The 2018 US Coffee Championships Prelims: Weekend One

Over the last weekend of August 2017, the west coast kicked off the 2018 United States Barista and Brewers Cup season with preliminary events in Seattle, Washington and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Preliminaries are a new addition this year and will take place over the next six weeks in eight locations. Those who rank highest are guaranteed spots in one of the two Qualifying Events this winter (more info coming soon)). From there, the best of the best get slots in the United States Barista Competition and Brewers Cup next April at the 2018 SCA Event.

Nicholas Balcer (Barista in Portland) speaks to judges. Blacer will advance to Qualifiers.

The Specialty Coffee Association calls these preliminaries “member-driven events” and are decidedly smaller in scale and less expensive to enter than the larger SCA produced Qualifiers and Nationals. Sprudge has covered the US Barista Championship and Brewers Cup events live since 2011, and our commitment to these events continues this season with select original coverage at the preliminary events nationwide.

“What do you think of this experiment?”

The question on everyone’s lips this weekend in Seattle and Rancho. Over the last decade, the United States Barista Competition circuit has gone from convention center sized venues to unconventional boxing rings and in its 2008 hay day, the SCAA hosted ten regionals. This year, there will be seven barista competitions and Brewers Cup preliminary events, held in smaller venues with abbreviated performances and judging pools. This move was made following two years of consideration after smaller regionals were eliminated entirely in 2016 and 2017.

Sam Bradvien (Dillanos Coffee Roasters) presents a milk drink for the judges. Bradvein will move on to Qualifiers.

“This set-up reminds me of what it was like in 2006,” Dismas Smith, the 2002 North American Barista Champion, told us at the Synesso event in Seattle. The factory, the crowd size, and boot strap nature of it all gave it a house-show in the basement vibe. Synesso hosted the Barista Competition, with fifteen baristas competing in all, throwing open the doors to their working factory in Seattle’s SoDo industrial district to two days of community hangtime.

“We felt that the opportunity to host the preliminaries fell directly in line with our ongoing desire to have deeper engagement within the specialty coffee community,” says Sarah Palmer, Synesso’s Global Sales Manager. “It was an absolute blast to have the privilege of hosting!” The Northwest Region will conclude its prelims action beginning Saturday, September 9th with a Brewers Cup preliminary event in Portland, Oregon, hosted by Portland Coffee Social Club.

In Rancho Cucamonga, Klatch Coffee Roasting and Wilbur Curtis Co. held both the Brewers Cup and Barista Competition preliminaries under the same roof. There was a dunk tank, a mondo-sized Jenga, and a warm community feeling throughout. Two-time US Barista Champion Heather Perry (2005, 2009) of Klatch emceed the event. Curtis provided frozen cold brew cocktails for all.

Frozen cold brew refreshments for all (Photo: Just Shannon for Sprudge)

Seattle Baristas Moving On:

Robert Uribe (Cherry Street Public House)
Andrew Iwerson (Cherry Street Public House)
Connor Nolan (Cherry Street Public House)
Sam Bradvein (Dillanos Coffee Roasters)
Adam Berge (Seattle Coffee Works)
Nicholas Balcer (Barista PDX)
Brian Seaver (Anchorhead)
Morgan Macinnis (Batdorf & Bronson)

Participation trophies were given to every competitor in Seattle.

Rancho Cucamonga Baristas Moving On:

T. Ben Fisher (Elixr)
Matthew Barahura (Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters)
Naida Lindberg (Verve Coffee)
Kay Cheon (The French Press)
Suzy Lippmann (Augie’s Coffee Roasters)
Jen McElroy (Klatch)
Hana Kaneshigo (Verve Coffee Roasters)
Alexandra Mireles (Klatch)

Brewers Cup competitor Blair Smith (Augie’s) gets splashed at the Splash Tank in Rancho Cucamonga. Smith will advance to Brewers Cup Qualifiers. (Photo by Just Shannon for Sprudge)

Rancho Cucamonga Brewers Moving On:

Blair Smith – (Augie’s)
Andy Tan – (Equator Coffees)
Nick Rivera – (Portola Coffee Lab)
Ben Silkes – (Elixr)

The next preliminary event will be the Portland Brewers Cup held on September 10, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. Read more about upcoming events vis the US Coffee Championships online.

Coverage from Seattle reported by Zachary Carlsen  for Sprudge Media Network. 

Coverage from Rancho Cucomonga reported by Just Shannon for Sprudge Media Network. 

Much more coverage from the world of barista competitions at our sister site, Sprudge Live. 

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