Brew crew championships
Grind, dose, tamp, extract.
It sounds like science, but any true espresso lover will say it takes more than that.
"You can teach someone to make a good cup of coffee," said Heather Hackett of Pittsburgh. "But unless they have a certain amount of artistry about them, they're never going to be as good."
Hackett works as a barista, or someone proficient in making espresso drinks. She is among about 60 set to participate in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regional Barista competitions in Cranberry Township.
The annual competitions are set for Feb. 6 through 8 at the Pittsburgh Marriott North. Hosted for the first time in Western Pennsylvania, the events will be presented by the Specialty Coffee Association of America with help from various local sponsors. Baristas from 10 states and Washington, D.C., will compete.
Kiva Han Coffee, a roasting company in Cranberry, is one of the primary sponsors.
To prepare for the event, a handful of local baristas assembled for two consecutive weekends recently at Kiva Han on Thomson Park Drive.Gathered around a two-port commercial espresso machine, members of the group took tips from Luke Shaffer of 21st Street Coffee in Pittsburgh's Strip District before practicing techniques to create the perfect espresso drink."Making the coffee taste good consistently is very important," said Shaffer, explaining how coffee beans lose quality 10 days after roasting and only minutes after grinding.For that reason, the best baristas use carefully selected beans, custom grinding for each drink.Called dosing, baristas then fill the portafilter with grounds, using their fingers to level off the basket. A tamper is used to compress the grounds. The size of the grounds and how they're tamped contribute greatly to how the espresso is extracted as pressurized water runs through, Shaffer said.Under-extracted espresso can taste more sour, for instance, while over-extraction yields excess bitterness.With no time to weigh grounds before making each drink, baristas also must develop a feel for how much coffee to use."When you're tamping shots, you can fit up to 20 grams of coffee in the portafilter," said Hackett. "But some people will only use 11. Other people will use 14."Most good baristas will start to get to a point where there's a half gram or less of variance. That half gram is going to make a difference," she said."But once you've been doing it a while it's not something you register or think about."As baristas pull each espresso shot, they are responsible for knowing when to manually start and stop the coffee stream for a brewing time of 20 to 30 seconds. Judges will evaluate the size and color of the flow as it percolates into the cup. Optimally, the reddish, brown stream will resemble a strand of spaghetti.When espresso is made properly, the tail end of the stream results in a coppery foam called crema.During each round of the competition, baristas will serve a single espresso, a single cappuccino and a signature drink to each in a panel of four sensory judges. Two technical judges and an overall judge also will evaluate competitors.During the 15-minute time frame, competing baristas will discuss their coffee bean or blend of choice, explaining its origins, flavor and roasting characteristics.To complete cappuccino and signature drinks, milk will be steamed and foamed before resting on the coffee's surface, skillfully poured to resemble hearts, rosettes and other designs.
Before learning to pour milk into latte art, baristas must steam it to achieve the desired consistency. According to Shaffer, the right temperature and aeration techniques should yield the desired microbubbles."That's the sound I like to hear," he said on Jan. 18 as one barista held a stainless pitcher under the steam wand."It's like a consistent crackling noise."Slamming the pitcher down so its foam would settle to an ivory sheen, Shaffer noted the importance of leaving a visible ring of crema when milk is poured."When they sip the coffee they'll be able to taste (it) because I left that ring around the edge. That's what they want," he said.When judges evaluate the drink, they'll spoon back the foam to measure its depth, he added."As silly as it seems, you want to know your milk," Shaffer said. With that, the baristas weighed in on how different dairies compare, the consensus changing according to whole or 2-percent products. According to Shaffer, seasonal feed changes on the farm alter a product's sweetness and taste, as does over-steaming."Each little aspect of how you do these drinks makes them perfect," said Cheryl Evans of Ross Township."I think that's what makes smaller shops stand out from (larger chains)," she said.A barista for 3½ years at Perry's Perk Specialty Coffee, Evans doesn't plan to compete. Instead, she was among a group who attended the training simply to learn.
Those who will compete represent all states in both areas but Maine. For the Mid-Atlantic group, baristas hail from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Baristas in the Northeast will represent New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire.Although competitions typically can accommodate 40 contestants, the Cranberry event will feature 60, 30 from each of the two regions in the combined event. As of Tuesday, all but two of the spots were filled."We've had a tremendous turnout in your region," said Marcus Boni, senior events manager for the SCAA. "The turnout has increased this year."Entering its fourth year, the Mid-Atlantic competition was previously held twice in Washington, D.C., and once at the Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Lehigh County.Boni said the SCAA competitions began on the West Coast in 2003 with just a few regions taking part. Now, 10 regions represent the entire country.According to Boni, specialty coffee originated in 1966 with Peet's Coffee & Tea, a California roaster and retail store that focused on different types of coffee and single-origin blends.Starbucks, which opened in 1971 in Seattle, introduced the concept to the masses. The SCAA was formed in the early 1980s.Although many believe specialty coffee is migrating from west to east, Boni disputes that claim, saying instead the drinks become popular in pockets where enthusiasts promote them to consumers."There are definitely specialty coffee shops and quality-focused representation in the East," he said."Maybe not as widespread as in other regions, but the turnout of this region (shows) folks who are wanting to make a big impact on what the specialty coffee scene is about to become."Hackett, who manages one of many Crazy Mocha coffee shops in Pittsburgh, says after pulling thousands of espresso shots in her career, she is part of that emergence, which is yet to peak."There's a lot to (understanding) coffee. I've probably read a dozen books in the last year," she said."Even with seven or eight years experience, I'm going into this thing without any real chance of winning it."Winners of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast events will receive entry and travel to the national competition this March in Portland. That winner will receive $1,000, a $7,000 travel voucher and entry to the world competition, set for April in Atlanta.As well as earning bragging rights, international champions often go on to work in consulting and training.
Specialty coffee is served in multiple forms, which sometimes makes ordering difficult. Here are some common types of espresso drinks that can be modified in various ways that include adding flavored syrup.• Espresso — Concentrated coffee that is made by pressing hot water through fine, compressed grounds• Cafe Americano — Espresso diluted with hot water• Cappuccino — A shot of espresso with foamed milk on top• Latte — An espresso made with steamed milk, topped by foamed milk• Mocha — A latte with chocolate added• Breve — Espresso with half-n-half or semi-skimmed milk4 Café Au Lait — French-style coffee and boiled milk poured simultaneously into a cupSOURCE: www.espressoplanet.com
<B>WHAT:</B> Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regional Barista competition. With a theme "For the Love of Coffee," the event will feature 15 baristas from each of the two regions on Friday and Saturday, with finalists competing on Sunday.WHEN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 6 through 8<B>WHERE: </B>Pittsburgh Marriott North, Cranberry Township<B>COST: </B>Admission is free, but dessert and coffee proceeds will benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Dessert buffet tickets are $10. Advance tickets sold for $8 through Thursday at www.kivahan.com/barista or in person at the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, 310 E. Grandview Ave., Zelienople.<B>INFO: </B>Presented by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. Sponsors include Kiva Han Coffee, the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, Crazy Mocha Coffee, The Coffee Tree Roasters, Marburger Farm Dairy and DaVinci Gourmet/The Kerry Group.
