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Veneziano Coffee, home to another Barista Champion

Announcement posted by Harvest Ideas 06 Dec 2010

Local Melbourne coffee roaster and specialty coffee supporter, with its list of barista champions reading of the likes of David Makin, and Erin Sampson in the latte art category, Veneziano Coffee can now add another name to its books.

Jean Paul Sutton, manager of Veneziano’s specialty coffee roasting premises in Brisbane’s West End, is Queensland’s 2010 Barista Champion, awarded yesterday.

Part of the elite competition in the specialty coffee circle that selects state barista champions, Jean Paul, affectionately known at Veneziano as JP, will now vie for the Australian title, to be held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on January 28, 2011.

Each competitor is required to prepare four espressos, four cappuccinos and four original signature drinks using a coffee selected and roasted exclusively for the competition, presented before seven judges – a head judge, two technical judges and four sensory judges.

Having placed second in the 2009 state competition and third in the national competition, JP has his sights set on the World Barista Championship in Colombia, June 2011.JP’s 2010 competition blend was designed to recreate what he describes as “the best coffee I have ever experienced in my life”.

JP recalls the event that inspired him while on his honeymoon in the United States as a visit to boutique coffee roaster, Stumptown, in PortlandOregon. “Every Wednesday they held public cupping sessions, so we decided to check it out and this is where I came across the most unforgettable Panama Esmeralda, 2010 Reserve”, he says, adding “unfortunately, the Panama was unavailable for this competition, so I’ve come up with an alternative that in my mind recreates the same flavour profile”.

JP’s competition blend consists of Sumatra Dolok Sanngul, Guatemala Tambor and Kenya Kirinyanga Peaberry that when combined give a stonefruit moving through a brown sugar sweetness or malt and milk chocolate in the cup, finished off with a tea-like dryness.

The aim is to select a coffee that is outstanding in each beverage type, as the characteristics will alter somewhat in a milk based coffee from an espresso.

Competitors are judged on espresso machine skills, notably consistency, cleanliness and care, whilst sensory judgement takes into account coffee appearance, flavour and aroma, and the scoring is rounded off with judging the competitors’ coffee knowledge and presentation skills.

Contested categories in the Australian Specialty Coffee Championship are barista champion, latte art champion, cup tasting (referred to within the industry as cupping) and coffee in good spirits, which is a signature cocktail combining espresso and alcohol.

Veneziano Coffee is equally thrilled for its client caf Sojourn in Fortitude Valley, and barista Hayley Sutton on placing third in the cupping category.

Veneziano Coffee is committed to the Australian Specialty Coffee championships as a clear way of supporting and growing coffee knowledge in Australia. The prestigious event is a prelude to the World Barista Championship, with all eyes being on Colombia for the 2011 event.

The Victorian state championship will be held on January 8, 2011 at the St Kilda Town Hall.

The multi-million dollar Australian specialty coffee industry is transcending coffee and caf culture. The beneficiaries are everyone from the avid coffee consumer through to the grower.

Contact:

Fiona Dickson 0418 173 966 or Ana Pipunic 0419 707 702 for further information, photo opportunities, tours or interviews.

Additional information:

Veneziano Coffee specialtyroasters, First Pour caf, home of Australian barista and latte art champions, recipient of countless awards and proud supplier to over 500 of Australia’s best cafes. Located:

369 Montague Rd, WestEnd, QLD and at
22 Bond Street, Abbotsford, VIC.