NEW ORLEANS – Perk up, coffee lovers—the qualifying competition for the U.S. Coffee Championships will be held in New Orleans this weekend at the Contemporary Arts Center.
Coffee professionals from around the country will compete to show off their skills as baristas, brewers, roasters, and tasters at the CoffeChamps competition.
Attendees can taste competitors’ curated and roasted coffees at the cafe, and even become a guest judge at the Barista and Brewers Cup competitions. The top competitors from the event will move on to the 2018 U.S. Coffee Championships in Seattle in April. The champions from that event will represent the USA at the world championships.
The New Orleans event will include a Roaster Competition, where coffee roasters will discuss their techniques and hand out samples with opportunities to buy their coffees at a pop-up market.
The New Orleans event will also include an educational component; certified instructors will teach coffee and brewing classes and attendees can learn how to use the latest brewing devices. An outdoor food garden will host a food truck and music.
Weekend pass tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The event will kick off on Friday, Feb. 2 from 6-10 p.m. with a welcome party at Orleans Coffee, 618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. that will include a “latte art throwdown.” The Contemporary Arts Center is located at 900 Camp St.
To learn more about CoffeeChamps in New Orleans, visit www.uscoffeechampionships.org. For a complete schedule, click here.
-By Jenny Peterson, Associate News Editor, Biz New Orleans
