UK Barista Championship 2012 - 25/03/2012
What's it all about?
During the Barista Championship contestants will get 15 minutes to set up their work area and then 15 minutes to make 4 espresso, 4 cappuccino and finally 4 espresso based non alcoholic speciality drinks. The espresso machines are provided for the competition by San Remo. Grinders will also be available for competitors although many choose to bring their own. Should you need it, milk will be provided by Cravendale. The drinks are then judged by 2 Technical Judges and 4 Sensory (see the judges "Sensory and Technical Score Sheets").
The various judges' deliberations will eventually boil down to one score for each barista, out of a maximum of 840. The top 20 scores will go through to the semi finals to be held during The London Coffee Festival at The Old Truman Brewery in London. These will be whittled down to the final 6 for the following day's final, 29 April 2012.
The overall winner of the 2012 UK Barista Championships will represent the UK at the World Barista Championships taking place in Vienna 12-15 June 2012, as part of the World of Coffee, 2012, being held at Messe Wien.
UK Barista Championship 2012 Semifinalists
Sang Ho Park
Dale Harris
Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood
Howard Barwick
Gordon Howell*
Dave Jones
Joe Beaver
Dan Fellows
Matthew Robley-Siemonsma
Laura Timpany
Rummy Keshett
Alex Sargent
Mark Lamberton
Sam Dunford
Stuart Archer**
Dan Shannon
James Bailey
Steve Dyson***
Thom Harlow
Mark Pooley
* Gordon Howell - winner of the "Best Espresso" in the BSA 2011 Awards
** Stuart Archer - Beverage Standards Association member
*** Beverage Standards Assocaition Assessor for 2011 Awards
Best Newcomer Prize Leaderboard
Sponsored by Union Hand Roasted, the current leader of the Best Newcomer competition is still Dan Fellows.
Dan also became the UK Coffee Events (UKCE) 2012 Coffee in Good Spirits champion at Hotelympia in March, and the destination for this competition was announced this week. Dan needs to make sure his passport is in order, as he heads off to Seoul ( Korea) to compete in November!
Accompanying Dan to Korea will be the UKCE 2012 Latte Art Champion Peter Attridge who will be competing against other country finalists for the Latte Art World Title.
The SCAE wishes both Dan and Peter all the best for these events.
Updated: Saturday, 24th March 2012