Who is Karen Attman? And what does she know about coffee?
I’m from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I’ve been living in Latin America since 1996. How did I become a Colombian coffee expert and educator?
I didn’t expect to get into the coffee industry – which may sound familiar to you. Many people don’t plan on working with coffee, but they get drawn into it by random circumstances in life.
For me, that random circumstance was marrying a Colombian man. When other random circumstances brought us to Bogota in 2012, I had no idea what was waiting for me.
Shortly after moving here, I started Flavors of Bogota, the award-winning website that you’re reading right now, which covers everything edible in Colombia.
I’ve also written for about 30 publications around the world, including CNN, Eater, Sprudge, Esquire etc. etc. And of course, many of those publications wanted to know more about coffee in Colombia, and their interest nudged me into what is now my huge passion and delight – specialty coffee.
And the plot thickens…
In 2015 I developed the Flavors of Bogota Specialty Coffee Experiences to teach foreigners and locals about specialty coffee and what it can mean to Colombian coffee growers and others involved in the coffee industry.
My workshops have led people from around the world on a discovery experience that includes the history of coffee, coffee production, cupping and brewing techniques, as well as the role that coffee has played in Colombia’s economy and history. (Learn more about our Specialty Coffee Workshops).
I was a professor of coffee at the prestigious La Sabana University in Bogota until I founded the Latin American Coffee Academy. That academy focuses on courses for people in the coffee and restaurant industry around the world who want to deepen their understanding of coffee in Latin America in a fun and fast way.
At some point, I realized that many people couldn’t get to Colombia to learn about coffee, so I decided to write a book that teaches the basics in an easy way (unlike so many dry and long coffee books). That’s how Permission to Slurp was born, a guide to tasting specialty coffee in Colombia.
The book has been widely accepted by experts in the coffee industry as well as coffee lovers who are just beginning their journey into specialty coffee. In fact, the book was nominated for the category of Best Coffee Books by the Gourmand Awards in 2018 (much to my surprise).
I speak at coffee events and fairs as well as origin trips in Colombia and present information in English, Spanish and French. I’ve appeared on TV and been interviewed on the radio numerous times. Listen to this coffee-focused interview for Colombia’s top publication, Semana (it’s in English, don’t worry!).
That’s probably why people call me The Coffee Lady of Bogota
What does a Colombian coffee expert have to do with you?
I bring a wealth of knowledge to my Coffee Pro Workshops, where people in the coffee and tourism industry learn about how to incorporate Colombian coffee into their projects. Roasters, coffee shop owners, exporters and importers have all come to me to learn about coffee in Colombia.
I have a unique vision of coffee in Colombia. You see, people tend to deeply understand the area they’re in – and not understand how that area connects with the bigger picture.
As a coffee educator, I get the bigger picture. I have an overview of the industry that others might miss, and an understanding of the culture that comes from living in Latin America for about 25 years.
Get in touch
Feel free to write to me with any coffee questions you have. I love to talk about coffee, and I love to hear people’s questions! Write to me at karen (@) flavorsofbogota.com or use the easy little contact form below – I do get the message [almost] immediately.
And please take advantage of what I’ve already written about coffee in Colombia. Check out the Coffee category on Flavors of Bogota, and read my book or articles I’ve written for other publications. You can also listen to podcasts and video interviews I’ve done.
And if you’d like to learn more and want to take the Coffee Pro Workshop, please get in touch to see if it’s right for you. If we do decide it would be beneficial for you, it’ll be a great way to push your coffee project to the next level.
Thanks for joining me on my coffee journey! It’s fantastic to have you along.
Enjoy slurping in Colombia!