Serving People Serving Coffee Since 2005
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UNITED STATES COFFEE CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT SCAA EXPO IN ATLANTA IN CONJUNCTION WITH the annual Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Expo in Atlanta in April, the United States Barista Championship (USBC), Brewers Cup, and Roaster Championship took place over the course of three days. Thirty-six baristas qualified to compete in the USBC after taking part in an earlier round of competition in February. Thirty-seven U.S. Brewers Cup competitors and 39 Roaster Championship competitors battled for their national titles in Atlanta, as well. Lemuel Butler of Counter Culture Coffee in Durham, N.C., won the USBC and will represent the United States at the World Barista Championship in Dublin in June. Lemuel will be joined overseas by Todd Goldsworthy of Klatch Coffee in San Dimas, Calif., who won the U.S. Brewers Cup and will make a run at the World Brewers Cup title in Dublin. Both Todd and Lem bring a wealth of experience to the international stage: Lem has won the Southeast Regional Barista Competition title five times over seven years of competing; Todd was the 2014 U.S. Brewers Cup Champion. Tony Querio of Spyhouse Coffee Roasters in Minneapolis, won top honors in the U.S. Roaster Championship. He, Lem, and Todd were joined in the winner's circle at the U.S. Coffee Championships in Atlanta by Austin Amento of Augie's Coffee in Redlands, Calif., who won the U.S. Cup Tasters Championship earlier this year. At a separate event in Atlanta, Ben Jones of Ristretto Roasters in Portland, Ore., beat out 40 competitors for the title of United States AeroPress Champion. Ben heads to Dublin in June, as well, to vie for the title of World AeroPress Champion. Specialty-coffee importer Ally Coffee is delighted to join representatives from the company—led by coffee director Ricardo Pereira—on a trip to visit coffee farms in Brazil this summer. As the new U.S. Coffee Championships Origin Sponsor, Ally is awarding the top two in the USBC, the U.S. Brewers Cup, and the U.S. Roaster Championship, with this all-expenses-paid trip. Tagging along for the ride will be Reg Barber of Reg Barber Enterprises, Gianni Cassatini of Nuova Simonelli, and Kenneth R. Olson of Barista Magazine, whose feature article about the adventure will appear in the October + November 2016 issue. —Sarah Allen At top, the 2016 United States Coff ee Champions. From le : Austin Amento, U.S. Cup Tasters Champion; Todd Goldsworthy, U.S. Brewers Cup Champion; Tony Querio, U.S. Roaster Champion; and Lem Butler, U.S. Barista Champion. Below, Ben Jones carefully presses the coff ee that will win him the title of U.S. AeroPress Champion. PHOTO BY LILY KUBATA PHOTO BY NATE GWATNEY 29 www.baristamagazine.com