For the final challenge, the two teams of champion baristas each had 10 minutes to prepare the best espressos and cappuccinos from the coffee they had roasted at Selva Negra, then an additional 10 minutes to serve as many coffee drinks as possible to the appreciative audience at Let’s Talk Coffee.  The qualities of each espresso and cappuccino were evaluated by four expert sensory judges, and the baristas’ techniques were evaluated by two technical judges, according to World Barista Championship guidelines. 

The espressos were evaluated on crema color, consistency, and persistence, taste balance, and tactile balance on a scale of 1-6, with taste and tactile balance weighted four times as heavily.  The cappuccinos were evaluated on visual appearance, consistency and persistence of foam, and taste balance on the same scale.  Taste balance was weighted four times as heavily as the other cappuccino elements.

The baristas worked gracefully, if a bit frenetically, before the stony-faced judges and a cheering audience.  After a break to eat a late dinner (and build tension), the competition was moved to the resort disco to ensure the appropriate atmosphere of decorum for the announcement of the winners.  Team Cappuccino won the final challenge with their superior coffee, but they were unable to overcome Team Ripe Cherries’ string of earlier victories.  The members of Team Ripe Cherries were crowned victors of the Seed to Cup Challenge, with all the rights and privileges (and fine cigars and rum) that title bestows.

The baristas are now back at Selva Negra farm, enjoying the annual farm fair from a position of much greater comfort than last time.  So ends the Seed to Cup challenge, back where it started, connecting baristas to farmers, and hopefully connecting both groups more closely to us as well.