Local Coffee Professional served as the Head Judge to oversee America’s Best Barista’s as they Competed for Title of United States Barista Champion.
Scott Conary; owner of The Open Eye Cafe and Carrboro Coffee Company served as the Head Judge at the US Barista Championship (USBC) in Portland Oregon, March 5-8 2009.
In Portland, top Baristas in the country competed for the national title in this four-day competition . The winner of the USBC will represent the United States in the World Barista Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, April 16-19, 2009 (www.usbc2009.com), hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) in conjunction with its annual exposition, which is the largest gathering of coffee professionals in the world.
Out of the original 61 competitiors from around the country, Michael Philips from Intelligentsia coffee in Chicago was the National Champion for 2009.
Competitors are required to make 12 beverages, including four espressos, four cappuccinos and four original signature drinks of their own creation within 15 minutes in front of a panel of accomplished industry judges. Seven USBC-certified judges, including one head judge, two technical judges and four sensory judges, carefully evaluate and score each of the contenders. Competitors were judged on taste, beverage presentation, technical skills, coffee knowledge & passion and overall impression.
About Scott Conary
For the last 14 years Scott has worked in the coffee industry in everything from green coffee buying to coffee roasting & in the cafe making drinks. He travels extensively to work with coffee farmers in their own country, to train them and also learn from them, working toward a sustainable model of coffee consumption. He has served on the Roaster/retailer committee in the SCAA, and is currently on the USBC Committee in an attempt to further the barista and coffee industry. He judges coffee competitions around the world as a USBC & World Barista Competition (WBC) Certified judge.
About the SCAA
The SCAA is the world’s largest coffee trade association dedicated to creating a vibrant specialty coffee community. We recognize, develop and promote specialty coffee by setting and maintaining quality standards for the industry; conducting research on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education, training, resources and business services for members. Celebrating 26 years of success, the strength of our organization is reflective of our members who represent more than forty countries and every segment of the Specialty Coffee industry, from coffee growers to coffee roasters and retailers. Together, we ensure our industry continues to thrive. Visit www.scaa.org.