Coffee Fest Seattle 2012 Highlights

Coffee Fest has now completed production of the 66th Coffee Fest trade show, the 21st held in the emerald city. Although Coffee Fest is well established with more than 20 years under its belt, it remains a top priority and primary objective to keep the programming extremely fresh and innovative. Coffee Fest Seattle 2012 debuted two professional competitions; America’s Best Espresso Competition and the DaVinci Gourmet, America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition. Additionally, Coffee Fest Seattle featured the launch of Coffee Fest’s new Freshman Class; First Time Attendee Orientation Program, which had more than 200, preregistered. The New Product Showcase received a face-lift and the educational program included 19 brand new classes.
Attendees from all over the U.S. and the world came to the Washington State Convention Center to partake in the educational offerings, the networking events, the Latte Art World Championship Open competition and sampled from over 250 exhibition booths. Once totaled, actual attendance was just over 4,300.
The Coffee Fest Product Showcase has received an online facelift and attendees now determine the Best New Product winners. Voting occurred online at www.coffeefest.com and the results were announced on Friday afternoon with awards presented to these manufacturers:
CONSUMABLE PRODUCTS
1^st – GoodDrinks – High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Sauces
2^nd – Jet – Jet Arctic Lemonade
3^rd – Earnest Eats – Hot & Fit Cereal
NON-CONSUMABLE PRODUCTS
1^st – JavaHook – JavaHook
2^nd – Hot Straw – Hot Straw
3^rd – Blendtec – Stealth Countertop Blender
Coffee Fest’s Latte Art World Championship Open featured 64 baristas in a head-to-head, bracket style, free pour latte art showdown. The 2012 World Championship Open had an Olympic feel with an astounding 27 competitors who traveled from Japan, China, and Australia, Malaysia, and Canada to compete in Seattle. The competition also featured defending champion, Christopher “Nicely” Alameda and San Diego 2011 champion Satoru Oiso. After 3 days of intense competition, the champions were named:
1^st place – Winning $2,500 and a 1st place Trophy – Kei Hamada from Shibuya, Japan
2^nd place – Winning $1,000 and a2nd place Trophy – Shimoyama Nobumasa from Melbourne, Austrailia
3^rd place – Winning $500 and a 3rd place Trophy – Cole McBride of Visions Espresso –  Seattle, WA
The NEW America’s Best Espresso Competition presented for coffee roasters is also a head-to-head, bracket style competition in which coffee roasters from the western region of the U.S. and Canada showcased their espresso. A panel of chefs and restaurateur judges evaluated one shot from each competitor based on the virtues of 1) Flavor Complexity, 2) Mouthfeel & Appeal, and 3) Aftertaste. Once the 192 shots were extracted, consumed, and evaluated the winners were:
1^st place – Winning a first place Trophy – Blue Star Coffee Roasters of Twisp, WA
2^nd place – Winning a second place Trophy – Conduit Coffee Company of Seattle, WA
3^rd place – Winning a third place Trophy – Bowen Island Roasting Co. Ltd of Bowen Island, BC, Canada
Finally, the NEW DaVinci Gourmet, America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition culminated at Coffee Fest Seattle. After undergoing a 60 day process of elimination by secret shopper evaluation and public vote, eight semifinalist coffeehouses from the western U.S. were chosen to compete in an on-site pop-up coffeehouse. Each coffeehouse brought a team of three to perform for thirty carefully selected and prepared judges. The emerging victors were:
1^st place – Winning $2500 and a fist place Trophy – Klatch Coffee, Inc. from San Dimas, CA
2^nd place – Winning $1000 and a second place Trophy – Heart Coffee Roasters from Portland, OR
3^rd place – Winning $500 and a third place Trophy – Dog River Coffee Company from Hood River, OR
All three professional competitions will continue at every Coffee Fest starting in New York March 8-10, 2013. New York will serve as the U.S. and Canada Eastern Regional Championship. Coffee Fest’s Latte Art World Championship Open will remain open to competitors both domestically and internationally. To apply for any of our upcoming competitions or for more details, visit the www.coffeefest.com.
Coffee Fest is a trade show catering to the specialty coffee and gourmet tea industries. For more about their shows or on the winners of the competitions present and future, visit www.coffeefest.com or become a fan at www.facebook.com/coffeefest. Coffee Fest’s next show is slated for New York, NY March 8 – 10, 2013 at the Jacob Javits Center. In June, Coffee Fest returns to Chicago, June 7-9, 2013.