cafeIKE wrote:Perhaps the larger question should be "Are Barista Championships necessary?"

Necessary? No. The format could certainly be improved to make them more crowd friendly. See Ken's Barista Competitions; Who Gives a Sh** for an extended discussion of the subject.

As usual, I'm a cupla years behind Ken

miKe mcKoffee wrote: I know many people who drink cap's or latte's exclusively. Internally I cry as they don't know how to experience the purest essence, To me only drinking one expression is quite limiting and yes, boring.

(italics and bold mine)

I'm hoping that this is tongue in cheek, 'cause you usually post fairly level-headed information, Mike.
If it isn't, it might be time to take a moment and re-evaluate.
Not that this is the gravest of social faux pas, but there has been an increasing tendency on this forum (and it really wasn't that prevalent when I got here) towards 'my way is correct, and anything other than that is somewhat less than correct, or outright wrongheaded.'
I'm not sure why my preference for capps would lead you to the conclusion that I have some innate inability to appreciate a good straight shot.
There is nothing that a straight shot drinker has over a capp drinker in taste or appreciation, nor is there any superiority in drinking without sugar, On Tuesday, from a lever or a double boiler, levelled shots over 'natural', hand-ground over machine ground.
I thought we were here to help one another and learn from one another!
Signature drinks are there to entertain the crowds (in competition and in the shops) and to give the competitors a portion to the competition where they can 'free-style'. There isn't any gun-to-the-head rule about who has to watch.
So, if you're not interested in the Sig drinks portion of the competition, that would be a great time to get a bagel, or maybe that's when the lines to the bathroom will be shortest. Suggesting that it's not useful or good because you can't appreciate it indicates a fairly narrow and selfish world view.
Diff'rent strokes, folks, live and let live, and 'drinking one expression is quite limiting and yes, boring' sounds about right. And it would apply to great straight shots as well.

Psyd wrote:(italics and bold mine)

I'm hoping that this is tongue in cheek, 'cause you usually post fairly level-headed information, Mike.
If it isn't, it might be time to take a moment and re-evaluate.
Not that this is the gravest of social faux pas, but there has been an increasing tendency on this forum (and it really wasn't that prevalent when I got here) towards 'my way is correct, and anything other than that is somewhat less than correct, or outright wrongheaded.'
I'm not sure why my preference for capps would lead you to the conclusion that I have some innate inability to appreciate a good straight shot.
There is nothing that a straight shot drinker has over a capp drinker in taste or appreciation, nor is there any superiority in drinking without sugar, On Tuesday, from a lever or a double boiler, levelled shots over 'natural', hand-ground over machine ground.
I thought we were here to help one another and learn from one another!
Signature drinks are there to entertain the crowds (in competition and in the shops) and to give the competitors a portion to the competition where they can 'free-style'. There isn't any gun-to-the-head rule about who has to watch.
So, if you're not interested in the Sig drinks portion of the competition, that would be a great time to get a bagel, or maybe that's when the lines to the bathroom will be shortest. Suggesting that it's not useful or good because you can't appreciate it indicates a fairly narrow and selfish world view.
Diff'rent strokes, folks, live and let live, and 'drinking one expression is quite limiting and yes, boring' sounds about right. And it would apply to great straight shots as well.

Not tongue in cheek, not directed at you and stated as my internal reaction not right or wrong, not a condemnation or judgement of anyone. Referring to some people I personally know who do not drink anything but milked espresso beverages. A good friend of mine in this category refers to himself as a milk baby.

Made myself a cappuccino to go with apple strudel for breakfast this morning. To me, and that's to me, a cappuccino is (primarily) a breakfast beverage.

miKe mcKoffee wrote:To me, and that's to me, a cappuccino is (primarily) a breakfast beverage.

To me, a cappa is a reasonably safe way to get caffeine when the certainty of a sinker is high... airports, most restaurants, friends', relatives'

miKe mcKoffee wrote:Not tongue in cheek, not directed at you and stated as my internal reaction not right or wrong, not a condemnation or judgement of anyone.

I figured I had misunderstood something. Didn't quite sound like you normally would! Mea Culpa

And Ian, on my last gig I was ten hours straight, at least, every day. I had a Starbucks in the hotel that was unacceptable, and taught three baristi in a row to make microfoam at the grocery store Starbucks (two doors down from a 'real' Starbucks that was also unacceptable). 'Tolerable caffeine delivery system' is about the kindest description I could give.