On Valentines Day weekend, a few members of our Buena Vista Roastery team attended this years Mountain Regional Barista Competition in Loveland, Colorado. Â None of us competed (next year, baby!), but we had a really great time, and were totally blown away by the quality of baristas that we saw there.
Brad, Chris, and Shawnelle at the barista comp!Â
The competition was no joke; each barista had to show that, not only could they make a great drink, they could do it under immense pressure. Â In front of an eager crowd and 4 judges, they pulled their shots, made their drinks, and served them with style and flair. Â I got
Barista serves the judges his signature drink
sweaty palms just watching as each competitor tried not to sound nervous while explaining (via head-set mics) how, say, their espresso contains ethiopian and thus the hint of blueberry, or how they would now be cooking up a caramel sauce to use in their signature drink (yes, people brought hot-plates and prepared drink ingredients right there on stage! crazy!).  Each barista even had to have their own specially chosen music to accompany them while they were on stage!  And all this with a giant timer above their heads, counting  down from 15 minutes…
The set-up..
Needless to say, this competition was a great experience for our BV Roastery crew.  We tasted some really incredible espressos, and were impressed by the creativity involved in each competitor’s ‘signature drinks.’  We came away excited, a little intimidated, and totally challenged to become both better roasters and better baristas.  Maybe next year, one of our own will get to compete in the Mountain Regional Barista Competition!  Fingers crossed!
