SCAA Barista Competition - USBC 2006

[HB]

Monday's final included three baristas from Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters in what was reported to be an extremely close race for the Speciality Coffee Association of America's US Barista competition in Charlotte. Meriting the highest score awarded a USBC competitor, Matt Riddle of Intelligentsia takes the title, $1000, a new La Marzocco GS3, and even $7500 in travel money in his next step towards the world competition in Bern. Congratulations Matt!

I'll post the full report over the next few days. In the meantime, to whet your appetite, enjoy these photos from Sean Lennon:

1. Matt Riddle
2. Billy Wilson
3. Amber Sather
4. Ellie Hudson-Matuzak
5. Jon Lewis
6. Steve Fritzen
7. Ryan Denhardt (*)

(*) Included in the finals due to an earlier scoring error.


Matt Riddle - First Place


Billy Wilson - Second Place


Amber Sather - Third Place


Ellie Matuzak - Forth Place


Jon Lewis - Fifth Place


Steve Fritzen - Sixth Place

[cappadoc]

WAY TO GO INTELLY. AWESOME JOB!
I feel like one of Dave Letterman's "Brush with Greatness" guests now since Intelly is the only place I buy coffee in a shop, and it's 3 hours away.
I've seen their team in action and it's amazing to watch them work.


Seriously, a heartfelt congratulations to all of the competitors, though.
ThaRiddla RULES!

Jeff

[mikep]

Congratulations Matt! I suppose you won't need the La Spaziale anymore, right?


Sounds like Intelly had a great showing overall.

I just have to say Steve Fritzen is my hero. It is great to see an owner/barista and father of a young child get into the finals.

[proofinthecup]

I gotta say...there's more to the Ryan Denhard thing, more than just a scoring error, it's bad for barista competition. I'm just glad Matt pulled it out...he is a credit to the craft, as were the other legitimate finalists.

[HB]

Matt is a web and graphics designer by trade; his workday is a world of visual composition and colors. This attention to colors and their relationships were evident in small details, beginning with his pale yellow dress shirt, dark pants, and diagonally stripped tie that contrasted the red trim among the white service ware, red-rimmed white tablecloth and red napkins. Even the squeeze bottles had small red tips. Matt carefully balanced accents amid unbroken shades of white to create an elegant, crisp, and purposeful space for the judges to appreciate their three courses of espresso and espresso-based drinks.

As a nearby reference to the official clock, Matt placed a timer atop the espresso machine, then approached the judges' table to introduce himself and prepare the table. The menu he placed before them listed the names and order of the drink presentation. Matt's signature drink was named "Star" in recognition of the star anise that would be infused in the steamed milk. He served espressos composed of Central and South Americans to present a balanced sweetness, full body, and chocolate finish.



Matt chose songs from the band, Kings of Convenience, explaining that the calm guitar ballads put him in a good mood for his daily responsibilties at Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters. His cappuccinos were served in white delicate tulip-shaped cups with upturned handles. He explained the drinks were prepared with non-homogenized milk and a traditional style pour. Like several other finalists, Matt employed two pitchers while pouring, the first containing the originally steamed milk. As necessary, he would deftly transfer liquid or foam to produce four cappuccinos that were evenly textured and had the proper depth of foam. The camera zoomed in on the first pour as the luscious looking foam brimmed to form a crown. It may be wonderful looking, but it's probably hard to carry without spilling! Serving to the judges, he reminded them how the nice velvety sweetness of the milk compliments his espresso, then turned to prepare his signature drinks.



As Matt explained at the beginning of his presentation, the Star signature drink derives its name from the infusion of star anise. He placed the spice inside a paper filter and folded it over the side of the steam pitcher. The steaming rounds the distribution of the anise's flavor infusion in the milk. In addition to the spices, Matt used molasses and figs reduced to syrup. The result is a harmony of spiciness from star anise and complex sweetness from the two syrups.

He began by filling a short shot glass with a bottom glaze of molasses. He mottled some star anise with mortar and pestle to get the oils moving. The dark layering was topped with a dollop of foam in the center, to which he drew a delicate five-point star using a squeeze bottle of molasses. He instructed the judges to stir thoroughly, and if they desired, drink it all to appreciate the change in flavors.



Technical notes: Like the other baristas from Intelligentsia, Matt doesn't leave his hands idle after the pour begins; he immediately grabbed a small brush to clean up around the grinder after pressing the brew button. Distribution is a brief rounded heaping followed by tamping with fingers overlapping the basket edge to check level.



The technical and sensory judges are instructed to show no reactions -- positive or negative -- during their evaluation. Sensory judge Andrew Barnett ponders the taste and tactile balance of Matt's espresso. Technical judges Bronwen Serna and Barry Jarrett watch every movement and note any error.



(*) All photos by Sean Lennon. Please do not copy or redistribute.

[e61brewski]

you shame me, dan, with the in-depth, no-nonsense reportage. still, i've got video!

glad to finally meet you.

[ciordia9]

you shame me, dan, with the in-depth, no-nonsense reportage. still, i've got video!

glad to finally meet you.

Toss that vid up on video.google when you get a chance. I had a bunch of small clips I freakin deleted on accident. (DOOOH)

[e61brewski]

signature routines are here, caragay's riotous cigar bit is here and deferio's entire presentation is here.

more coming later on the blog.

[coffeetaster]

Great photos; makes me feel like I was really there!

Spencer

[PaniniGuy]

we have to ask: we're you judging at the MARBC back in February? One of the judges in DC actually nicked Belle Battista some points for wearing an outfit that didn't match her tablecloth. That's nowhere to be found in the judges instructions... and with all the attention you paid to Matt's outfit, just wondering, y'know?

Great photos though. Much better than what we took... we need a new camera.

[HB]

we have to ask: we're you judging at the MARBC back in February? One of the judges in DC actually nicked Belle Battista some points for wearing an outfit that didn't match her tablecloth.

No, I've only judged in the SERBC and USBC. The score sheet does include a few points for appearance, but I certainly wouldn't markdown for an outfit that didn't match the barista's tablecloth. Questionable choices like jeans and a T-shirt would cost points. The USBC competitors looked sharp to the last, though that wasn't universally true at the SERBC, as I noted in Competitor Debriefing:

Dress for the occasion

If I got a dollar every time somebody said "five star restaurant" when explaining what type of performance merits top scores, I would be able to afford an evening at such an establishment. Given this expectation, you would think that competitors would choose their apparel accordingly, but some were attired in jeans with untucked and rumpled shirts. The ladies generally understood the message better than the gentlemen baristas, which helps their "professionalism and passion" score.

I did notice that the use of the phrase "five star experience" was all but absent during the USBC judges' certification workshop. There were other minor tweaks in the emphasis, which I'll add to Abe's upcoming thread on the subject. In Matt's case, I commented on his choices as evidence of his assertion that his daytime profession (graphics artist) was indeed reflected in his performance. There's nothing more to read into it than that.

[HB]

Billy was one of three finalists wearing black, which dramatized his dark hair and angular features. The tall fluted glasses for his signature drink with dotted glass straw were placed on wooden trays, which figured prominently in his preparation area. He introduced himself while laying out a warm cream-colored tablecloth and placing pale green napkins, describing the presentation the judges were to enjoy, including the final drinks, named "Hairbender Spuma."



Billy served Stumptown's Hairbender blend composed of five coffees from three different regions. He brought his own grinder, a Super Jolly, and thwacked the doser handle with short strokes as he dosed the portafilter. He rotates the portafilter many times while dosing to improve the distribution. Like other time-efficient baristas, Billy brushed away grounds in the seconds between confirming the first moment of the extraction and beginning the next shot. The camera's closeup of the first pours showed drippy, slow extractions. He described the expected flavor profile, which included dark chocolates, citrus and dry fruit finish.



The cappuccinos were poured as brimming apples. Billy carefully wiped the bottom of the cups before placing them on the saucers. As he served the judges, he explained that the drinks were warm enough to elicit sweetness, hot enough to bring out chocolates, but cool enough that you can enjoy them right away.

The final course was Billy's signature drink, the Hairbender Spuma. It is founded on an espresso and eggwhite-based foam created with a nitrogen canister. Cocoa powder was added for chocolates, caster sugar for sweetness, and kumquat for citrus notes. Billy explained that he had tried different temperatures -- cold, slightly cold, warm -- and finished with slightly warm. As he served the drinks, Billy reminded the judges to look for upfront citrus notes, kumquat flavors, and cocoa with a sweet finish. Billy completed service well ahead of time, so he used the remaining minutes to clean up, calling time at 14:53.



Technical notes: Billy apparently eschews pricey barista tools, choosing an inexpensive lava-type tamper. Most of the other baristas tamped with the portafilter level, but Billy angled it hard against the edge to tamp. He settled the foam of the steamed milk with long, firm thumps.

(*) All photos by Sean Lennon. Please do not copy or redistribute.

[e61brewski]

i've said it elsewhere, but i believe billy's sig was the biggest home run i saw. he created a completely new experience -- essentially tricking out all the high notes of the hairbender and serving as a gas instead of a liquid -- while remaining believable. you could imagine this drink being served in a very high-end establishment. it was altogether new yet not unthinkable to serve in a retail environment. and although it's hard to imagine what it even tasted like, you believed that it was good. that is all.

[barry]

I gotta say...there's more to the Ryan Denhard thing, more than just a scoring error, it's bad for barista competition.

i really don't think there is. i was there when they reviewed the tape and i agreed with the decision (and i really didn't think i would beforehand, which is why i went to watch the tape).

--barry "usbc tech judge"

[barry]

i've said it elsewhere, but i believe billy's sig was the biggest home run i saw. he created a completely new experience -- essentially tricking out all the high notes of the hairbender and serving as a gas instead of a liquid -- while remaining believable.

i was waiting for the dispenser to pop. he pressurized it and then put it in hot water.


if this was the sig bev with egg in it, some of the sensory judges weren't too keen on the almost raw eggwhite taste.

--barry "ewww"

[terryz]

Technical notes: Billy apparently eschews pricey barista tools, choosing an inexpensive lava-type tamper. Most of the other baristas tamped with the portafilter level, but Billy angled it hard against the edge to tamp. He settled the foam of the steamed milk with long, firm thumps.

Price does not determine the quality of a tool.

Deluxe Lava tamp is on par price wise as all the other professional tampers in our line. Infact the last three USBC Champions used the Lava Tamp in competition. Dismas used the Stainless Pro tamp ( The Dismas Smith Sig model ). While there are two levels of quality in the Lava Line, Billy uses the Deluxe model.

The best tamper is the one that fits the hand of the Barista and can be used all day with out fatigue. This is one of the primary reasons we have so many to choose from. No one model is a perfect solution for everyone.

[jrtatl]

i really don't think there is. i was there when they reviewed the tape and i agreed with the decision (and i really didn't think i would beforehand, which is why i went to watch the tape).

--barry "usbc tech judge"

Hi Barry,

Could you or someone else give us a rundown of what happened to this competitor, and why the instant replay became necessary? I didn't get to attend the competition, so I have no idea what happened.

Thanks,

[OlywaDave]

I have to say nice coverage and photos guys. I was way too busy to see more than a few minutes of the competition but I did catch the end of Billy's final. I wish I would have seen Matt's, but Billy seemed flawless and came in under time. I gotta find time to check the videos. Talk about non-biased reporting... More than you can say for other forums.

Dan as always great to see and talk with you, sorry we missed EspressoFest. I heard great things about it, and even got a great email from an attendee thanking us for our participation. You guys rule.

Abe & Bob great meeting you hope the tamps are working out for y'all. Whoops look at me still retaining an NC accent.

[barry]

Could you or someone else give us a rundown of what happened to this competitor, and why the instant replay became necessary? I didn't get to attend the competition, so I have no idea what happened.

simply put, the sensory judges caused a 35 second delay in ryan's program. it wouldn't have been a big deal if he'd finished within the 15 minutes, but he ran over 31.5 seconds. without the penalty incurred by the time overage, ryan would have been in the top six.

[jrtatl]

simply put, the sensory judges caused a 35 second delay in ryan's program. it wouldn't have been a big deal if he'd finished within the 15 minutes, but he ran over 31.5 seconds. without the penalty incurred by the time overage, ryan would have been in the top six.

Thanks Barry. I had been trying to piece it together with various snippets of text from this site, CG, and alt.coffee. Your explanation makes sense.

Sincerely,