2009 United States Barista Championship (Day 2)

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Barista Competition Portland

Cappuccino from the 4th Machine


From March 5-8, the Oregon Convention Center in Portland hosts the United States Barista Championship. Throughout the competition, I’m providing minute-by-minute reports on baristas who decided to compete for the American coffee crown.

Erik Williams – Caffe Sole – Boulder, CO
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Williams began his presentation with “Baby Elephant Walk” playing in the background, then explained his “love affair with coffee.” As the Bee Gees played, he described his blend, beginning with the two Guatemalas, which combine citrus and chocolate notes. Sumatra provides “leathery tobacco” notes. The base is a Brazilian Bourbon, which provides sweetness and body.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
A big part of his childhood involved farming in the South, working the fields. In the morning before the sun came up, his mother fed him biscuits, bacon and eggs. He presented bacon fat, maple syrup and molasses. He combined them with milk and espresso to recreate the flavors of his youth. He cracked some eggs and fried them in pan, serving his signature drink on a plate with bacon and eggs.

Phuong Tran – Lava Java – Ridgefield, WA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Tran’s espresso blend combined orange Bourbon from El Salvador, Ethiopian Wando from the Yirgacheffe region and Sumatra Gayo, from northern Sumatra, near Lake Tawar. She described citrus, milk chocolate and a clean body. The espresso was roasted eight days ago.

For her cappuccinos, she used a creamy milk to bring out the citrus and caramel notes, while still allowing the judges to detect the cocoa.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Before serving espressos, she introduced judges to first ingredient in the signature drink: pureed and strained honeydew melon cubes. She placed rose hips in a tea bag and dropped it in liquid sugar to create an infusion. She poured shots and asked judges to combine the elements to create a cold drink.

Nikolas Krankl – Taste Coffee House – Newtonville, MA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
He worked in conjunction with Barismo, a local coffee roaster in Arlington. 80% Guatemalan base, bright and intense with a lot more fruit focus. He also incorporated 20% Kenyan beans from Inari Kandoo, lending burnt spice notes, cocoa and honey sweetness.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Krankl prepared a spin on the traditional Italian affogato. He added four shots of espresso to a mix with two ounces of ice cream. He made a crème fraiche, combining heavy whipping cream and sour cream. He’s trying to create a drink that reconstructs the espresso based on the flavors he’s experiencing. He shook the espresso and ice cream with ice to create a frothy texture. He rubbed orange on the rim and lined the top of each martini glass with orange zest-infused cocoa for aromatics. He topped each glass for acidity, brightness and intensity. Finally, he spooned on espresso granita to add bitterness.

Chris Weber – PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. – Topeka, KS
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Weber and head roaster Adam Ross worked on PT’s La Bella Vita blend. It’s a three-bean blend: a Brazil red Bourbon varietal called Ipanema Dolce with dense chocolate notes, orange and a slight hint of grapefruit; Lake Tawar in Sumatra for spice; and Weber’s “favorite coffee of the last year,” Ethiopian Sidamo natural organic sun-dried coffee with orange and grapefruit notes. “It brings sweetness to the entire cup.”

In the cappuccinos, Weber anticipated toffee and chocolate notes. The milk washed out some of the more delicate flavors. He instructed the judges to drink to the bottom to get the “red wine like finish” from the Sumatra.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
He struggled to find something that mimics the flavors of the Tawar. To accomplish that, he created a cold pre-infused milk and used a French press to intensify the flavors of sweet mint, spearmint, orange, lemon and star anise. He poured his honey-infused espresso from a gravy boat and added the cold cream. He said the drink would follow through with candied fruit and citrus flavors.

Joseph Mains – Cartel Coffee Lab – Tempe, AZ
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
For his cappuccinos, Mains used a house espresso blend, which he described as having “brightness and buttery caramel that progresses to coriander and ripe strawberry.”

For his espressos and signature drink, Mains showcased a single-origin Ethiopian Sidamo. No other coffee would have made him happy. He also incorporated a Guatemalan Huehuetenago grown at 1500 meters, with a brightness that cuts through the blueberry notes in the Sidamo.

Nicole Mournian – Caffe Luxxe – Santa Monica
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
She went with a Testarossa blend, a combination of Ethiopian and Brazilian beans. The Brazilian is grown at 1500-1800 meters, adding subtle sweetness on the back end, containing maple syrupy sweetness. The Ethiopian beans are grown at 3000 meters, imparting blue fruit on the nose and toasted almond skins.

When combined with milk, the blend adopts a second life. At 10-12 days, the Testarossa peaks. With milk, the coffee develops an almost a liqueur flavor at the bottom of the cup.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Mournian decided to play with the espresso, science and textural balance. She poured a tablespoon of Grade B dark maple syrup into a glass, dropped in a spoonful of blueberry “caviar.” Next: soda water, which caused the blueberry pearls to rise to the top of the glass. Finally, espresso, which combines with soda water to release gases and build foam. She instructed the judges to make sure to get the blueberries, which burst on the tongue.

Jesse Bladyka – Coal Creek Coffee – Laramie, WY
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Bladyka used a three-part blend from northern Sumatra for sweet cedar and bergamot, a washed Peruvian to round out the body and add chocolate tones, and Kenyan coffee for “sparkling acidity and electricity.”

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Bladyka is from Vermont, so he utilized three ingredients from his home state. He used Grade A dark maple syrup, taken from the tree when the sugar content is highest, Mackintosh apple cider jelly and Grafton Village smoked cheddar cheese, smoked over maple and aged for a year. He created a canapé from the cheese and jelly.

He poured shots of espresso and added maple syrup and vanilla, then topped it with milk foam. He asked the judges to eat the cheese, stir the signature drink and sip.

Jesse Crouse – Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea – Chicago, IL
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
El Mirador, a Tipica coffee from Colombia. The farmer separated his land by varietal, including Geisha, Bourbon and Tipica, with mountain views. Crouse fellow in love with notes of sweet cherry, dried figs and dates, plus “Tempranillo red” with a slightly bitter chocolate finish that’s “clean, crisp and refreshing.”

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Crouse created a deconstructed con panna. He drew inspiration from the coffee farm. Vermont maple syrup represents the soil. First sip, Crouse gets pistachio butter and maple syrup.

He blanched and blended pistachios with heavy whipping cream for mouthfeel. The pistachio butter represents the green growth of the land, with sweet, nutty and slightly savory flavors.

The espresso “speaks for itself.”

Amber Johnson – LAMILL Coffee – Los Angeles, CA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Johnson was looking for an espresso blend with depth, but not as much fruitiness. She remembered drinking a Sumatra Peaberry last year and enjoyed the “great port wine” notes and earthiness. For this year’s espresso blend, she used a Brazilian coffee for nuttiness, a different pulp natural Brazil for acidity and sweetness that wanes when adding the Sumatran beans.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
One of Johnson’s favorite culinary trends is the deconstruction of common comfort foods and reconstruction in surprising way. For her signature drink, she chose to deconstruct Cracker Jacks. She started by pouring each judge fresh peanut milk, topped it with espresso, then popcorn-infused savory cream and butter caramel sauce. She asked the judges to take a bite off the top and relive childhood in a glass.

Andrew Ferguson – Stompin’ Grounds – Cabot, AR
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Ferguson’s espresso blend incorporated four coffees, including Sumatra and Guatemalan Huehuetenango. The espresso contributes a sweet sensation, then “bittersweet chocolate.”

Ferguson said that when combined with milk, his coffee’s chocolate notes become pecan-like. His grandmother owns a pecan orchard, she ships out of state and she’s in the USBC audience.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
To a pan, he added, butter, garlic, onion, bay leaf and pepper. He pruned a Portland thyme plant, bruised the herb and added it to the pan. To mimic the coffee’s sweetness, he added Muscadine grape juice from Arkansas to the pan. In a pitcher, Ferguson already had a 60% chocolate. He poured in his espresso shots, added the reduction for “herbiness.” He added pepper and lime juice to the bottom of his empty wine glasses for acidity and warmth, then poured in the frothy mixture. He asked the judges to stir the drink to integrate the pepper and lime into the drink.

Brett Walker – Zoka Coffee Roasters – Seattle, WA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Walker wanted a coffee with depth, a clean finish and complex flavors. He chose Colombian Monserrate, a wash processed variety with citrus and fruit notes.

He asked the judges to slurp their espresso shots since he finds oxidation to bring out the citrus notes in his coffee.

The bold citrus notes of the coffee smooth out when paired with milk. He told the judges they’d find almond and caramel notes.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
He started by making apricot fruit sauce, since the “fuzzy” notes of the apricot merge well with the coffee’s citrus. He added crushed black pepper to accentuate the spicy notes and provide tingle in the back of the throat.

Allie Turner – Murky Coffee – Arlington, VA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Turner utilized a blend of Brazilian Ipanema Dolce, Sumatran and Ethiopian Sidamo. The Sumatran coffee is the foundation of the blend, which works wit the Brazilian’s cashew notes.

With her cappuccinos, milk highlights the sweetness of the coffee and the nutty flavors of the Brazil Ipanema Dolce.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Turner started making a syrup with wild honey, ginger and warm water, then incorporated an infused milk and espresso.

Ryan Willbur – Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea – Los Angeles, CA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Willbur chose a Guatemalan Huehuetenango with Meyer lemon, sherry sweetness and a coffee flower/jasmine finish. A 30-hour washed process and high altitude provides sweetness. Farmer Mauricio Rosales grows two varieties of coffee: Bourbon and Caturra.

In his cappuccinos, Willbur found sweetness similar to caramel, toasted coconut and light hazelnut, plus “classic chocolatey attributes.” A sherry sweetness happens when milk blends with coffee. He had his beans roasted 14 ½ minutes to take harsher edges off the acidity.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Willbur lit the flame and added butter to a pan for texture and balance, followed by slices of fresh cut ginger. He added dark Muscovado sugar for complex sweetness similar to molasses and Demerrara sugar for a lighter caramel sweetness and water to pull it all together.

He touch the rim of each glass with Meyer lemon so judges could get the citrus aromas without affecting the flavor balance of the drink. Smell, swirl and sip. Beautiful jasmine finish.

Robin Crosby – Coal Creek Coffee – Laramie, WY
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Crosby’s three-bean blend utilized a Yemeni coffee with “delicate orange blossom acidity and Ethiopian Sidamo for “nice, deep purple fruit” at the bottom of the espresso.

The sweet milk is from Morning Fresh Farm in Colorado, muting the coffee’s “Yemen notes” while accenting “deep purple.”

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
He reduced raspberries with orange and lime juice, then swirled the red mixture in each glass. He added a semi sweet chocolate sauce, followed by whipped cream. He served handmade dark chocolate truffles with each drink. He poured a shot of espresso in each glass and instructed the judges to take a bite of truffle before sipping his signature drink.

Benjamin Wilkinson – Blue State Coffee – New Haven, CT
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
His four-bean blend included Ethiopian Korate, Colombian, Sumatra Gayo Mountain and a coffee from East Timor.

For his cappuccinos, milk transforms baker’s chocolate into dark chocolate.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
In an affogato, the coffee’s essence offers a smooth, refreshing finish. To recreate that, Wilkinson selected lime, hazelnut and mint. To accentuate the bright acidity and nuttiness, he added a mint infusion and toasted hazelnut sorbet. Lime will heighten and highlight those flavors.

Renee Teichen – Ritual Coffee Roasters – San Francisco, CA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Teichen began her performance by highlighting the coffee farmer. Maria Millaños grows coffee in Via Maria, Colombia. Her family farm, Finca Mariana, has been a model of sustainability. She’s made efforts to show other coffee producers techniques in sustainability, including composting and water treatment. Teichen described notes of rosemary, crisp cherry acidity and Clementine. On the nose, berry, which is possible due to vacuum packing at origin. In the cup, chocolate and dark brown sugar. In the finish, crisp citrus acidity and cherry brightness, which could either be because of the fact that Maria only selects the brightest cherries, of due to the altitude.

When combined with milk, the dark chocolate and brown sugar notes turn into caramel-y milk chocolate.

SIGNATURE DRINK
A two-part experience. Teichen provided each judge with an aromatic sample plate holding ground Nariño, a sprig of rosemary and Clementine. For the drink itself, the first layer is a ganache made from cream, Clementine zest and 55% dark chocolate from San Francisco. She added four shots of espresso to the pitcher. The topping, a lightly whipped cream infused with vanilla. She chose the chocolate for its depth and cherry acidity. The creamy layer rounds out the drink’s flavor and balances the drink’s sweetness.

Robbie Britt – Zoka Coffee Roasters – Seattle, WA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
A blend of Colombian Monserrate and Ethiopian Sidamo that Zoka roasted for its citrus and brown sugar notes. In espresso shots, it begins with floral notes, followed by brown sugar and finishing with buttery finish.

For his cappuccinos, Britt described “buttered popcorn drizzled with caramel sauce that opens up to a creamy marshmallow finish.”

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Creating a praline sauce using butter, half-and-half, brown sugar and orange zest in a pan. Brittle topped with espresso and half-and-half.

Philip Search – The Coffee Syndicate – Boulder, CO
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Mona and Joel roasted a combination of Guatemala and Sumatra coffee. Search described brighter flavors up front and a chocolate leather body.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
Search incorporated dark, molasses-y tobacco and cocoa nibs. He ground them up using a mortar and pestle. He added them to a French press with a small amount of water and began infusion before preparing his cappuccinos. After serving his cappuccinos and espressos, he strained the infusion into a shaker with espresso and ice. He topped each cold drink with a shaved orange peel.

Isaiah Sheese – Double Shot Coffee Co. – Tulsa, OK
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Amber Gris: a four-bean blend of Indian Monsoon Malabar, an Ethoipian Sidamo for subtle raspberry wine notes; Costa Rica La Mellita for orange and chocolate; and Sumatra Aceh Gold that’s earthy, with anise flavor. For his cappuccinos, the additional milk created chocolate cake and Graham cracker flavors.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
The goal was to meld sweet, bitter and sour flavors. He made a star anise syrup using filtered water and pure cane sugar from Malawi. He lined the rim of each glass with sweet honey, then shaved and singed orange peel over each glass, imparting aroma.

Trevor Corlett – MadCap Coffee – Grand Rapids, MI
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Naturally processed Ethiopian Sidamo with “great raspberry notes,” some orange undertones as well as a nice syrupy body.” The other component, a Guatemalan Huehuetenango with floral notes and a bittersweet chocolate finish. Bright cherry notes and syrupy body.”

For his cappuccinos, Corlett used milk from a small family farm in Michigan with 30 cows. It’s a sweet milk, unhomogenized.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
A simple drink that incorporates as many ingredients as possible from Michigan, including tart Traverse City cherry butter and Michigan Grade B maple syrup picked early so its dark and cuts down on the tanginess. He added a double-shot to each glass. He wanted to amplify the espresso, saying he loved the coffee so much he didn’t want to add any new flavors. He added Clementine juice. Finally, he dipped spoons of cherry butter in maple syrup candy and handed them to judges to try before drinking his signature beverage.

Micah Svejda – Kaldi’s Coffeehouse – St. Louis, MO
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
A three-bean blend. Sumatra Aceh that lends earthiness and leather; El Salvador Cerro Las Ranas for berry notes and dark chocolate; and Brazil natural Bourbon Cachoeira de Gama for toasted nut sweetness.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
He presented chilled spoons with Vermont crème fraiche and Missouri honey and dropped on 18-year-old balsamic. He instructed to eat the contents of the spoon, drink their shot of espresso and bite from a piece of chocolate on the plate.

Dale Donchey – method. Coffee & Tea Lounge – Atlanta, GA
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
The coffee blend combined Guatemalan Huehuetenango beans grown at 1800 meters, which contributed tart tropical notes with overlaying sweetness. The Brazilian coffee grown at 1200 meters added dark chocolate notes.

In the cappuccino, expect to find “essence of pistachio” in the crema, sweet fruit in the body and a sweet sparkly Riesling finish.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
He created a pear ice cream using dry ice, cream, sugar and simple syrup to bring out tropical fruit notes. He squeezed a sauce of roasted pistachio and sweetened condensed milk. The rim of the glass was lined with sugar and pistachio. Of course espresso was involved.

David Sapp – Charleston, SC
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
Sapp’s four-bean blend combined Brazil’s “buttery sweetness,” Sumatra’s “honey viscosity,” Guatemala’s “lime zest” and the natural Ethiopian Sidamo’s “berry qualities.”

Adding milk makes the buttery sweetness becomes walnut. Chocolate elements become more caramel.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
“A drinkable metaphor for a warm, sunny day.” He created an infusion of ginger, rosemary and orange zest. The goal was to highlight citrus in Guatemala, to name one objective. He instructed the judges to pour shot glasses of espresso over cordial glasss of whipped cream, thoroughly stir, then take at least two good swallows to appreciate the layered flavor.

Jay Caragay – The Spro Coffee – Towson, MD
Barista Competition Portland
COFFEE
An espresso blend including Cerro Las Ranas and Sumatra Mandheling.

SIGNATURE BEVERAGE
“It’s about pushing the boundaries of coffee…” He utilized cold water Maine lobster marinated in cream, white chocolate from Missouri, a vanilla infusion from north Portland and espresso, all stirred together in a sauce pan. Caragay then added Fresh-shaved black truffle sourced in Oregon, providing aromatics.

51 baristas competed over two days for 15 slots in Saturday’s semifinal round of the 2009 Regional Barista Championship. The ten Regional Barista Championships received a bye and will fill out the remaining field of 25 baristas.

Without further ado, here’s the remaining USBC field:
Alex Pond – The Fresh Pot – Portland, OR (Northwest Champ)
Nick Griffith – Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea – Los Angeles, CA (Western Champ)
Greg Lefcourt – Ozo Coffee Company – Boulder, CO (Mountain Champ)
Jason Silberschlag – Cartel Coffee Lab – Tempe, AZ (South West Champ)
Robin Seitz – PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. – Topeka, KS (Mid West Champ)
Scott Lucey – Alterra Coffee – Milwaukee, WI (Great Lakes Champ)
Clancy Rose – Cuvee Coffee Roasting Company – Spring, TX (South Central Champ)
Danielle Glasky – Octane Coffee – Atlanta, GA (South East Champ)
Katie Duris – Murky Coffee – Arlington, VA (Mid Atlantic Champ)
Amber Sather– AMS – Brooklyn, NY (North East Champ)
Kristina Merryman – Lava Java – Ridgefield, WA
Renee Teichen – Ritual Coffee Roasters – San Francisco, CA
Chris Weber – PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. – Topeka, KS
Jesse Crouse – Intelligentsia Coffee – Chicago, IL
Micah Svejda – Kaldi’s Coffeehouse – St. Louis, MO
Mike Marquard – Kaldi’s Coffeehouse – St. Louis, MO
Colin Whitcomb – Alterra Coffee – Milwaukee, WI
Phuong Tran – Lava Java – Ridgefield, WA
Ryan Willbur – Intelligentsia Coffee – Los Angeles, CA
Devin Pedde – Intelligentsia Coffee – Los Angeles, CA
Chris DeMarse – Alliance World Coffees – Muncie, IN
Sara Peterson – The Abbey – Santa Cruz, CA
Brett Walker – Zoka Coffee Roasters – Seattle, WA
Michael Phillips – Intelligentsia Coffee – Chicago, IL
Michael Elvin – Espresso Parts – Olympia, WA

Here’s the competitor breakdown by region:

West: 5
North West: 5
Great Lakes: 5
Mid West: 4
South West: 1
North East: 1
Mid Atlantic: 1
South East: 1
South Central: 1
Mountain: 1

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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

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