It began with 136 competitors. Baristas from across America have been in competition since last October, spread across six regions and three Big Regional events. From that starting group just 18 are left in the 2014 United States Barista Championship cycle, and a schedule has now been set for Semi-Finals Saturday in Seattle. They come from teeming metropolises and humble industrial towns, from established leading roasters and upstart brands. In this list you’ll find present and future coffee directors, cafe owners, and industry leaders. Any one of them could win it all here in Seattle.
Here they are, the top 18 barista competitors in the United States, with just one cut left to go before before the top six baristas in America are declared for Finals Sunday. Let’s get ready to rumble.
All times PST. Follow @SprudgeLive for play-by-play coverage from Seattle.
1. 9:17 Hadassah Wilson, Square One Coffee, Lancaster, PA @squareonecoffee @hadassahedith
2. 9:36 Josh Wismans, Colectivo Coffee, Milwaukee @ColectivoCoffee
3. 9:55 Eden-Marie Abramowicz, Intelligentsia Coffee, Los Angeles @MissEdenMarie @intelligentsia
4. 10:14 Sam Schroeder, Olympia Coffee Roasting Co., Olympia @s_schro @olympiacoffee
5. 10:33 Tyler Rovenstine, Oddly Correct Coffee, KCMO @oddlycorrect @TRovenstine
6. 10:57 Charles Babinski, G & B, Los Angeles @GandBcoffee @charlesbabinski
7. 11:16 Andrew Grassmick, MADCAP Coffee, Grand Rapids @angentpilgrim @madcapcoffee
8. 11:35 J. Park Brannen, Counter Culture Coffee, New York, NY @counter_culture @jparkbrannen
9. 11:54 Jesse Raub, Intelligentsia Coffee, CHI @Intelligentsia @jesseraub
10. 12:23 Sam Brown, Stone Creek Coffee, Milwaukee @stonecreekcoffe
11. 12:47 Camila Ramos, Panther Coffee, Miami FL @panthercoffee @milamos
12. 1:06 Erika Vonie, Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia @ultimocoffee @OkAn_EerieEvil
13. 1:35 Nora Brady, Blueprint Coffee, St. Louis @BlueprintCoffee @snackpackbrady
14. 1:54 Laila Ghambari, Cherry Street Coffee House, Seattle @CherryStreet @lay_luh
15. 2:18 Brenna Kail, Intelligentsia Coffee, CHI @Intelligentsia
16. 2:37 Trevor Corlett, Madcap Coffee Co., Washington, DC @MadcapCoffee @tjorlet
17. 2:56 Cole McBride, PublicUs / Velton’s, Seattle @colecoffee @visionsespresso
18. 3:15 David Fasman, Kaldi’s Coffee, St. Louis @Kaldis_Coffee @DavidFasman
Sprudge.com’s coverage of the 2014 United States Barista Championship is made possible by direct support from Cafe Imports and the Wilbur Curtis Company. All of our 2014 barista competition coverage, domestic and international, is underwritten by support from Nuova Simonelli.
We’re proud to serve as official media partners of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, whose professional and courteous staff organize and execute these extraordinary events.
Top photo of Seattle by Thatcher Kelly.
