancy $2,250
• Double Occupancy $2,150
• Triple Occupancy $1,950