From March 5-8, the Oregon Convention Center in Portland is hosting the 2009 United States Barista Championship. Leading up to the USBC, I’m showcasing baristas who decided to compete for the American coffee crown. Meet Christopher Weber from PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. in Topeka, Kansas, the 2009 Midwest Regional Barista Competition Finalist.

Josh Lurie: Did anything surprise you about your regional competition?

Christopher Weber: The level of competition in the Midwest is high and I was surprised to even be in the finals.

JL: Will adjust your approach for the United States Barista
Championship? If so, how?

CW: Not much. I am planning on just smoothing out some rough areas, but basically the approach will be the same.

JL: What is your goal at the USBC?

CW: To learn, have fun, and not make a fool of myself.

JL: What did you learn by competing at your regional?

CW: I loved the competition and I’m not the most competitive person. The camaraderie behind the scenes was awesome and the level of commitment to our craft from all competitors truly amazed me.

JL: What’s your training schedule like until the USBC?

CW: It has been pretty relaxed. We’re trying not to stress ourselves out too much. We all have many other commitments and shuffling them all without going crazy is difficult, so adding a highly stressful training schedule into our daily lives is somewhat deconstructive. That said, we do try and train roughly 20 hours a week or so.

JL: What’s a coffeehouse you didn’t know about before your regional competition that you now plan to visit?

CW: A number of coffeehouses that I haven’t been to in the St. Louis/St. Charles area were represented. I travel through there occasionally and have made it a point to stop and visit.

JL: What’s your approach in choosing the music that plays during your performance?

CW: I chose music that I like and that I hope fits my personality.