U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminaries: Making Coffee Competitions More Accessible

Dear U.S. Coffee Community,

Exciting new developments are coming to U.S. Coffee Championships for the 2018 season! The Barista Guild of America and U.S. Competitions Working Group have been listening to your feedback and working diligently to create this next evolution of U.S. coffee competitions. Our goal is to make competing more accessible to everyone in the coffee community.

We are pleased to announce the new U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminaries. The Preliminaries will be Member Driven Events – fun, low-cost competitions at the local level.

Making Competitions More Accessible

This August and September, depending on community interest, there will be 3 to 6 Preliminaries across the United States, organized and hosted by local SCA Campuses or member facilities. Hosts will offer compulsory versions of the Barista Competition and/or Brewers Cup.

This means that for Barista competitors all wares, equipment, and coffee will be provided. Competitors may bring their own wares or grinder, if they would like, but this is not required. Competitors are required to use a host-provided coffee.

Equipment and coffee will be provided for Brewers Cup competitors. Competitors will need to bring their own manual brewing devices, filter media, and kettle(s). Brewers may bring their own grinder, if they prefer, but this is not required. Competitors are required to use the host-provided coffee(s).

The Road to The Qualifying Competitions

The top 8 Baristas and top 4 Brewers from each of the Preliminaries will receive a guaranteed spot at the CoffeeChamps Qualifying Competitions. All remaining spots will be open registration, like in the 2017 season. Visit our website for more information on the competition structure.

Didn't have a chance to attend the Information Session? Don't worry, we have you covered! Click below to watch the full session or to view a summary of what was discussed. 

Watch Full Session

Session Overview

How to Host

Host a U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminary event in your hometown! As a host, you will have the opportunity to help vet competitors for the U.S. CoffeeChamps Qualifying Competition, make competitions more accessible accessible for competitors and judges, and to create events in a format that works best for your local coffee community. Application deadline is June 30, 2017.

How to Compete or Judge

Interested in competing in or judging a USCC Preliminary? The U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminaries offer great opportunities for new competitors and judges to get involved. SCA will announce the dates and locations of all U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminaries mid-July. Join our information session on Friday, June 23 at 9:00 a.m. to stay informed.

 

The U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminaries will be a great opportunity for local coffee communities to come together and put on awesome events! If you have any questions, please email competitions@sca.coffee. You can find more details and competition overviews on the U.S. Coffee Championships website.

I look forward to seeing you in the 2018 season!

 

All the Best,

Miguel Vicuna
U.S. Competitions Working Group Chair

2017 United States Coffee Championship Results Announced!

 
 

Over the weekend of April 21-23, 2017, coffee professionals from around the country gathered in Seattle, WA for the United States Coffee Championships. The competitors listed below will be moving on to compete at the world championships! 

Barista Championship

The winner of the 2017 U.S. Barista Championship will represent the United States in the World Barista Championship, taking place November 9-12, 2017 in Seoul, South Korea!

[View Rankings and Scores]

  1. Kyle Ramage, Mahlkonig USA, Durham, NC
  2. Andrea Allen, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
  3. Talya Strader, Equator Coffee & Teas, San Francisco, CA
  4. Samuel Lewontin, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY
  5. Bethany Hargrove, Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters, San Francisco, CA
  6. Josh Taves, Novo Coffee, Denver, CO
     

Brewers Cup Championship

The winner of the 2017 U.S. Brewers Cup will represent the United States in the World Brewers Cup, taking place June 13 - 15, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary!

[View Scores and Rankings]

  1. Dylan Siemens, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
  2. Chelsey Walker-Watson, Slate Coffee Roasters, Seattle, WA
  3. Jacob White, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, San Diego, CA
  4. Jessica Rodriguez, Klatch Coffee, Ontario, CA
  5. Tommy Kim, Andante Coffee Roasters, Los Angeles, CA
  6. Michael Schroeder, Oddly Correct Coffee Roasters, Kansas City, MO
     

Cup Tasters Championship

The winner of the 2017 U.S. Cup Tasters Championship will represent the United States in the World Brewers Cup, taking place June 13 - 15, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary!

[View Scores and Rankings]

  1. Steve Cuevas, Black Oak Roasters, Ukiah CA
  2. Anderson Stockdale, Blacksmith, Houston TX
  3. Samuel Demisse, Keffa Coffee, Baltimore MD
     

Roaster Championship

The winner of the 2017 U.S. Roaster Championship will represent the United States in the World Roaster Championship, taking place in December 2017 in Guangzhou, China!

[View Scores and Rankings]

  1. Mark Michaelson, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
  2. Tony Querio, Spyhouse Coffee Roasting Co, Minneapolis, MN
  3. Taylor Gresham, Evocation Coffee, Amarillo, TX
  4. Tim Maestas, Augie's Coffeehouse, Redlands, CA
  5. Chris Vigilante, Vigilante Coffee Company, Hyattsville, MD
  6. Evan Inatome, Elixr Coffee, Philadelphia, PA

Results Are in For #CoffeeChamps Austin!

Austin-FB-Cover-Photo.png

Over the weekend of February 11–12, 2017, coffee professionals from around the country went down to Austin, TX for the second of two Qualifying Competitions that have taken place to determine who will move on to the national championships. The competitors listed below, along with those who placed in the CoffeeChamps event in Knoxville, TN last month, will be moving on to compete at the U.S. Coffee Championships at the Global Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle, WA this April! 

Barista qualifying competition

[View Rankings and Scores]

  1. Andrea Allen, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
  2. Talya Strader, Equator Coffee & Teas, San Francisco, CA
  3. Devin Chapman, Coffee Manufactory, San Francisco, CA
  4. Ashley Rodriguez, The CRO Cafe, Oakland, CA
  5. Isaiah Sheese, Archetype Coffee, Omaha, NE
  6. Lorenzo Perkins, Fleet Coffee, Austin, TX
  7. Nicholas Balcer, Barista, Portland, OR
  8. Matthew Gasaway, Intelligentsia Coffee, Los Angeles, CA
  9. Sam Schroeder, Olympia Coffee Roasting Co., Olympia, WA
  10. Andrew Frohn, Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia, PA
  11. Becky Reeves, Barista, Portland, OR
  12. Eliza Lovett, Story Coffee Co., Colorado Springs, CO
  13. Tyler Hill, Loyal Coffee, Colorado Springs, CO
  14. Dustin Mattson, Counter Culture Coffee, Atlanta, GA
  15. David Buehrer, Greenway Coffee Co., Houston, TX
  16. Milo DeGoosh, Bard Coffee, Portland, ME
  17. Brandon Paul Weaver, Foreigner, Seattle, WA
  18. Josh Taves, Novo Coffee, Denver, CO

Brewers Cup Qualifying Competition

[View Scores and Rankings]

  1. Tommy Kim, Andante Coffee Roasters, Los Angeles, CA
  2. Jacob White, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, San Diego, CA
  3. Alexander Choppin, Baratza, Bellevue, WA
  4. Chris Garrison, Old World Coffee Lab, Reno, NV
  5. Allie Silvas, Intelligentsia Coffee, Chicago, IL
  6. Michael Schroeder, Oddly Correct, Kansas City, MO
  7. Dylan Siemens, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
  8. Chelsey Walker-Watson, Slate Coffee Roasters, Seattle, WA
  9. Brian Gelletly, Joe Coffee Co., Philadelphia, PA
  10. Sam Schroeder, Olympia Coffee Roasters, Olympia, WA
  11. Erich Rosenberg, Novo Coffee, Denver, CO
  12. Conor Poull, West Oak Coffee Roasters, Denton, TX

Cup Tasters Qualifying Competition

[View Scores and Rankings]

  1. Joe Allen, Onyx Coffee Lab, Fayetteville, AR
  2. Kevin Rosenkranz, Camber, Bellingham, WA
  3. Charles Lambert, Boxcar Coffee Roasters, Denver, CO
  4. Cody McGregor, Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia, PA
  5. Anderson Stockdale, Blacksmith, Houston, TX
  6. Taylor Sullivan, Olam Specialty Coffee, Healdsburg, CA
  7. Ryan Smith, Novel Coffee Roasters, Dallas, TX
  8. Benji Aguilar, XELA Coffee Roasters, Houston, TX
  9. Anthony Auger, Genuine Origin Coffee Project, St. Louis, MO
  10. Megan O'Connell, Independent, Portland, OR
  11. Marco Carrera, Colectivo Coffee, Milwaukee, WI
  12. Steve Hyun, Andante Coffee Roasters, Los Angeles, CA

Roaster Qualifying Competition

[View Scores and Rankings]

  1. Tim Maestas, Augie's Coffee
  2. Elliot Reinecke, Steady State Roasting
  3. Taylor Gresham, Evocation Coffee Roasters
  4. Matthew Toomey, Boomtown Coffee Roasters
  5. Mark Michaelson, Onyx Coffee Lab
  6. Evan Inatome, Elixr Coffee

Results Are in For The First #CoffeeChamps Qualifying Competition in Knoxville, TN!

Over the weekend of January 21–22, 2017, coffee professionals from around the country descended on Knoxville, TN for the first of two Qualifying Competitions that will take place to determine who will move on to the national championships. The competitors listed below, along with those who place in the CoffeeChamps event (taking place in Austin, TX next month), will be moving on to compete at the U.S. Coffee Championships at the Global Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle, WA this April! 

Barista Qualifying Competition

[View Rankings and Scores]

  1. Samuel Lewontin, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY
  2. Cole McBride, Independent, Las Vegas, NV
  3. Kyle Ramage, Mahlkonig USA, Raleigh, NC
  4. Bethany Hargrove, Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters, San Franciso, CA
  5. Matthew Barahura, Intelligentsia Coffee, Los Angeles, CA
  6. Shane Hess, Jubala Coffee, Raleigh, NC
  7. Ben Fisher, La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Philadelphia, PA
  8. Micah Sherer, Ally Coffee, Greenville, SC
  9. Hannah Craig, Quills Coffee, Louisville, KY
  10. Steph Caronna, New World Café, Apex, NC
  11. Eli Ramirez, Halfwit Coffee, Chicago, IL
  12. Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee, Everett, WA
  13. Andrew McCaslin, Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co., St Louis, MO
  14. Collin Schneider, Bespoken Coffee Roasters, Corvallis, OR
  15. Cris Mendoza, Saint Frank Coffee, San Francisco, CA
  16. Reef Bassette, Saint Frank Coffee, San Francisco, CA
  17. Amelia Wimmer, Tried & True Coffee Co., Corvalis, OR
  18. Marcos Iglesias, VP Coffee, Raleigh, NC

Brewers Cup Qualifying Competition

[View Rankings and Scores]

  1. Jenna Gotthelf, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY
  2. Wade Preston, Prevail Coffee Roasters, Auburn, AL
  3. Jessica Rodriguez, Klatch Coffee, Ontario, CA
  4. Greg Loring-Albright, Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Harrisburg, PA
  5. Alex Meece, Steadfast Coffee, Louisville, KY
  6. Brian Beyke, Independent, Louisville, KY
  7. Adam Hubbell, Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters, San Francisco, CA
  8. Phillip Hatter, Red Rooster Coffee Roaster, Floyd, VA
  9. Ashley Whelan, Keffa Coffee, Baltimore, MD
  10. Don Lawrence, Intelligentsia Coffee, Chicago, IL
  11. Dustin Thomas, Steadfast Coffee, Nashville, TN
  12. Kevin Smith, Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia, PA

Cup Tasters Qualifying Competition

[View Rankings and Scores]

  1. Samuel Demisse, Keffa Coffee, Baltimore, MD
  2. Steve Cuevas, Black Oak Coffee Roasters, Ukiah, CA
  3. Steve Latham, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY
  4. Aaron Lerner, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Manlius, MA
  5. Kenny Smith, Sunergos Coffee, Louisville, KY
  6. Aaron MacDougall, Broadsheet Coffee Roasters, Cambridge, MA
  7. Michael Burkarski, Blue Bottle Coffee, New York, NY
  8. Jeremy Moore, Bonlife Coffee Roasters, Cleveland, TN
  9. Zayne Dietterick, Keffa Coffee, Baltimore, MD
  10. Bryan Belknap, Madcap Coffee, Grand Rapids, MI
  11. Adam Snow, Beans and Bagels, Chicago, IL
  12. Blake Nail, Seeds Coffee Co, Birmingham, AL

Roaster Qualifying Competition

[View Rankings and Scores]

  1. Cameron Heath, Revelator Coffee Company, Birmingham, AL
  2. Eric Stone, Mudhouse Coffee Roasters, Charlottesville, VA
  3. Hugh Morretta, La Colombe Coffee, Philadelphia, PA
  4. Jeremias Paul, Broom Wagon Coffee, Charleston, SC
  5. Sam Kayser, Lone Oak Coffee Co, Winchester, VA
  6. Christ Vigilante, Vigilante Coffee, Hyattsville, MD