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BY KATE VAN PETTENSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE
Photos courtesy of U.S. CoffeeChamps
The first round of qualifiers for the 2024 season of the United States Coffee Competitions took place January 16-19 at The Power Center in Houston, featuring the U.S. Barista, U.S. Cup Tasters, and U.S. Roasters qualifying competitions. Despite Houston facing an uncommon deep freeze caused by a nationwide Arctic blast, which disrupted flights and created a cold week in Texas, industry leaders, volunteers, and competitors worked together to host an inspiring qualifying competition.
The Community Comes Together
The event boasted a strong presence from coffee community leaders, including Houston-based Anita Tam of Slow Pour Supply, who assumed the role of U.S. Competitions Coordinator. Former U.S. Barista Champions Isaiah Sheese, Morgan Eckroth, Andrea Allen, Lem Butler, and Kyle Ramage were all actively involved: Lem and Isaiah served as emcees, Morgan returned to compete, Andrea supported Morgan with the Onyx Coffee Lab team, and Kyle assisted numerous competitors from Black & White Coffee Roasters and beyond.
In the Barista competition, creative setups like Reyna Callejo’s light-up boxes and Morgan Eckroth’s moss-covered scene captivated spectators. However, the introduction of new sponsored grinding equipment introduced technical issues that led some competitors to exceed their allotted time, with only half a point separating the qualifiers.
In the Cup Tasters competition, 11 participants successfully identified all six triangulations, with Tony Auger securing the top spot in an impressive 1 minute and 14.19 seconds.
Meanwhile, Wenbo Yang emerged victorious in the Roasters competition, adding to an already impressive resume; he was the 2023 U.S. Brewers Cup Champion and the 2023 U.S. Latte Art Championship runner-up.
Overcoming Obstacles
Despite thorough preparation and travel to Houston, Barista competitor Addison Mathis, who placed first in the preliminary competition in Raleigh, N.C., was unable to compete due to a COVID outbreak, raising concerns about safety measures for future competitions. Additionally, the absence of masks among judges and attendees prompted further safety discussions during the competition, which took place amid the second-largest COVID surge in the U.S. since 2020.
The 2024 U.S. Coffee Championships qualifiers in Houston not only showcased the resilience and dedication of participants but also highlighted the unwavering support and solidarity within the coffee community. The stage is set for an exciting display of talent and camaraderie as qualifying competitors prepare to compete for the national title in their respective events.
Full Results and What’s to Come
Looking forward, the final two U.S. CoffeeChamps qualifying events for the season will take place February 1-4 at AMP by Strathmore in Bethesda, Md., for Brewers Cup and Latte Art, and February 2-4 at Counter Culture Coffee in Washington, D.C., for Coffee in Good Spirits.
For competitors advancing from the Houston event, the U.S. Barista Championship and U.S. Cup Tasters Championship will be held at Klatch Coffee in Rancho Cucamonga, California, March 15-17. The U.S. Roasters Championship will take place April 11-14 in Chicago, in conjunction with the Specialty Coffee Expo.
The following Houston competitors advanced to the three national championships:
U.S. BARISTA COMPETITION
Morgan Eckroth, Onyx Coffee Lab – Portland, Ore.
Kay Cheon, Dune Coffee – Santa Barbara, Calif.
Reyna Callejo, Olympia Coffee – Seattle
Reef Bessette, The Coffee Movement – San Francisco
David Ellis, Oh Oh Coffee – Aurora, Colo.
Jake McFarland, Black & White Coffee Roasters – Raleigh, N.C.
Jason Yeo, Saint Frank Coffee – San Francisco
Arturo Mandujano Jr., MoonGoat Coffee Roasters – Costa Mesa, Calif.
Rafael Levy Diner, Onyx Coffee Lab – Rogers, Ark.
Jamie Patel, Counter Culture Coffee – Durham, N.C.
Noel Goodwin, Hagen Coffee Roasters – Seattle
Seidy Selvanow, Kafiex Roasters – Vancouver, Wash.
Gavy Oesmoto, Eyes Peeled Coffee – Los Angeles
Frank La, Be Bright Coffee – Los Angeles
Meg Skop, The Coffee Movement – San Francisco
Dakota Graff, Onyx Coffee Lab – Rogers, Ark.
Jeremy Bennet, Bennett’s Coffee Co. – Rockville, Md.
Hugo Cano, Amberson Coffee – Indianapolis
Jinwoo Ahn, Cafe Grumpy – Brooklyn, N.Y.
Anthony Ragler, Black & White Coffee Roasters – Raleigh, N.C.
Lynn Hrabovsky, Cosmic Bloom Coffee – Vista, Calif.
Phillip White, Independent – Los Angeles
Gray Kaufman, Independent – Seattle
Miranda Haney, Barista Friend – Austin, Texas
U.S. CUP TASTERS COMPETITION
Tony Auger, Goshen Coffee
Helen Choi, Luce Coffee Roasters
Tom Bomford, Black Fox Coffee
Konoka Hattori, Onyx Coffee Lab
Ryan Sullivan, Mostra Coffee
Kimberly Zash, Sightseer Coffee
Inwook Park, FairWave Coffee Collective
Brittany Gross, Speedwell Coffee
Luke Jung, Luce Coffee Roasters
Ashleigh Chrisena Ricci, Tipico Coffee
Mehmet Sogan, Memli Coffee
Steve Cuevas, Independent
Jie Jang, Less and More Coffee
Samuel Demisse, Keffa Coffee
Sergei Kutrovski, Narrative Coffee
Bear Soliven, Onyx Coffee Lab
Josh Neibert, Keffa Coffee
Sean Coyne, Brio Coffeeworks
Elli Kang, Pave
Daniel Borras, Perc Coffee
Hyacinth Rios, Coffee Project NY
Kenzel Fallen, Three Keys Coffee
Kimhak Em, Pair Cupworks
Michael Matthews, Alinea Coffee Roasters/BearCat
U.S. ROASTERS COMPETITION
Wenbo Yang
Tio Fallen
Hyo Jung Kim
Tony Auger
Michael Matthews
Brian Hensley
Eduardo Choza
Alix Nathan
Eric Stone
Steve Cuevas
Kimhak Em
Alex Huang
Matthew Selivanow
Dana Borque
Mark Kove
Zachary Steele
This information is provided as listed from the comprehensive list of scores on the U.S. Coffee Champs website.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kate Van Petten (they/them) is a writer, musician, and coffee professional based in Seattle. They have worked in the specialty-coffee industry for years with a focus on creative storytelling through marketing. You can find their songs and poems in Coffee People Zine, and you can listen to their debut audiobook, For Someone, on cassette tape or online via Hello America Stereo Cassette. They are currently an editor and publicist for Poetry Northwest, the Pacific Northwest’s longest-running literary journal. If you want to share a story or connect, you can reach them at katevanpetten@gmail.com.
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