smackdown

Victorian barista Kevin Lim crowned Soul Origin Latte Art Champion 

Some of Australia’s best baristas and latte artists came together in Martin Place on 27 July to compete in Soul Origin’s National Barista and Latte Art Championship for 2018.  Victorian barista Kevin Lim from Chadstone proved he has the company’s best latte art skills, winning the Soul Origin Latte Art Championship and Eddy Siew placing second. Along with his title, Kevin has won a personal latte art master class with 2018 Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) Australian Latte Art Champion Shinsaku Fukayama of St Ali. 
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Automation reigns supreme in Barista Vs Machine competition

Veneziano Coffee Roasters hosted a Barista vs. Machine latte art smackdown on 25 July at Brew Bar in Canberra to test human skill and automation. Sixteen contestants went head to head in the smackdown event. Of the pair, one competitor was selected to use automation, using the Puqpress tamping device and Übermilk milk steamer, with the other using traditional methods of hand tamping and texturing on the espresso machine. Each had to prepare two milk coffees that were judged on speed, latte art, wastage. Joe Chalhoub of Barista Group, Ben Romeril of Veneziano Coffee Roasters and 2018 Australian Barista Champion Craig Simon judged the competition.
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Almond Breeze to find Sydney’s top Breezy Master 

Almond Breeze will host the Breezey Masters in Sydney to find New South Wales’ top latte artist on 7 August.  The latte art competition will take place at Haven Specialty Coffee in Surry Hills from 6pm to 8.30pm. The winner of this competition will go on to battle the best latte artists from across Australian the national Breezey Masters final, to be held in Melbourne in November.  The Breezey Masters is now in its third year. The event is a top class latte art competition that lets baristas showcase their skills using Almond Breeze almond milk. 
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St Ali to host Wide Awake latte art smackdown

St Ali and La Marzocco will host a Wide Awake Coffee Latte Art Smackdown in Ballarat on 9 August. The competition, taking place at Mitchell Harris Wines, next to Fika Coffee Brewers, invites regional Victorians to share their best latte art talent. Entry is $10 to compete, viewing is free, and winner takes all. 
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Enter the MilkLab Barista Battle Series for chance to win trip to Peru

Limited positions are still available for tonight’s first MilkLab Barista Battle Series at Code Black in Melbourne. The MilkLab Barista Battle Series is celebrating Freedom Foods Group’s Platinum Milk Sponsorship of the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE), taking place this week from 22 to 24 March. 
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