ACT Barista Championships

This barista label is always interesting – to me it’s just coffee.

Went to Coffee Guru in Cooleman Court once. Place was filthy, dirty tables, disgusting and littered floor, hardly any patrons, mid afternoon, staff standing behind the front counter talking, unfriendly, expensive, garbage tasting coffee – will never go there again. I left them a little note on a white napkin telling them what I thought … hope they found it.

Cafe Yala, Reid CIT has the best coffee in town. Super service. I go there about once every three months and I can’t wait to get my cappuccino. Very nice indeed and no bitter after taste.

So then, can someone define barista? Is it the machinery or the way its made? I have no idea.

I was there supporting a competitor.

It was a long day with 14 competitors (13 male, 1 female). Most were twentyish employed as baristas in Canberra. (One could say there are many more than 14 coffee shops in Canberra, maybe that’s why much of Canberra coffee is pretty bad).

For the barista competition, each contestant is given 15 minutes to make four cups of three different coffees – cappuccino, espresso and their own invention or signature drink. Scores are awarded for taste, style and technical use of the machinery. There is a panel of judges, and they take to the coffee much like wine tasters do to, uhhh, wine.

There were also Latte Art & Cupping competitions in the championships but these were not held in Canberra this year.

Not sure where Patrick works, and a total list was published on the day, but I also don’t know where to find it now.

Some other competitors were Audrey who works in Russell during the week, and Lincoln who works at Coffee Guru Tuggeranong on weekends (the one near Good Guys). Get them when they are not rushed & you will get a good cup.