I’m shocked! There’s still one spot remaining for a competitor hailing from the Southeast in the U.S. AeroPress Championship! Guys, really? You Southeasterners need to nab this! The AeroPress Championship is one of the best little down-and-dirty celebrations of coffee brewing excellence in the world. Oh, did someone say “the world”? That makes sense since the winner of the U.S. AeroPress Championship gets to go to Melbourne, Australia, to compete in the World AeroPress Championship!
So again, I’m shocked there’s even one spot left. So go get it.
Oh, and give me a moment to say something that has to be said: U.S. AeroPress Championship sponsors, you rock! This is a tough competition to put on because it’s always been by the people, for the people, with all the legwork being done by tireless volunteers like Brent Fortune and Joshua Wisemans. So thanks, everybody!
Onward: other U.S. AeroPress Championship details: The competition takes place on Saturday, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. at the Bunn booth, #553, on the show floor of the Specialty Coffee Association of America show in Boston.
Judges have just been announced, and man, are they smokin! World Barista Champion Raul Rodas of Paradigma Coffee; Alterra Coffee’s Director of Coffee George Bregar; and one more TBA. Michael “Panda” Fernandez ”one of the hardest working barista supporters in the universe ”of Espresso Parts has been named the Most Innovative Method Judge for the competition.
Want to know who will be competing?
Great Lakes Aeropress Champion Madeline Carr – Ann Arbor, MI – Comet Coffee (NC)
Sam Schroeder – Olympia, WA – Olympia Coffee Roasting Co. (NW)
Nik Virrey – Seattle, WA – Slate Coffee Roasters (NW)
Willie Yliluoma – Portland, OR – Heart (NW)
Nathan Hoida – Milwaukee, WI – Alterra Coffee Roasters (NC)
Jesse Raub – Chicago, IL – Intelligentsia Coffee (NC)
Andy Sprenger – Annapolis, MD – Independent (NE)
Andrew Blumhagen – New York, New York – Sweetleaf (NE)
Navin Sivakumar – Syracuse, NY – Independent (NE)
Annie McGee – Santa Cruz, CA – Verve Coffee Roasters (SW)
Sterling Houghton – Long Beach, CA – Makai Coffee (SW)
Jesse Gonzales – Los Angeles, CA – Independent (SW)
Robert Reagan – Canyon, TX – Palace Coffee Company (SC)
Zach Althaus – St. Louis, MO – Goshen Coffee (SC)
Stephen Schuh – St. Louis, MO – Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co. (SC)
Dut Goodman – Griffin, GA – Safehouse Coffee Roasters (SE)
Jeremy Moore – Chattanooga, TN – BonLife Coffee (SE)
SOUTH EAST SPOT OPEN
For more details on this amazing competition, go HERE. And stay tuned to Barista Magazine‘s blog (this thing you’re reading) on Saturday, April 12, for all the news and photos you’ll ever need from the U.S. AeroPress Championship!
