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NINE BARS by Chris Ryan Regional barista competitions get a makeover REGIONAL SHIFT: When Devin Chapman—seen here after winning the 2012 Northwest Regional Barista Competition and Brewers Cup—competes at the next Northwest regional, it will be under a new format in which the competition will combine with the Southwest regional. T his month, the 2013-14 barista competition season will get under way with the third incarnation of the Big Central, the mega-event that combines the North and South Central regionals for one giant barista competition. But while the combined event has been the exception for its first two years, this year the Big Central model will become the norm, as the six regional barista competitions will be held in three super-size weekend events: October's Big Central and the to-be-announced Big Eastern (featuring the Northeast and Southeast regions) and Big Western (combining the Northwest and Southwest regions). The "super regional" format is just one of several changes that will take effect when competition season begins. Gone are multiround regional events in which the top six battle in the finals— now the regionals are one round, with the top finisher from each region named champion. And both first and second place in each region will now advance to the semifinals of the United States Barista Championship, the annual contest that determines the U.S.'s entrant into the World Barista Championship. How might the format change impact this year's competition? Fresh Cup talked to one of the event's organizers and a veteran competitor to find out. THE MEGA-EVENT EXPANSION Tara Shenson, director of marketing and communications for the competitions' parent organization, SCAA, says the move to combine the six regionals into three large events was made partially in response to competitor demand. "The feedback from the competition/barista community was clear," she says. "Combined events bring together a much larger and more diverse community and allow for greater connection between regions, members and member companies while also creating a more exciting, positively charged event atmosphere." Creating new avenues for baristas to connect could make a significant impact on competitors immediately. Devin Chapman, who has won the last two Northwest Regional Barista continued on page 54 52 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com