Breaking here first exclusively on Sprudge.com [12:00am PST 4/1/2013], we’ve got a complete list of the speakers at the 2013 Nordic Barista Cup, happening September 5th-7th in Oslo, Norway. Heading up the list of speakers is our own staff writer Alex Bernson, who’ll be delivering a learned treatsie on modes and modalities of service in a variety of cafe settings. Other highlights from the speaker’s list: Rene Redzepi of Noma returns to make good on his 2012 NBC promise to deliver a world-class coffee restaurant coffee service; Scott Guglielmino of La Marzocco USA waxes poetic on “water, the main ingredient in coffee”; and Randy Pope of BUNN, who’ll capitalize on extensive grinder research with a speech alongside the Nordic Barista Cup’s own Francisca Listov-Saabye.

Here’s the full list! Speakers confirmed by NBC Executive Grand Council, speaker topics gently interpolated by Your Sprudge Editors.

Alex Bernson, Sprudge.com / Sweetleaf – “Executive Service Realness”

Christer Söderberg, Open World Foundation – “Sustainability: It Is My Passions”

Christian Nedergaard, Ved Stranden 10 – “Wine Bars In Scandinavia Are Better As Well”

Cynthia Sandberg, Love Apple Farms – “Biodynamic or Biodynamic Curious?”

Emma Bladyka, SCAA Science Manager – “Producers, Science, and Producers Producing Science”

Felipe Croce, Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza – “The Organic Girl From Ipanema”

Francisca Listov-Saabye, Nordic Barista Cup– “Grinder Research, Grindr Research”

Pontus Dahlström, Maaemo – “Maaemo, Almo, Nomo: Serving One And All”

Randy Pope, BUNN – “Keep On Grindin’ Them BUNNs”

René Redzepi, Noma – “I’m Sorry, I Cannot Hear You Over My Michelin Stars, But Thank You For Joining Us”

Scott Guglielmino, La Marzocco USA – “Scott Guglielmino Presents: Waterworld 2013”

Follow Sprudge.com for Nordic Barista Cup coverage throughout the 2013 Nordic Barista Cup season. Who will take home the coveted Cup at this year’s NBC? The scrappy Icelanders? The heroic, valiant Swedes? Or will it be a repeat victory by the underdog Finns? Stay with Sprudge.com for all the latest.

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Since 2003, the Nordic Barista Cup has been the premiere Scandinavian national team competition/seminar program in all of Scandinavia. Coffee professionals from around the world visit to enjoy lectures, speakers, cuppings, wine tastings, whale eating, and costume parties. NBC’s motto is to “be together, act together, learn together”, and togetherness was had all around.

This last weekend bore witness to the momentous undertaking that was Nordic Barista Cup Copenhagen 2012. Like so many, we followed along all weekend via content on NordicBaristaCup.com, and on Twitter at #NBC2012.

Each year, the NBC hosts a coffee producing country and this year it was Kenya, Kenya, Kenya. All Kenya, all the time. As mentioned, we followed along closely via NordicBaristaCup.com, and from their archives, we’ve compiled some of our favorite presentations from this year’s NBC.

Morten Wennersgaard, founder and green buyer for Norway’s Nordic Approach, took the audience of the Nordic Barista Cup on a sweeping Scandinavian journey, sourcing quality coffees from deep in the darkest bowels of EAST Africa. Watch this exclusive video, found exclusively on the Nordic Barista Cup exclusive website:

Last year at the Nordic Barista Cup, James Hoffmann – Square Mile co-owner, World Barista/Brewers/Tasters Cup Champion, and International Coffee Legend – dared to “Reinvent Espresso” in a stunning, memorable lecture. This year, Hoffmann asked hard ball questions and told the audience things they perhaps weren’t ready to hear.

Tate Britain wine buyer and head sommelier Hamish Anderson is a celebrated wine aficionado. Coffee took a back seat for this wine-forward presentation, sending the audience into fits of wine tasting ecstasy.

Tim Wendelboe is regarded as one of the finest purveyors of speciality coffee in the world. His roastery, espresso bar and coffee school in Oslo is a global point of pilgrimage for coffee connoisseurs. Mr. Wendelboe is the 2004 and 2005 World Cup Tasting Champion, and the 2004 World Barista Champion. He spoke to the assembled Nordic Barista Cup delegation the topic of “Developing Green Coffee Quality”:

YouTube links not working correctly? Here are standard HTML links:

Morten Wennersgaard – Sourcing Quality in Africa
James Hoffmann – How To Make A Viable Career In Coffee
Hamish Anderson – Terroir Vs. Blending in Wine
Tim Wendelboe – Developing Green Coffee Quality

The post Nordic Barista Cup 2012: Our Favorite Moments appeared first on Sprudge.com.

Sprudge editorial was unable to attend this year – we’re really sad that we couldn’t make it, especially after having the opportunity to see all of the fun in Oslo last year. Really, the NBC is one of the best coffee events in the whole wide world, and it’s our sincere hope to bring you interesting, original, anything-but-bland coverage from the NBC again next summer.

But you know why we’re really sad we couldn’t make it? Open industry secret: Nordic Barista Cup attracts the hunkiest men in coffee, year in and year out. Caps lock HUNKS. Don’t believe us? Our recently paroled HunkShot™ Curator Randall H. Bodom self-funded his way to Copenhagen just to snap these shots. (Don’t ask what he had to do to get tickets.) Have a look-see for yourself…

“Oooh. Sultry eyes and a smart dresser. Stopped me in my tracks. And I’d just found out about the winning coffees at the Nordic Barista Cup. Solberg & Hansen took the roaster prize and best filter coffee trophy. Double Shot took the prize in…you guessed it…espresso. Maybe this man could pull me a shot? Single or double, honey, you take control.”

“Looks like they filled my lefse with beefcake! What’s that you got in your hand, Tim? Looks absolutely thrilling. Must be that winning espresso. Speaking of, did you catch that lusty James Hoffmann’s talk on Reinventing Espresso? My advice: watch it again. Fast forward to 29:00 where it really gets juicy.”

“The scene: I’m walking with one pound of green coffee, one pound of partially roasted coffee and one pound of dark roast. Something must’ve caught my eye for a split second and oof! There goes three pounds of beans all over the floor. Clumsy Randy! Luckily this nice man got right down on the ground and starting helping me clean up. We both looked up and gazed into each other’s eyes. I said: stop. Don’t move. Let Randy capture that smile.” Siighh…

“These two? Nothing but trouble, trust me.”

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