Raise the bar

☆

LEVEL UP

☆

COMING 2026

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Raise the bar ☆ LEVEL UP ☆ COMING 2026 ☆

Welcome to Level Up 2026

(Volume 2, the redux!)

presented by raise the bar

Hands reaching for a glass of water and a small cup of espresso on a silver tray placed on a dark speckled countertop.

a space for coffee people to connect, learn and stay

september 18-20th

@Mill City Roasters in Minneapolis, MN

100 working baristas from across the U.S.

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20+ industry mentors from coast-to-coast

2 full days of education

+new half-day superclasses!

On Saturday, September 19th: Day 1:

Foundations Classes

On Sunday, September 20th: Day 2:

Workshops + Public Cafe Pop Up!

On Friday, September 18th: Half-Day:

Deep Dive SUPERCLASS (optional add-on): Sensory, Tech, or Business Management

Black background with white text that reads 'The Only Way To Do Great Work Is To Love What You Do.'

Level Up is what happens when a bunch of ex-baristas, roasters, and educators come together to make coffee education more fun, useful, and real

Designed for working coffee people. This event offers practical skills workshops, service experience, and space to build lasting community- all while keeping costs and access at the center.

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Join us if you are:

☆ seeking to expand your coffee community

☆ believe in hands-on learning

☆ looking to build and expand your coffee skills

☆ committed to showing up for a heckuva good time!

Who should attend ?

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Dialing in.

Moving with intention.

Making drinks that matter.

It’s also about navigating the industry with more clarity, care, and support. You will leave with a stronger sense of what’s possible in coffee, and how to stay in it.

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Register to attend

Level up 2026

presented by: Raise the bar

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These are the event ticket FAQs. For more info about the event itself click on “Get a Ticket!” or reach out to our team with any questions: LevelUp@raise-the-bar.coffee

  • *New* in 2026! Check out the Deep Dive Workshops (an optional add-on for a half-day session on Friday, September 18th)

  • In 2026, Level Up will have up to 100 tickets available.

    Tickets will cover event days from Saturday 9/19 through Sunday 9/20, and they include lodging in hotel blocks and provided meals.

    Scholarship applications will be available in 2026. Sign up to our email list or follow on social @RaisetheBar_Coffee to be notified when the applications go live.

  • Tickets will include: meals, lodging, and local transportation! Attendees will need to book travel to Minneapolis. Our goal is to make this event accessible and inclusive in pricing and for the coffee community. We’re blocking hotel rooms to be together & save on transportation fees. There is a shared room option (with a roommate pairing quiz) and an option for a private room.

    Contact us at LevelUp@Raise-the-Bar.Coffee if you have questions!

  • We’re doing our best to keep the cost of each ticket as low as possible. Level Up passes are the following:

    • Ticket + Shared Room (~ $650.00*)

    • Ticket + Private Room (~ $875.00*)

    *All tickets include education from 9/19-9/20, meals, lodging, and local transport

  • Great question! We’ll be staying at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown/North Loop, which is easy to get to by train from the airport and also by bus over to the event space (Mill City Roasters)!

  • Add-on an optional half-day Deep Dive Workshop on Friday, September 18th!

    A focused day, small group, hands-on, intensive skills sharpening workshops to jumpstart your Level Up weekend.

    • Sensory Skills

    • Coffee Technician Skills

    • Coffee Business Skills

    Limited spots are available! The invite will be shared your way after you secure your Level Up pass.

LEVEL UP II

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WEEKEND AGENDA

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LEVEL UP II 〰️ WEEKEND AGENDA 〰️

Level Up 2026

The full weekend, session by session

September 18–20, 2026  ·  Minneapolis, MN  ·  Mill City Roasters

Superclass Keynote Deep dive Panel Open to the public

Day 0 — Superclasses (half-day) + Level Up Welcome Hang

10:00–5:00

Attendee arrivals & check-ins

TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Downtown Minneapolis – Northloop  (all day)

10:00–3:00
Superclass

Fundamentals of Coffee Flavor Evaluation

Breakfast & lunch provided

Dylan Siemens (Cafe Imports)

Cafe Imports

Superclass

Espresso Tech: Under the Hood

Breakfast & lunch provided

Noah Goodman, Kaileigh Mulligan, Paul Hauge, Josh Johnson (Slayer Espresso & ESI)

Espresso Services Inc (ESI)

10:30–3:00
Superclass

Manager Training

Breakfast & lunch provided

Erica Escalante & Eric Grimm (The Cafe Operator)

Wildflyer Coffee

6:30–8:30

Superclasses are available as an add-on to Level Up weekend, or you're welcome to attend a Superclass on Friday, September 18th on its own.

Day 1 — Level Up Weekend

8:45–9:15

Attendee arrival

Mill City Roasters

9:15–10:00

Welcome & introductions

Rachel Apple, Ivana Chan, Sandra Loofbourow

10:05–10:45

Icebreaker activity

Kaileigh Mulligan

10:50–11:30
Keynote

Hospitality

Nathanael May (Pacific Barista Series)

Roasting Classroom (MCR)

11:45–1:00

Lunch

1:00–3:30

Choose one track

Deep dive

Dialed In: Espresso Extraction

Levels 1 & 2, incl. “Inside the Machine” with La Marzocco

Seidy Selivanow (Onyx Coffee Lab), Estelle Bright (La Marzocco)

Green/Sensory Room (MCR)

Deep dive

Pour Overs: Extraction to Execution

Levels 1 & 2, incl. paper filters with Slow Pour Supply

Charli Maher (Idle Hands Roasting), Anita Tam (Slow Pour Supply)

Main Entrance (MCR)

Deep dive

Roasting Skills

Levels 1 & 2, incl. green coffee with StoneX Specialty Coffee

Lauren Lathrop (Mill City Roasters), Gerra Harrigan (StoneX Specialty Coffee)

Roasting Classroom (MCR)

3:45–5:00
Panel

The Coffee Pricing Conundrum

Kat Melheim (host) — with Sylwia Padiasek, Flor Coghi, Erica Escalante, Rachel Keen, Macarena Zuluaga

Roasting Classroom (MCR)

5:00–6:00

Closing remarks

6:45–8:00

Day 2 — Level Up Weekend

9:00–9:30

Introductions to Day 2

Mill City Roasters

9:30–10:15

Coffee as Transformation

Flor Coghi (Ascension Coffee)

Roasting Classroom (MCR)

10:30–12:00

Choose one session

We Are Leaders: Leadership from Behind the Bar

John Dixon

Open Office (MCR)

Demystifying Sustainability

Rachel Keen

Conference Room (MCR)

Building Trauma-Informed Communities

Dr. Kelly Roberts

Conference Room (MCR)

Quality Control Systems in Coffee

Dylan Siemens

Main Entrance (MCR)

Starting an Espresso Pop-Up

Melissa Dixon (La Marzocco)

Green/Sensory Room (MCR)

12:00–1:15

Lunch

1:15–2:30

More Than Just Great Coffee: Hospitality from Behind the Bar

Emily Losier (1883 Routin)

Roasting Classroom (MCR)

2:45–4:15

Choose one session

Cold Brew Craft: Elevating Your Cold Brew Program

Macarena Zuluaga (Toddy)

Main Entrance (MCR)

Espresso Machine Service & Maintenance

Jill Fountain & Jackson O’Brien (La Marzocco)

Green/Sensory Room (MCR)

What Drives Coffee Cost

Sylwia Padiasek

Roasting Classroom (MCR)

Community: Be It

Emily Potter

Open Office (MCR)

Latte Art Academy

Marquis Monzon (Tenzo Matcha, Eversys, Flux Coffee)

Kitchen (MCR)

4:30–5:30
Panel

Hospitality Stories (Pecha Kucha)

Hana Kaneshige (host) — with Jared Truby, Emily Potter, Emily Losier

Roasting Classroom (MCR)

5:45–6:15

Closing ceremonies + a special scholarship opportunity for Level Up attendees

6:30–9:30
Open to the public

Level Up Pop-Up Cafe & Makers Market

Led by Jared Truby, Anthony Ragler, Sarah Rice Scott  ·  Mill City Roasters

9:00–3:00

Espresso Bar

Anthony Ragler & Hana Kaneshige (La Marzocco)

9:00–3:00

Pour Over Bar

Sarah Rice Scott

9:00–3:00

Cold Bar

Macarena Zuluaga (Toddy)

10:00–3:00

Makers Market

Hana Yoshimoto

Level Up Agenda
Friday September 18 Day 0 agenda for Level Up
Saturday September 19 Day 1 agenda for Level Up
Sunday September 20 Day 2 agenda for Level Up

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Title Sponsor

HOST Sponsor

Raise the Bar Sustaining Partner

Level Up Lecture Partner

Level Up Community Partner

Level Up Cleaning Partner

Level Up Workshops Partner

Level Up Scholarship Partners

Level Up Coffee Sponsors

In-Kind partners
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A woman with dark hair and a tattoo on her arm is smiling and pouring a beverage at a cafe or coffee shop counter. In the background, other customers are seen, some using their phones.
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A man wearing a black cap and khaki shirt is holding a takeout coffee cup and a brown paper bag in a grocery store or warehouse setting. In the background, organized bags of coffee beans and miscellaneous items are displayed on a white table against
People participating in a tea tasting event, pouring different herbal teas into glasses and cups on a long table.
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People serving themselves food from a buffet table with various dishes including curries and stews.
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have other Questions?

Email our team at levelup@raise-the-bar.coffee anytime! You may also find the answers in our FAQs. We look forward to hearing from you!

FAQs