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May 2, 2008 6:47 pm US/Central
Excellent Espresso: Contest To Find The Best Brew
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
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More than 60 baristas from around the country are hoping to create the perfect coffee concoction.
CBS
The 2008 U.S. Barista Competition took place at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
More than 60 baristas from around the country are hoping to create the perfect coffee concoction.
The coffee challengers only have 15 minutes to show off their skills.
In the competition they have to make 12 drinks -- four espressos, four cappuccinos and four original signature drinks.
In the last category they can use anything, except alcohol.
The judges are looking for the perfect combination.
"The creativity of their signature drink, the ingredients they've used and how they've put them together, and how those ingredients work with their coffee," said Judge Brent Fortune.
Judges are also looking for exceptional espresso, how it foams and taste.
"How does the espresso taste and is it balanced, and how does it feel?" said Fortune. "How does the mouth feel and the body of the espresso?"
Ethiopia , the birthplace of coffee is the featured country of the coffee conference. We asked the Ambassador of Ethiopia why coffee beans form his country are so good.
"Its only natural that the place where it originated, where it grows wild, where it's in such great abundance in terms of a rich diversity of types. You have amber coffee, you have blue coffee, you have amazing coffees, it should also be the very best," said Samuel Assefa Ambassador of Ethiopia.
Competitor Adam Palmer from Ramsey, Minnesota gave us some tips on brewing good java. He said whatever you do, never put coffee in the freezer or you'll lose the flavor.
He offered this advice: "Grind fresh, get probably a moderately good grinder, if you can't get that, if you can't afford that, buy any grinder, but definitely grind fresh."
Winners get $1,000, a trophy and a trip to compete in the world championship in Denmark.
The barista competitions runs until Monday.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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