Samantha Spillman of Dillanos Coffee Roasters has won the 2019 United States Barista Championship, held in Kansas City from 15 to 17 March.
Samantha pulled a 33-point lead over the competition with a finishing score of 618 to win her first national title.
In a field of 36 competitors, runner-up Andrea Allen of Onyx Coffee Lab finished with a score of 584.5 and T. Ben Fischer of Elixr Coffee Roasters placed third with 550.5 points.
“This is a team win. It wouldn’t have been possible without the work and support of my Dillanos family – and the amazing coffee discovered and roasted by Phil Beattie, our Director of Coffee. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to represent Dillanos and now the United States,” Samantha says.
In 15 minutes, baristas must prepare and serve espressos, cappuccinos and a personally designed signature beverage for four sensory judges; all while being assessed on their preparation abilities by two technical judges.
The US Coffee Championship are a platform for baristas to enhance their espresso beverage making skills through an exciting and challenging competition.
Nearly 200 baristas competed in the five championship events: Barista, Brewers Cup, Coffee in Good Spirits, Cup Tasters and Roaster.
Kaley Gann of Messenger Coffee won the 2019 US Brewers Cup, with Justin Goodhart of Sweet Bloom Coffee placing second and Lance Hedrick of Onyx Coffee Lab placing third.
Matthew Foster of Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting won the 2019 US Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, with Samuel Schroeder from Olympia Coffee placing second and Brodle Lewis from Madcap Coffee Company placing third.
Jen Apodaca of Royal Coffee won the US Cup Tasters Championship, with Summer Zhang from Onyx Coffee Lab placing second and Samuel Gurel from Sovda Coffee coming third.
Shelby Williamson of Huckleberry Roasters won the US Roaster Championship, with Huge Moretta of La Colombe Coffee Roasters placing second and Mark Boccard of Southdown Coffee placing third.
The five US Coffee Champions will compete against other national champions from around the globe at the 2019 World Coffee Championships, held from 11 to 14 April 2019 in Boston and 6 to 8 June in Berlin.
