Raul Rodas, who placed 2nd in the 2010 World Barista Championship, didn’t let a little thing (insert sarcasm) like having his competition gear and coffees held up in customs hold him back: when his gear finally arrived yesterday, he prepped, took the final spot in the preliminary round, and blew into the semifinal round.
Today, he’s bright, friendly, and totally on fire up on stage as he delivers his competition performance, which is heavily based on coffee cherry: he presents his judges with coffees in various stages, washed, natural, with mucilage, as well as beans from various stages in the roast process.
Sarah Allen (she/her) is co-founder and editor of Barista Magazine, the international trade magazine for coffee professionals. A passionate advocate for baristas, quality, and the coffee community, Sarah has traveled widely to research stories, interact with readers, and present on a variety of topics affecting specialty coffee. She also loves animals, swimming, ice cream, and living in Portland, Oregon.