December 2013
The fifth edition of the World Barista Championship, the “Olympic Games” for baristas or coffee bartenders, took place in Trieste, Italy June 18-20.
The now yearly competition rewards the art, creativity and showmanship of a craft once hidden from view behind the bulk of a commercial espresso machine or the confines of a drive-through coffee cabin.
So, when Café Britt set out in June to celebrate the 12,000th performance of our award-winning CoffeeTour, we could think of no better way than showcasing the barista’s art in pure CoffeeTour style – with fun and education.
The tour’s 11 a.m. edition, now dubbed the “Cappuccino CoffeeTour,” features a new barista show and open coffee bar at our on-site Don Prospero Restaurant.
The event was a resounding success with the nearly 100 tourism professionals and special guests we tested it on June 24. The general public got its first sampling July 1.
Fitted with a wireless microphone and camera, our expert, on-staff barista explains and shows how to brew a perfect espresso and cappuccino. A viewing screen displays every step for all to see.
After the demonstration, visitors drink their fill of coffee and specialty coffee drinks, including our new guava iced coffee cooler. Our barista remains at the coffee bar – any fantasy our guests have in specialty drinks, we’ll prepare for them.
The show, set amid a wedding party feast, is hosted by our two CoffeeTour protagonists who “marry” during each tour performance, making the barista show a natural extension of our already famous tour.
We’re proud of our CoffeeTour’s continuing success, but it needs to keep evolving to remain fresh and successful.
The barista show plus the expansion this year of our restaurant and our new coffee bar are part of Café Britt’s efforts to continue improving, building on the success of our past. We want to ensure that the 24,000th edition of the tour, when its time comes, will be an important a milestone as the 12,000th performance was in June. Stay with us.
