S4:EP15: COFFEE SMARTER
Topic: Barista Competitions
Guest: Chris O’Brien, Coffee Cycle Roasting
Title: Founder/Head Roaster
Instagram: @coffeecycleroasting
Website: www.coffeecycleroasting
It was nice having Chris back on the show. He and I have this bad habit where we plan an hour for a relaxed podcast recording, but then we talk for an hour before we actually start recording, and afterward, we keep saying some variation of, “I’mma let you go, but before I do…”
And on and on it goes.
What I love about doing this podcast is that I am truly learning along with you. I’m just as surprised as anyone when an innocuous question about barista competitions leads into a conversation about the economic value and impact—positive and negative—of coffee culture.
Coffee has a way of greasing the wheels of conversation. That’s a saying, right?
The primary competition we discussed was the World Barista Championship. It is a celebration of the skills baristas can master in their craft. Competitions are generally judged on three different coffee presentations—one each for espresso, cappuccino, and a competitor’s signature drink. Beyond the coffee, the competitors are judged on their presentations, ability to convey what they are doing, technical skills, and style.
In the 2018 World Barista Championship performance (above), you’ll notice that the competitor uses a blender hidden behind the EK-43 grinder and references the carbonic maceration coffee processing method.
It might seem like an extremist version of being a coffee bartender, but it really does condense down what it can feel like to be in the fishbowl behind the bar. Check out the movie Baristas for a longer, more in-depth look at that prep and emotion that goes into preparing for competition.
CARBONIC MACERATION
In season 1 of this show we did a brief episode about coffee processing.
TIP YOUR BARISTA
Barista is an Italian/Spanish word for bartender. You tip your bartender, don’t you? Don’t you? Tip your baristas. They are crafting that coffee for you. Where would your day be without it?
For every sticker sold, OWL will tip a local barista the proceeds.* 3” sticker with thick, durable vinyl protects against scratches, water, and sunlight.
*If you are a barista, hit me up on Instagram. Give me a follow, and I’ll send one (or a few) out to your coffee shop gratis. @RoastWestCoast
R!WC INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Click these R!WC Industry Partners links. Drink their coffees and whiskeys. Visit their cafes. Support local coffee shops. You won’t be disappointed.
Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Leap Coffee • Steady State Roasting • CAFÉ LaTERRE • Mostra Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Importers • Marea Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee Company • Ignite Coffee Company
COFFEE JOBS: Check out the R!WC Coffee Jobs thread here.
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Coffee Smarter: Barista Competitions