Caravan Coffee and the American Barista & Coffee School team up for barista showdown to raise money for a good cause while building barista community in Oregon
Barista make coffee for all kinds of reasons: They love coffee; they’re super skilled; they love the social aspect of specialty coffee; and/or they understand that promoting and serving amazing specialty coffee is a crucial part of saving the world by insuring fair wages for coffee farmers and preservation of nature in coffee-growing countries.
Regardless of why you make coffee, you’re invited to Newberg, Ore., on August 16 to take part in the 2nd Annual Barista Showdown, with all profits going to the Newberg Area Habitat for Humanity. The event, which already has maxed out registration, will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Caravan Coffee, 2750 E. 9th St., Newberg. (If you want to be on a waiting list in case a competition space becomes available, email Marcus Karaffa at marcus@caravancoffee.com)
Prizes for this epic contest include a 2.5-day educational package for baristas with the American Barista & Coffee School in Portland (valued at $2,500), and an amazing training session on grading, roasting, and profile development (valued at $800) with Paul Allen, the head roaster for Caravan Coffee who is also a Q-Grader and certified by the Roasters Guild.
“Coffee brings life, unity, and inspiration,” says Karaffa, the organizer of the event, “and what we’re doing shows our belief that the world can be bettered, baristas can be encouraged, and non-profits helped.”
The event will be held in Caravan Coffee’s Newberg, Oregon facility, and will include local beer, wine, and great coffee as well as food and live music. Baristas will have 15 minutes to present 3 round of drinks to the judges: 2 shots of espresso, 2 traditional 5.5 oz. cappuccinos, and 2 signature drinks.
Judges are Marcus Young, whose certifications include being a World Barista Championship judge and who writes regularly on social justice issues in the coffee industry, and Paul Allen of Caravan Coffee.
Karaffa expects the competition to draw baristas from Portland as well as from smaller cities in a 20-mile radius. Mud River Coffee Roasters is providing coffee as a guest roaster for competitors with Caravan, and other sponsors include Bellissimo, South Store Cafe, Rendered Screen Print, H&H Coffee Supply, and Golden Valley Brewing.
All profits go to the Newberg Habitat for Humanity. What a totally awesome reason to be a barista.
