The Java art of bean so good to drink

Coffee makes the Junction function as festival comes to town

BEAN SERIOUS: Baristas Morgan Dwyer and Ethan McCarthy are ready to share they coffee making secrets with festival goers. Picture: Peter Gardiner

AT NOOSA Junction, delicate swans and other exquisite forms "swim” in in the frothy creations of arty barista Morgan Dwyer before they sacrifice themselves to the buzz of this precinct, newly named the caffeine capital of Noosa.

And now Morgan, who is a favourite coffee creative at the Noosa Hot Bread Shop, is going to be sharing her secrets of how to decorate the top layers of everyone's favourite flavour hit with delicate swirls. Morgan and a range of other brilliant baristas will be featured in the first Junction Java Fest to run all day May 19 as fringe "feeder” event to the Noosa Food and Wine Festival.

Of course, the Junction will be buzzing with all things caffeine, including free coffee workshops with six boutique roasters paired with six different venues and Espresso happy hours.

This is a chance to mix with the Junction's roasters and baristas at cool venues like Cactus Lane and the Village Bicycle, which is serving up its own coffee cocktails, while health and beauty patrons can indulge in caffeine-based facials.

As well shuttle buses will be leaving from the Junction to carry buzzing Java goers to the Food and Wine Fest. Morgan can't wait to share her inspirations and her techniques with Java goers.

"It's a lot of practise, it's taken a lot of time to get it like that. I like doing rosettas, tulips and swans and whatever else I feel like doing. They do look very pretty. And then you see someone dump a sugar then and you go 'oh, my art, it's all gone'.

"I find it really satisfying you when you can pour a really beautiful coffee and you know it's going to taste and look amazing. It makes me very happy,” she said.

At the Junction Java Festival program launch held at Cactus Lane on Friday, resident barista Ethan McCarthy was showing the fundamentals of how to pour the perfect shot, just as he will at the free workshop. His favourite drop is a long black and often dresses in rich dark colours with his trademark black cap in honour of his beloved roasted bean.

Noosa Junction Association president Michael Tozer is rapt with the response.

"We have an outstanding caffeine culture here in the Junction along with a diverse of retail and service businesses, bars and restaurants.

"The Java Fest celebrates that diversity with participants ranging from hairdressers, beauty salons, bike stores, interior design (and) specialty food outlets.

"I think it's just another showcase of Noosa Junction and the quality of the local businesses we've got.”

Mr Tozer said the festival also encourages to drink sustainably with the team from CLO Studios producing handmade ceramic Java "keep cups” to help keep coffee containers from ending up in landfill. Go to www.noosajunction.org.