COMPS & social events
Friday, Saturday and Sunday are competition days for the NWBC. I am judging on Friday and competing in the Millrock Latte Art competition on Saturday.
The Rambler and I are sensory judges. I’m a little nervous and anxious. The competitors put a lot of time, money and passion into their routines. As a judge it is important that I’m focused for their sake.
The first round goes by quickly. I judged three competitors and our team of sensory judges are consistent and calibrated and that is about good as you can get. The competition continues throughout the weekend but I am officially finished on Friday. I learned a lot from the experience and I am eager to judge again.
So next up for me is the Millrock Latte Art competition. The stakes have been raised and first prize is $5,000. There are 50 people from all over the country competing. This competition is a little different from past competitions. The judges will not be able to see who is pouring the designs that they will be judging. The goal is to take part of the human element out of the scores (just because “Brad Pitt” is pouring doesn’t mean “Brad Pitt” should be in the finals, unless he has a worthy pour…then by all means “Brad Pitt” should be in the finals). This is a good change for some of us who are coming from Nowhere City and are somewhat new to the scene. But you gotta put a good pour down to advance. Unfortunately my pour was not enough to get me into the finals. Bummer. First and second place went to two baristas from Vancouver and third place went to Justin Teisl of Milwaukee. Directly after the competition I got to hang with my old friend Betsie and her baby Ramona (and her other baby, Allen). It was great to see them and it helped clear the grey skies.
In the evenings Coffeefest is put on hold and invitations to parties are extended. Zoka and Stumptown are hosting the big parties of the weekend. There are large spreads of food, drinks and people mingling. There is also a traveling cash kitty going around for the winner of the Bring Your Own Vessel latte art competition. The Rambler throws down a nice design in a 1960′s vintage T.V. lamp…plugged in. Groovy. It’s enough to put him in second place and a chance for the cash prize at Stumptown. But how will he top it?
The next night is Stumptown’s party. It is packed and loud and eerily similar to a high school kegger….Hipsterville High School and you get the feeling that any moment now a pilot on WB will appear based on moments like this. Thankfully Betsie comes along to keep me grounded as well as the Rambler and his lovely lady Sarah. The Rambler brought a different vessel (rhymes with “rondom”) and it doesn’t get the kind of reaction we were expecting (I totally missed it). We went home and ate cold pizza and were lucky to escape with our dignity still in tact….
…well most of us. Just kidding Rambler! I thought it was brilliant, they were just h8ing on you.
But jokes and low-blows aside, I had tremendous experiences during my 4 day Coffeefest weekend. I learned and laughed and made good friends. Thanks so much to Keith (the Rambler!) and Sarah…..
…. for hosting me and hurry up and visit me in Iowa (you too Betsie)! Po’ Po’ Iowa where cappuccino and gas stations are synonymous. But we’re trying to change that.