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€14 entry, a lot of coffee to taste, and one new grinder I really wanted to see in person. I went to the Vienna Coffee Festival at Marx Halle. My last visit was two years ago, and this time a lot felt different: more filter coffee, more detailed conversations, and a much more professional event overall.
I bought my own ticket in presale. No press pass, no invitation.
Practical info
- Venue: Marx Halle, Vienna
- Entry: €14 in presale
- Cups: a reusable tasting cup for a €2 deposit at the entrance, which you refill at every stand. A good system.
- Worth it for: tasting a lot of coffees back to back and asking roasters and manufacturers questions in person.
Timemore Sculptor 064 Gen 2: first hands-on
This is where I spent the most time. From photos I was not sure about the new knob on the Timemore Sculptor 064 Gen 2. In person I really liked it.
The dealer had received two units from Timemore. You could not buy it yet, and he could not give me a release date or price. That is a pity if you are deciding whether to wait for the new generation.
What impressed me most is how easy it is to get to the burrs: unscrew the burr carrier and the grinding chamber is open. Of course that is the one thing I did not film.
I also had an espresso from it. It was a more classic Italian style and not my favorite, but I would not judge the grinder by that. I would like to test it with my own beans. That is exactly why I go to events like this: two minutes of hands-on time tell you more about how something works than ten product photos. With the Timemore, it changed my impression completely.
Much more filter coffee this year
What stood out most was the amount of filter coffee. Many stands brewed continuously, and you could just grab a sip. There were plenty of Viennese roasters, but also exhibitors from Czechia and Poland, so I could taste very different coffees back to back without buying a whole bag first.
At the filter stations I kept seeing the same grinder: the Timemore Sculptor 078, at several stands.
Lelit and Gaggia (with a Gaggimate on the stand)
I only wanted to pass by the machine manufacturers quickly. That did not work.
At Lelit I tried a few machines. I still like my Bianca, but the more compact models made me think again. Less counter space is tempting. I did not drink coffee there, so this was purely hands-on.
At Gaggia there was actually a Gaggia Classic with Gaggimate on the stand, next to the Classic GT, which I had only seen in photos. Visually I prefer the regular Classic.
If you are weighing these two brands, I compared them directly in Lelit Bianca vs Gaggia Classic with Gaggimate, and wrote up my Gaggimate review after six months.
Datum Coffee: price and prototype from Innsbruck
The machine I most wanted to show comes from a young team in Innsbruck. Datum Coffee is two founders building a compact setup of espresso machine and grinder. According to them, the one at the festival was their third prototype. I would put it in my kitchen based on looks alone.
The workflow: you choose a portion on the grinder, it grinds and weighs automatically, then the portafilter goes into the machine. Shot time is shown on the grinder as well. It felt well thought through, and I liked the espresso.
What interests me is their goal of keeping the system open and letting you save recipes. How much you can really adjust yourself is something I would want to test.
They mentioned a Kickstarter price of around €1000 to €1500 for machine and grinder, with a campaign starting at the end of this year or early next year. For both devices that seems fair, but a third prototype and a campaign that has not started yet are not a machine in my kitchen.
Was it worth it?
Yes, mostly for the tasting and the conversations. Many stands were happy to explain which coffee they were pouring, how they brewed it, and what they used. When you always work with the same setup at home, seeing and tasting so many other preparations is the best part.
I came mainly for espresso and gear, but filter coffee ended up being a big part of the visit. Which would you rather see me test: the new Timemore 064 Gen 2 or the Datum Coffee setup? Let me know in the video comments.