Lemuel Butler is your 2013 Southeast Regional Barista Competition champion! This is Mr. Butler’s astounding 4th win at the SERBC, further cementing his place as the winningest barista in SERBC history. Lem competed and won using Counter Culture Coffee’s Kenya Thiriku, a coffee he described as having a creamy body with notes of cranberries and black currant. Learn more about Kenya Thiriku hereand take some home.
Mr. Butler has a long history of inventive signature drinks with clever names – this year’s drink was called “The Illusionist”, and included pistachio cream, shots of Thiriku espresso, and a hibiscu tea with lemon zest that Mr. Butler steeped live on stage. The end result was a drink that yielded “hidden” chocolate and cranberry notes – an illusion that gave the drink its name.
Lem Butler’s winning score was 603 points – just a half point more than the second place finisher. Here’s the final order of SERBC finalists with their individual final scores:
1. Lemuel Butler, Counter Culture Coffee – 603 points
2. Colin Whitcomb, MADCAP Coffee Company – 602.5 points
3. Michael Harwood, Carrboro Coffee Roasters – 591 points
4. Trevor Corlett, MADCAP Coffee Company – 582 points
5. Camila Ramos, Panther Coffee – 579.5 points
6. Travis Beckett, Peregrine Espresso – 556.5 points
Michael Harwood will be taking home a Baratza Encore grinder. Colin Whitcomb will be taking home a Baratza Preciso grinder. Lemuel Butler will be taking home a Baratza Vario-W grinder, a one year subscription to Barista Magazine, will have flights and accomodations to the United States Barista Championship in Boston (furnished by DaVinci Gourmet), and will take a week-long trip to origin with Cafe Imports!
Congratulations to all of this year’s Southeast Regional Barista Competition finalists, competitors, and sponsor roasters!
Sprudge.com’s coverage from Atlanta is made possible by direct support from Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters and Nuova Simonelli.
