Why Barista Bash 004 Will Be Worth Your Friday Night

This will be the fourth Prima Coffee Barista Bash and we are especially excited about the event for several different reasons. Don't get me wrong - free coffee, free espresso, free advice from local coffee enthusiasts, free demonstrations by a coffee expert, and a free date night all combined with the enjoyment of observing the different brew methods (and talking your significant other into buying new coffee equipment) will be at this Bash just as they were at the other three. However, this Bash will be unique for these three reasons:

Reason #1: A "Best Cup" Competition instead of a Latte Art Throwdown. You may wonder what a "Best Cup" Competition is. Contrary to what some would believe, it is NOT an event where you bring in your favorite coffee mug to be judged by professional mug designers. Besides, if that were the case, Blake would already have won it with his "Bottom's Up" cup (shown to the left). Regardless, this is actually a competition in which you get to choose your own coffee and brew method, and brew it for the judges who will then grade it by several different criteria (explained here). Why is this exciting? Because this is your chance to take your favorite coffee and your favorite method that you always brag about and demonstrate to Louisville that it really is that good. Who knows, you might even pick up some tips on brewing with different methods from the other contestants. But whether it be Aeropress or V60, Chemex or an old sock (not advisable on that last one, but hey, it's your competition), you choose the coffee and method and show off your skillz.

Reason #2: Jaime van Schyndel. For those of you who do not know Jaime van Schyndel, he is the co-owner of Barismo, a roasting company located in Arlington, Massachusetts that also features a specialty coffee shop where coffee education is a major focus. Jaime is known for being a master roaster as well as a skilled wordsmith who has contributed articles to Barista Magazine as well as maintained his popular coffee blog. At the Bash, Jaime will be giving a presentation covering many different coffee topics and what he has learned over the years as a successful roaster and coffee enthusiast.

Reason #3: The Luminaire LB-1 Water Delivery System. This is not your average hot water "kettle". The LB-1 is a uniquely designed system specifically created for providing a consistent, heated pour for manual brew methods like the Hario V60 or Chemex. The LB-1 has been designed to eliminate temperature loss by maintaining a consistent temperature directly to the point that it is poured onto the grounds and by dosing out the exact amount of water desired for each brew. There are several other unique aspects of this system , but we will wait to do a more in-depth review until after we have experimented with it. Oh, did I not mention Jaime was bringing one of these to the Bash? Yep, the Luminaire LB-1 Water Delivery System will be available at the Bash for brewing throughout the evening.

Because of these reasons, we believe the Bash will be a night to remember! We’d love it if you joined us, and we’d especially love it if you showed off your favorite coffee and brew method by entering the “Best Cup” Competition.

For Info on the Time and Place for the Bash, and for registering for the "Best Cup" Competition, visit the page here: Barista Bash 004