Skills & Education
Sarah Posma: A Fairbanks Coffee Leader's Path From Barista to Manager
An Alaska-born coffee professional reflects on eleven years at a Fairbanks roaster, a long-distance barista competition, and the rituals of winter café life.
Section
Baristas
34 stories
- Skills & Education
Staying Centered Behind the Bar: Practical Grounding Methods for Baristas
Working in customer service brings stress that can't be avoided, so having grounding strategies on hand is vital for baristas to remain composed and focused during tough moments.
- Coffee Competitions
From Beekeeping to Bean Champion: A Conversation with Keith J. Feigin
The co-founder and president of a Ukiah, California roasting company reflects on small-town pride, team achievements at the Golden Bean North America competition, and the evolving coffee landscape.
- Coffee Competitions
Dylan Johnson on AeroPress Competition Culture and Extraction Principles in New South Wales
An email interview with Australian AeroPress champion Dylan Johnson, covering his path into coffee, the brewer's growth in New South Wales, his competition preparation, and his extraction philosophy.
- Skills & Education
Rachel Apple on Opening Doors in Coffee: Mentorship, Hands-On Learning, and the Courage to Ask
Coffee consultant and Cup of Excellence head judge Rachel J. Apple talks about her path from a frustrated barista to a knowledge-sharing educator, why tactile roasting skill can't be replaced by online shortcuts, and how newcomers can find mentors by simply speaking up.
- Coffee Competitions
Lemuel Butler on Competition, Signature Drinks, and Coffee Craft
The five-time Southeast Barista Champion shares his journey from reluctant barista to industry mentor, and explains how competition shaped his approach to coffee.
- Coffee Competitions
Barista Guild and SCAA Board Retract Regional Competition Overhaul, Form Committee for Future Qualifying Events
After facing backlash over the cancellation of regional qualifiers for the US Barista Championship, the organizations have reversed the decision but say the old format cannot return as it was.
- Skills & Education
Protecting the Barista Body: Four Practical Steps for Cafés
Simple adjustments to training, workspace design, communication, and task rotation can reduce the physical toll of barista work.
- Skills & Education
The Consistency Game: Rethinking Tamping for Better Espresso
Why repeatable pressure beats perfect technique—and how to make tamping a non-issue in your espresso routine.
- Coffee Competitions
The Craft Behind a Barista's Fifteen Minutes on Stage
Eden-Marie Abramowicz of Intelligentsia shares how flavor expectations shape the competition routine that took her to the national stage.
- Coffee Competitions
Randall Jackson’s Road to the CoffeeChamps Stage
A behind-the-scenes look at how a Lubbock barista built his first competition routine after hours, wrestled with self-doubt, and earned a mid-pack score in Austin.
- Coffee Competitions
Golden Bean's roaster-judged contest: a look behind the competition
A roaster-only judging format, a growing entry pool, and an awards weekend in Portland—how the Golden Bean competition was built to spotlight the people behind the coffee.
- Skills & Education
Dialing In the Grind: Why Coffee Demands Precision and How Training Delivers It
A look at why grind accuracy matters more than many brewers expect, how espresso standards define the target, and a hands-on field test for getting close—plus a cautionary tale about the perils of fear-based grinder policies.
- Skills & Education
Beyond the Bag: How Baristas Build Careers Through Structured Learning
Skepticism about barista training persists, but certifications and camps offer a path to professional credibility.
- Coffee Competitions
Two and a Half Decades of the Barista World Championship: A Retrospective
Jack Simpson from Australia claimed the 25th world barista title in Milan. The milestone offers a chance to examine how the competition has shaped coffee culture, from processing trends to diversity debates.
- Coffee Competitions
Coffee Judging Overhaul at Good Food Awards Draws Mixed Reactions
The Good Food Awards has updated its coffee judging rules in partnership with the Roasters Guild, shifting to home-brewing evaluation and stricter certification requirements, but the timing of the announcement has left some roasters frustrated.
- Skills & Education
Q Grader Certification Under New Management: Industry Reacts with Concern and Cautious Optimism
The Specialty Coffee Association's takeover of the Q Grader Program from the Coffee Quality Institute has left many coffee professionals grappling with uncertainty about licensing, costs, and the future of a shared quality language. While some mourn the loss of a familiar standard, others see an opening for a more inclusive system.
- Skills & Education
Reading the Room: When to Teach Customers About Coffee and When to Just Pour
A café co-founder explains how to gauge each customer's appetite for coffee knowledge, from a busy morning queue to dedicated tasting events, without turning service into a lecture.
- Coffee Competitions
Barista Contest Rules Revised: Plant Milks Now Permitted on the World Stage
The Specialty Coffee Association has updated its competition regulations to let baristas use plant-based milks, a major policy shift that follows years of advocacy and debate.
- Skills & Education
How to Steam Milk for Consistent Microfoam
A step-by-step guide to aerating and heating milk so the foam is evenly integrated, from purging the wand to the final swirl before pouring.
