RVA Barista Jam

2011-09-13T15:17:00.000-04:00

Hey coffee fans, guess what?
RVA Barista Jam is back in action!

We're starting the preparation stage for our next event; a Barista Jam at Para Coffee in Charlottesville, Virginia!

Right now we're just trying to spread the word and generate some interest--let us know if you're interested in competing, judging, helping out or just attending!

The Barista Jam will take place 14 October 2011 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

Help us spread the word!

Its time for RVA Barista Jam!

2011-02-23T07:27:00.000-05:00

Howdy friends!
The day is here; time for RVA Barista Jam!

We're SUPER excited for this evening's event and we can't wait to see everyone.
Here are the details:
Competition starts at 6:00 and runs to 8:00pm at Ellwood's Cafe.
Feel free to come early and enjoy Ellwood's Cafe's great food and beverage--and they're open until 9:00pm so feel free to stick around afterwards.

We're raffling off all kinds of prizes with the proceeds benefiting the Central Virginia Food Bank and we're also encouraging the baristas to auction off their drinks so bring a little cash to support good causes!

Come ready for great fun and great friends--all the cool kids will be there!

Judging Rubric

2011-02-16T10:39:00.000-05:00

Hey friends, want to know how the competition is judged? Here's the judging rubric!

RVA Barista Jam in 1 WEEK!

2011-02-16T10:22:00.000-05:00

Hey coffee friends, we are officially one week away from February 23's RVA Barista Jam and things are shaping up nicely!

I've been fielding some email questions for the past couple days so I thought I'd post some of them as FAQs so everyone can benefit.

Is there a fee to compete or be a spectator? No! Competing or watching is totally free. Ellwood's Cafe has some awesome food and drink though, so we hope you'll patronize them while you're there.

Are all the competitors sharing an espresso grinder? Yes, there will be one grinder and each contestant will use it UNLESS the contestant has their own grinder and would like to use it instead, this is totally ok.

Will contestants have time to adjust grind and pull practice shots? Yes, we are not judging on time so you will have some time to dial in your espresso prior to making your competition beverages. I will post the scoring rubric to the website so you can see how the judging works, as for timing, we just ask that you are expeditious as we have to get through all of our competitors in 2 hours.

Are pitchers, tamps, serveware and smallwares provided? We will provide standard pitchers, tamps etc. if needed or you are welcome to bring your own. We will use Ellwood Cafe's serveware or you are welcomed to bring your own.

Do contestants need to bring their own milk and/or espresso? Blanchard's Coffee Co. will provide espresso for anyone to use if they want, but you are encouraged to bring your own. Milk is the responsibility of the contestant--if you forget, there are at least nine million grocery stores within 100 yards of Ellwood's Cafe.

Competition spots are filling up fast so to get signed up, email rvabaristajam@gmail.com today!

2011 Season Begins 23 February

2011-02-07T12:10:00.003-05:00

Friends, we're starting back up where it all began!
On 23 February 2011 we will be throwing the first RVA Barista Jam of 2011 at Ellwood's Coffee from 6:00-8:00pm.

Here are just a few of the details to get you started, but stay tuned for more exciting announcements!

This competition will require competitors to prepare an espresso course and a traditional latte/cappuccino course. I know a lot of baristas want to break out their wild drink recipes and I promise, that competition will come, but to get started, a lot of folks have requested going back to the basics. As before, you'll be judged on a modified WBC rubric.

We have two judges dedicated and would like to have at least one more; if you're interested, contact me at rvabaristajam@gmail.com

Competitors need to supply their own milk! A half gallon should suffice, there is no restriction on what type of milk you use.

Blanchard's Coffee Co. will provide espresso for competitors who choose not to bring their own but different espressos are welcomed and encouraged.

As always, there will be a cash prize for the winner as well as prizes and gifts for other competitors.

This year we're adding a new feature: we'll be selling raffle tickets for a door prize (which will be exciting, I promise) and all proceeds will go to a local charity. The charity and door prize will be announced very soon!

Email me at rvabaristajam@gmail.com if you would like to compete, donate a prize in exchange for advertisement at the event, judge or anything else. Also shoot me a line if you have any questions or you have specific suggestions for charity organizations we can support.

To Our LOYAL Followers...

2010-06-10T08:44:00.003-04:00

Let me just apologize again for the confusion surrounding June 9th's Jam. I hope you will all continue to support our fledgling organization. We are going to reschedule Jam #3, so don't forget to sign up and don't forget to tell the other baristas at your shops to do the same! We look forward to another night of funky coffee creations and fun! Be on the lookout for the next updates on Twitter and Facebook! #rvabaristajam

Third RVA Barista Jam June 9

2010-05-20T15:08:00.003-04:00

Folks are already registering for RVA Barista Jam on June 9th at Cafe Gutenberg. Want to compete? Judge? Attend? let us know! Keep up with the latest on our Facebook page

One Week to RVA Barista Jam #2!

2010-04-06T14:14:00.006-04:00

Well folks, the time has flown! We are just a bit over a week away from the second 2010 RVA Barista Jam taking place at GlobeHopper CoffeeHouse & Lounge. Slots for competitors are almost full so if you haven't registered yet, hop to it!

We're very excited to welcome a new sponsor, Suzi from www.lillyinfusion.com who will be offering up a 10 minute massage for the winning barista, a 10 minute massage as a door prize and $1 per minute massages for all of our guests!

Are you interested in being a Judge for a Barista Jam? If so, shoot me an email to stephen@adcoffeetech.com

Please check us out at our Facebook.com fan page (link above) and help us spread the word!

First Jam...a Great Success!

2010-03-25T16:00:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to our winner, Darren from Ellwoods!
Also, congrats to Heather, also from ET, for taking the 2nd place spot.

Registration Update

2010-03-21T20:26:00.002-04:00

The first Jam is just days away. We already have 11 folks registered. Please note there are only 15 total spots available, so register now!

2010-03-15T20:14:00.001-04:00

Barista Jam from David Blanchard on Vimeo.

Coffee and Grace

2009-07-31T09:02:00.005-04:00

Last night I found myself in quite a quandary... I was sent to the store by some friends and coffee was on my list. They know that I take pride in my coffee and so I felt the expectations of my purchase weighing on me as I grabbed a basked and head towards the isle of mass produced over roasted beans. As I stood there, the starbucks "sex goddess" was staring back at me and the Dunkin Donuts colors reminding me of Virginia Tech. What was I to do? Which was the lesser of two evils. How could I look my friends in the eye with confidence as I presented to them the norm of coffee created with no care. I took a deep breath, said a quick prayer of repentance and grabbed a bag of starbucks. Just another reminder that this world is in need of grace.

One-Thousand Faces

2009-07-31T08:56:00.002-04:00

Another benefit to coffee lovers is that there's no way coffee can ever get old. It's not like cake. There's cake. And there's other flavors of cake. But we have it better.

We have the beans. There's thousands of different beans from different regions and different plantations.

We have the roasts. Every bean can have tons of different flavors reflected in how it's roasted.

We have the brew. There are so many ways to simply brew your coffee, and each brings out some different quality.

This morning, for instance, I pulled a shot of espresso in one shop, came back here to have a different coffee in drip, and will shortly start the three-hour long process of filtering a different coffee for iced coffee, all while roasting yet another coffee for tomorrow. The combinations and possibilities are endless, and there are more being developed all the time.

And for the dedicated and passionate, there's simply nothing better. I know that by the end of today I'll be covered, head-to-toe, in coffee. I'll be sitting in the humid summer air, craving my evening beer, reeking of coffee, and wishing I was already in Puerto Rico (so I could actually play with the plants themselves, no less). And there's something special about that, that few industries can give you. Something so simple presented in an infinite number of ways.

So what's your record? How many coffees have you had in one day? I don't mean how many cups, but how many varieties, methods, etc.? Think carefully (there could have been espresso in that cake frosting, for instance...)

More than a guilty pleasure

2009-07-30T09:43:00.007-04:00

Coffee is more than just a guilty pleasure for me. It is a reason to gather, a conduit for conversation. These days everything is "to go" and the faster the better. We have created a lifestyle that is afraid to look people in the eyes. It is as if the eye really is a window into the soul and if we stop, even for just a moment, we are terrified of what people might find. We are in such a hurry to hide in our responsibility and to develop our disconnected significance. Our fear has cost us the beauty of living life together.

Coffee for me is in a real mug. It is a seat in a broken in, high-backed chair waiting for the next conversation to walk through the door. Coffee is my addiction, but people are my passion. I guess it is a great thing when your addiction facilitates your passion. This morning coffee was an excuse to sit with friends while reading, every once in a while, inviting one another into the thoughts that were framing the day ahead. Last night a cup of Decaf bought me 30 more minutes with a friend to get real, sharing our struggles of the year and the dreams that have been born. Coffee is more than a guilty pleasure, For me it is a reason to "dwell richly" in the gift of friendship and life together...

Old, Old Coffee

2009-07-29T21:49:00.003-04:00

So it took me all day to recover from my first and only cup of coffee today. I woke up to find that all fresh roasted whole bean coffee was gone. My only option was a pre ground french roast that was very old. This could have been my worst cup of coffee in years. And, it was coffee that I roasted....months ago. It just goes to show that freshness matters in coffee. Tomorrow will be a better day.

A Hot, Humid Day...

2009-07-28T16:49:00.006-04:00

and all I wanted was an iced coffee. The coffee company that I work for spends 24 hours cold pressing iced coffee. It is delicious! We had a five gallon jug in back stock today from this weekend. As I went to poor it into a glass of ice, I SAW MOLD! Give me a break. Mold? Needless to say, I suffered through a glass of ice water, probably a better option considering I was roasting coffee most of the day in a hot roastery.

Lesson? Refrigerate your iced coffee...please.

Kids and Coffee

2009-07-26T08:48:00.002-04:00

I wish my my kids drank coffee rather than yelling at me...no, seriously. I have often argued that coffee makes the world a better place because it is a drink meant to be consumed slowly, with friends, over conversation. It is hard to fully enjoy when all you here is, "Daaaadddddyyyy!!!" I love my kids, and I can't wait until they drink coffee.

Motivation

2009-07-25T21:20:00.003-04:00

Sometimes my motivation for going to bed is the thought of getting to make coffee when I wake up. Fews things in life rival the first cup of coffee. Tonight, I have had beer, so I want to go to bed. Coffee will be my motivation for getting out of bed.

Saturday Morning Brew

2009-07-25T15:04:00.001-04:00

Alarm Clock...6:34 AM

Egg Biscuit...6:52 AM

Began setting up a coffee stand at a Farmer's Market...7:02 AM

First cup of coffee....7:48 AM. Life is GOOD!

We spend countless hours, days, and years arguing truths. Life BC (before coffee) is no good. This blog affirms that statement (truth) with every post.