California here we cooooooooooome…
Things are heating up now. While the Coffee in Good Spirits, Cup Tasters, and Roaster Championship reach the midway point of their Qualifying Event rounds, the Barista Championship and Brewers Cup are ready to crown their next champion, and it’s all going down this weekend at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California.
For three days, coffee professionals from around the country will descend upon Orange County, some looking to claim their spots at Nationals in Portland, others looking to book a longer flight: to the World Coffee Championships in Melbourne this May. And of course, Sprudge will be there all weekend long bringing you up-to-the-minute coverage via our competitions portal Sprudge Live, Instagram, and with the triumphant return of our live-tweeting of each and every US Barista Championship routine. It’s as close as you can be to the action without making the trip to the OC yourself.
And for those lucky enough to be in attendance, we’ve compiled a handy little field guide for Coffee Champs weekend. Be they competitor schedules or all the night’s biggest parties, we’ve got you covered. We’ll be updating this list throughout the weekend as more events pop onto our radar, so make sure you are checking in. And do make sure you are following us on Instagram and Sprudge Live on Twitter to stay on top o the latest goings on.
Got an event you want included on our list? Send us a message!
Sprudge Media Networkโs coverage of the 2020 US Coffee Championships is presented by Cafe Imports,ย Acaia,ย IKAWA,ย Pacific Barista Series,ย Bellwether, andย Baratza.
Thursday, February 20th
Let’s Pour Latte Art Seminar by Slow Pour:ย Continuing in their mission to drum up excitement for the Latte Art Championship, Slow Pour Supply is hosting a latte art seminar featuring for US Latte Art Champion Angie Chung. Taking place at Common Room Roasters, the event will feature a milk presentation from Straus Family Creamery followed by hands-on skills training from Chung and her brother, 3rd place finisher in the US Latte Art Championship, William Park. The curriculum includes a demonstration on “how to transform your basic service pours to more intricate designs, and using latte art etching as an effective tool to enhance your latte art patterns.” This is a pay what you want even with $10, $15, and $20 options; all ticket sales will be donated to the Australian Red Cross to help with the bushfire relief efforts. Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite.
5:30pm at Common Room Roasters, 882 Production Pl, Newport Beach
Friday, February 21st
For a full list of competitors, check out our Day One scheduleย here.
9:30am-5:30pm: US Barista Championship, Round One
9:30am-5:30pm: USBC Audience Service
10:30am-3:00pm: US Brewers Cup, Round One, Day One
12:00pm-5:00pm: USBrC Audience Service
6:30pm: US Barista Championship Semi-Finals Announcements
Opening Night Party by La Marzocco: Kick the wild weekend off right with the opening party hosted by La Marzocco. Taking place at Common Room Roasters, the LM shindig will feature beer from Docent Brewing, wine from Color Wine, a taco truck, and music provided by Beans & Beats. The event is free to attend but spots are limited, so make sure to RSVP in advance via the Facebook event page.
7:00pm at Common Room Roasters, 882 Production Pl, Newport Beach
Coffee Champs Social Climb: If drinking isn’t really your bag or you are just looking for one night of physical activity to balance out the rest of the time spent partying, join Sprudge Managing Editor Zac Cadwalader (Hey! That’s me!) and Lead Photographer Charlie Burt for a night of non-coffee or alcohol-related fun at Rockreation Climbing Gym, just one short mile from Coffee Champs. Whether you are an experienced climber or want to try out the newest sport headed to the 2020 Olympics, this event is here for you; just come have fun and move a little. This is a non-sponsored event, meaning all entry fees are up to you. For more information, check out the Facebook event page.
7:00pm at Rockreation Climbing Gym, 1300 Logan Ave, Costa Mesa
Pies & Pours Latte Art Throwdown: It’s not a coffee competition without at least one good ole fashioned throwdown and Neat Coffee and Dune Coffee Roasters are joining forces for just that. There’s a $5 buy-in and cash prizes for the top three, and the Sgt. Pepperoni’s pizza truck will be on-hand to dish out some slices. Registration starts promptly at 6:30pm, so there get early because spots will fill up fast.
7:00pm at Neat Coffee, 1922 Pomona Ave, Costa Mesa
Saturday, February 22nd
For a full list of competitors, check out our Day Two schedule here.
9:30am-3:30pm: US Barista Championship, Semi-Finals
9:30am-5:30pm: USBC Audience Service
10:00am-12:30pm: Coffee in Good Spirits, Day One
10:00am-3:30pm: Roaster Championship Presentations, Day One
10:00am-5:00pm: Roaster Championship Audience Service
10:30am-3:00pm: US Brewers Cup, Round One, Day Two
10:30am-4:30pm: Cup Tasters, Day One
12:00pm-5:00pm: USBrC Audience Service
1:30pm-5:00pm: CIGS Happy Hour/Audience Service
5:30pm: US Barista Championship and Brewers Cup Finalist Announcements
Glitter Cat Carnivalito: There really aren’t many competition-adjacent coffee parties any better than Glitter Cat parties, and Orange County looks to be no different. Join them at MoonGoat Coffee for Carnivalito, “a night of carnival games, bounce houses, hot dogs (vegan & GF options available!), popcorn, corn hole, and so much more!” The entire event is free to attend and includes food, alcoholic and N/A options, games, and prizes. While “specifically for our friends who identify as a member of a marginalized or underrepresented community,” Glitter Cat’s Carnivalito is welcome to all.
7:00pm at MoonGoat Coffee, 1985 Placentia Ave, Costa Mesa.ย
Yoga with Dona:ย Come down from the high highs (or up from the low lows) of a full day of coffee competition with Dona and a lovely restorative yoga sesh. Dona has teamed up with Triad Yoga and Pilates to provide attendees with a free session to ease those tired muscles and reset the mind.
8:00pm at Triad Yoga and Pilates, 1101 Dove St. #120, Newport Beach
Sunday, February 23rd
For a full list of competitors, check out our Day Three schedule here.
10:00am-12:30pm: Coffee in Good Spirits, Day Two
10:00am-2:30pm: Roasters Championship Presentations, Day Two
10:00am-4:00pm: Roasters Championship Audience Service
10:30am-4:30pm: Cup Tasters, Day Two
11:00-3:15pm: US Barista Championship Finals
11:30-3:30pm: US Brewers Cup Finals
Zac Cadwaladerย is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas.ย Read more Zac Cadwaladerย on Sprudge.
