For the past few years, the party to attend at the SCAA, if you only attended one, was the Cafe Imports party that usually takes place on the Friday eve of the conference. There's a lot of Friday night events, including the official opening reception and countless other small and large events, but few have better food, better drink, and a better vibe.

It's not just about the good drinks and food though. Jason Long and everyone at Cafe Imports throw this party for one primary reason: they want to put producers (read: farmers) together with roasters, and they want to do it in a conducive, comfortable and enjoyable environment.

A lot of these roasters never get a chance to actually meet the people who grow their coffee, Long said to me. "Many of them simply can't afford to travel to origin, can't get the experience of speaking first hand with these producers."

At this event, there were many fantastic connections made between producers and roasters - you could see it happening all over the restaurant that Cafe Imports hired to host this happening. There were plenty of quiet side areas for many a conversation, but later on, an amazing latin jazz band played, and the party was completely on.