In the Grinder - Our Daily Coffee Weblog

This past weekend I spent some time out in the Northwest for the Regional Barista Competition.  It was really neat to spend some time in a part of the country that is so rich with coffee knowledge and really stellar roasters.

I flew into PDX and spent some time in Portland getting know some of our customers better and enjoying some awesome food.  Pok Pok changed my life I think...

It was cloudy and rainy for the majority of the trip, and I was just really happy that the Northwest lived up to all the atmospheric stereotypes I had grown to associate with it; hammered in by countless viewings of The Goonies.

The actual NWRBC event was held in Tacoma this year and graciously hosted by Dillanos

The SCAA staff did a great job of choosing a spot that was super intimate, yet had enough space for all of us to fit and catch a glimpse of the action on stage.  The first two days the 33 competitors each competed and were judged on their espresso, cappuccino, and signature drinks.  Some signature drinks include reductions, fresh whipped cream, and countless other concoctions to make a mark on the judge's palletes. 

Saturday night the top 6 finalists were announced:

Laila Ghambari, Stumptown, Seattle

Ryan Wilbur, Stumptown, Portland

Sarah Dooley, Espresso Parts, Olympia (Using Olympia Coffee Roasting)

Robbie Britt, Espresso Parts, Olympia (Using Olympia Coffee Roasting)

Tyler Stephens, BARISTA, Portland (Using Barefoot Coffee)

Sam Purvis, COAVA Coffee, Portland

Following the announcement of the finals, Joshua Boyt and his new shop Metronome Coffee in Tacoma hosted a rocking party.  It seemed like it was just a great moment where people could let loose a bit after being all coiled up with nerves from competition. 

Sunday was the big day, and all 6 finalists took the stage one by one to compete once again for the judges.  At this point in the competition nobody really changes anything up in their routine, but just aims for even better execution. 

After it was all said and done, Sam Purvis from Coava took home the top slot.  We are super excited to have him travel along with us to Brazil this summer as part of our Origin Trip Program we developed with the fine folks at the SCAA.  Every regional winner, the USBC winner, and the WBC winner will all be traveling on one rocking trip with us in July to Brazil. 

In addition to the traditional Barista competition, this year also marks the first year of the Brewers Cup.  This gives baristas the opportunity to choose whichever brew method they prefer to make coffee for a judging panel.  The winner of each regional will ALSO travel to Houston for the finals, and the US Brewers Cup winner will travel to the Netherlands to compete nationally.  How COOL!! 

This years Brewer's Cup winner was Devin Chapman from Coava Coffee. 

Coava swept the NWRBC...great showing guys. 

Great jobs folks at the SCAA and BGA for putting on such a killer event.  I really had a blast, and as usual, the momentum behind the barista community right now seems to be almost unreal.  We love the excitement and energy coming from that area of the coffee world right now. 

-Noah