The 2013 NERBC happens live all week from February 20th – 22nd, at Attic Studios in Long Island City (11-05 44th Road). NYC residents can access Attic Studios via the E, M, G and 7 trains. The event kicks of Wednesday, February 20th at 11am, with finals scheduled to start Friday, Feburary 22nd at 10:30am. HERE IS THE LIVESTREAM – IT IS STREAMING LIVE.
Never before has there been a more tortured road to regional barista competition action than the 2013 NERBC. It was supposed to be the first show in the 2013 USBC competition calendar. It was supposed to be held November 2nd-4th at Bally’s Atlantic City. We were going to write so many boardwalk puns and Boardwalk Empire in-jokes, and probably lose some money at blackjack, etc. But alas, this was not to be, as Hurricane Sandy clearly had other plans. We watched.We printed updates. And finally, amidst all our worry and sadness for the folks affected by the storm, we felt a sense of relief when the event was wisely canceled.
A whole rigamarole, it was, and it left a lot of questions, like “when are they actually going to hold this thing?”, and “does anybody want to take 30 pounds of coffee off my hands?” But now the event is back, it’s going to be great, it’s right in New York City, convenient to get to, and we can’t wait to come and cover it. Did you know that barista competitions are super expensive for everyone all around? Did you know that getting screwed by a hurricane does not mean you get your money back? Let’s all be like double-thankful to the event sponsors, hosts, competitors, and everybody who get knocked down by Sandy only to get back up again. New York City is the greatest city in the world.
Schedules:
Here’s your complete NERBC Round One schedule! We’ll have the Finals Sunday Friday schedule up just as soon as they’re announced on Thursday afternoon. And here’s a complete schedule for Round One at the Brewers Cup, presented in traditional “silent auction” style. We’ll be covering both events all weekend via our @SprudgeLive Twitter feed, home to the very best live event coverage in specialty coffee. Along the way there will be puppetry, video interviews, goofs, and a lot of fun, so stick with Sprudge for content from NERBC all weekend week long.
Parties:
On Wednesday, February 20th the folks at Counter Culture Coffee are hosting a shindig at their iconic Midtown Manhattan Training Center (37 W. 26th St., Suite 400). This will be the kick-off to their Cup Tasters Challenge series, and will also be home to alcoholic libations, friendly fun times, and music from your DJ Sprudge Editors. Join us at 7:00pm for Cup Tasters sign-ups, with the game starting at 7:30. Learn more about the Counter Culture Cup Tasters Challenge from this here link. You can also sign up via Facebook. If you’ve never seen a Cup Tasters challenge, you should totally come to this event, because they’re really fun to watch – plus we’re good DJ’s.
On Thursday, February 21st there is a most excellent party happening in Brooklyn at Mable’s Smokehouse, hosted by the kind, generous, handsome and winsome folks at Dallis Bros. Coffee. The event is being held in Williamsburg at Mable’s Smokehouse (44 Berry Street, entrance on 11th), which is pretty cool sound BBQ jook joint. There will be BBQ’d meats, Frito pie, pickled beets, mint juleps, and something called “Dad’s Cold Medicine”, which is just Crown Royal and Dr. Pepper. This is basically THE place to be on Thursday night, so sign up on Facebook and get thee there.
On Friday, February 22nd there is nothing scheduled, which means you can and should take this opportunity to do something non-coffee related with your coffee friends. BBQ duck at Great New York Noodletown? Drinks at Pouring Ribbons? A schlepp and a wait for some pork buns at Momofuku? The best burger in New York (arguably) at Lot 2? A long walk around Lower Manhattan, stopping in for a nondescript but totally perfect street slice of cheese pizza? A late night trek to Flatbush for the planet’s best jerk chicken? Cocktails at some hard-to-get-into bar that you are only getting into because of your NYC barista friends? Or a beer and some desperately beautiful trashy ennui at the Alligator Lounge?
THE CITY IS YOUR OYSTER. Go have fun!
Sprudge coverage of the NERBC is made possible by direct support from Dallis Bros. Coffee.
