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Local Baristas Took Top Honors in 2008

St. Louis, February 12, 2008 Two of Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Company’s baristas are among the best in the Midwest. Mike Marquard and Alex McCracken both made it to the finals of the Midwest Regional Barista Competition, held this past weekend in St. Louis. McCracken placed second overall in the competition, winning a cash award and trophy. Marquard and McCracken are both trainers for the company’s wholesale division, Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Company, based in mid-town. They have also been baristas and managers in Kaldi’s Coffeehouses, the company’s retail shops.

The Midwest Regional Barista Competition took place Feb. 8-10 at the Third Degree Glass Factory. Baristas from Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska were invited to prepare espressos, cappuccinos and signature drinks for a panel of trained judges. The judges evaluated the baristas on their technical skill; the flavor and quality of their espresso; the taste, creativity and appearance of their drinks, and on their customer service skills.

The first place winner was Pete Licata of PT’s Coffee in Topeka, KS. All finalists will have the opportunity to compete in the United States Barista Competition in May. Licata finished second in the 2007 US competition.

The weekend showcased the passion, dedication and skill that set small independent coffeehouses and small-batch “micro-roasters” apart from publicly-traded coffee companies. While national chain stores have moved toward the use of automated machines to prepare espresso drinks, independent retailers are working harder than ever to serve customers drinks expertly hand crafted by professional baristas who take the time to learn about coffee and how best to serve it. Independent coffeehouse operators are encouraged to train baristas in the art and craft of espresso extraction, hand tamping, and proper milk steaming and texturing.

Micro-roasters such as Kaldi’s and PT’s, buy and blend estate coffees for their specific performance characteristics, then roast them to highlight their distinctive attributes. The result is a better tasting drink, often for a lower price than offered by a national chain.

The competition proved to be the largest Midwest Regional to date, featuring 27 competitors and a standing-room only audience. The event was presented by the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the industry’s trade group, which coordinates 10 such regional events throughout the country, as well as a national competition every year. Kaldi’s hosted the event in St. Louis for the first time, and plans to do the same in 2009.

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