United States Barista Championship
The United States Barista Championship or USBC, is a competition to decide the most well rounded barista in the United States. Competitors prepare and serve three courses of espresso-based beverages consisting of espressos, milk beverages, and signature drinks. The Competitor must make all three courses of beverages within a 15 minute time limit and are judged by seven different judges. The judging team consists of 4 sensory judges, 2 technical judges, and 1 head judge. The role of the sensory judge is to score the competitor solely on the quality of the beverage served and customer service. The technical judges are not served drinks, but score the competitor on items ranging from cleanliness to consistency of shot times. Judges undergo a certification process before the competition.
All USBC competitors must first qualify at a CoffeeChamps Qualifying Competition, which is an abbreviated version of the USBC. At the Qualifying Competitions, baristas serve two courses of espresso-based beverages consisting of espressos and signature drinks for 2 scoring sensory judges, 2 non-scoring guest judges or judges-in-training, 2 technical judges, and 1 head judge. There is a 10 minute time limit.
2 Qualifying Competitions are held each year, the top 18 competitors from each Qualifying Competition move on to USBC. Places 7-18 move into Round One of USBC. The top 6 from each Qualifying Competition receive a "bye" into the Semi-Finals round.
USBC consists of 3 rounds: Round One, Semi-Finals, and Finals. At the end of Round One, the competitors with the 6 highest scores will advance to the Semi-Finals round and join the 12 competitors who earned a “bye” from CoffeeChamps. There are 18 competitors in Semi-Finals and 6 competitors in Finals.
The winner represents the United States in the World Barista Championship.
Past winners
- 2020 Andrea Allen
- 2019 Sam Spillman
- 2018 Cole McBride
- 2017 Kyle Ramage
- 2016 Lemuel Butler
- 2015 Charles Babinski
- 2014 Laila Ghambari
- 2013 Pete Licata
- 2012 Katie Carguilo
- 2011 Pete Licata
- 2010 Michael Phillips
- 2009 Michael Phillips
- 2008 Kyle Glanville
- 2007 Heather Perry
- 2006 Matt Riddle
- 2005 Phuong Tran
- 2004 Bronwen Serna
- 2003 Heather Perry
Prior to 2003, the competition was known as the North American Barista Competition. Dismas Smith was the 2002 NABC champion.