As we] wrote about last week, the US Barista Championship took place this past weekend in Portland, Oregon, and the winner is: Michael Phillips of Intelligentsia Coffee in Chicago. Each barista is responsible for creating three drinks for the judges -- a simple espresso shot, a cappuccino and a signature drink -- and are evaluated on the quality of product, overall technique, speed and cleanliness. Michael Phillips' custom drink sounds quite lovely: A companion affair featuring a hot concoction of dark chocolate, brown sugar, sea salt and diced almonds balanced by a cool combination of freshly pressed blackberries, simple syrup and iced coffee. Michael will join National Barista Champions from around the world at the SCAA's annual exposition, which will be hosting the World Barista Championship this year, and battle it out to determine who will reign as the world's most accomplished coffee slinger for the next year.
US Barista Champion: Michael Phillips
Kat is a passionate coffee enthusiast and seasoned blogger. Read her posts for insights on brew methods, coffee recipes, and machine reviews.
