The Coffees of the NWRBC Finalistas

Posted on January 30, 2011 by

Barista competition season has started up in the USA, beginning with the NWRBC in Tacoma, WA. Six finalists, representing mostly Portland and Seattle, are rocking some beautiful in-season coffees. Three single-origin Guatemalas, two single-origin Colombians, and one kick-ass in-season blend.

Tyler Stevens of BaristaPDX is rocking a Guatemala roasted by Barefoot Coffee Roasters. The Michicoy lot from Finca Vista Hermosa in the Huehuetenango region. Producer is Edwin Martinez. The coffee was roasted on Jan 20.

Tyler grooms his sig drink fennel

Laila Ghambari is using Guatemala El Injerto Bourbon, roasted by Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Seattle. The coffee is a blend of two roast dates – Jan 17 and Jan 24 (12 days and 7 days post-roast). Producer is Arturo Aguirre and Arturo Jr.  “Exceptional coffee is due to exceptional people.”

Laila and the El Injerto in round one

NWRBC El Injerto

Sarah Dooley is rocking a blend, coffees from Peru, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia which is an in-season version of the Big Truck Espresso. Roaster is Olympia Coffee Roasters. The Costa Rica is honey processed.

Sarah Dooley preps her wares for finals

Seasoned WRBC and USBC competitor Ryan Wilbur, now repping Stumptown, is using the Colombia La Piramide – comprised of four small lots, roasted on Jan 20 & 21. Red fruit in a cup! Ryan has some of the best jams in the NWRBC.

RyWil setting up his milk

RyWil getting judged in the first round

Sam Purvis, of Coava Coffee Roasters, is rocking a Guatemala Xeucalvitz. Coava has been holding onto the final few pounds of this coffee just for Sam’s competition set. Beautiful citrus and cocoa notes in this coffee.

Sam has actual coffee plants on the judge's table

Purvis and a coffee sprout

Xeucalvitz by Coava

Robbie Britt, of Espresso Parts, is throwing down a washed Colombia Finca La Florida, roasted by Olympia Coffee Roasters. Producer: Manuel Antonio Ovies. Roast date: Jan 25.

Robbie and the banana strategy

All six of these bad-ass-istas deserve to be here. Beautiful coffees, great presentations, and poise. Can’t wait to see what they bring to the 2011USBC in Houston.

  • swag

    The industry really does need something beyond the annual drone of the barista competition season, however.

  • Frank

    What do you propose?

  • Anonymous

    Mike,nnMaybe it’s because I’ve been brainwashed by Intelli (which coined “in season” afaik) to think that the window for “in season” is less than a year. They used to state “less than 10 months” although that’s no longer on their “in season” page. They still suggest that coffee is not a “year-round” crop.nnThat said, 3 finalists used Guats, which would likely be from 10-13 months off harvest. Obviously those coffees still had plenty left in them. I suppose that throws the narrower definition of “in season” out the window? Or perhaps this post was your way of sneaking in an editorial to challenge that definition?nn- Rich, Aldo Coffee

  • http://shotzombies.com Mike White

    Actually I didn’t write this Rich, it was Brent! I don’t know if he was sneaking in an editorial or not!

  • Brent Fortune

    In no way was I sneaking in an editorial about “in season.” They were great coffees. The coffee Sam used was at the very very end of the Coava supply. The ran out of it in the retail shop about 2 months prior, but were holding back the last few kilos specifically for Sam to use in the competition.