The Complete List of 2017 #CoffeeChamps US Qualifier Finalists

The city of Knoxville and Austin hosted the 2017 #CoffeeChamps US Coffee Championships Qualifiers. We were at the two events, covering the action from the stage. Here is a complete list of all who are advancing to the national stage in Seattle.

Sprudge Media Network’s coverage of the 2017 US Coffee Champs is made possible by Urnex Brands and Nuova Simonelli. Sprudge is an official media partner of the Specialty Coffee Association and #CoffeeChamps. 

On January 21st and 22nd of 2017 a legion of baristas descended upon the charming Tennessee college town of Knoxville, each with one goal in mind: to excel on the US Coffee Championships stage, and advance to compete at nationals April 21st-23rd in Seattle.

So here they are! Let’s meet the coffee competitors moving on from this first round of qualifiers in Knoxville.

Barista Competition

1. Samuel Lewontin, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY
2. Cole McBride, Independent, Las Vegas, NV
3. Kyle Ramage, Mahlkonig USA, Raleigh, NC
4. Bethany Hargrove, Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters, San Franciso, CA
5. Matthew Barahura, Intelligentsia Coffee, Los Angeles, CA
6. Shane Hess, Jubala Coffee, Raleigh, NC
7. T. Ben Fisher, La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Philadelphia, PA
8. Micah Sherer, Ally Coffee, Greenville, SC
9. Hannah Craig, Quills Coffee, Louisville, KY
10. Steph Caronna, New World Café, Apex, NC
11. Eli Ramirez, Halfwit Coffee, Chicago, IL
12. Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee, Everett, WA
13. Andrew McCaslin, Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co., St Louis, MO
14. Collin Schneider, Bespoken Coffee Roasters, Corvallis, OR
15. Cris Mendoza, Saint Frank Coffee, San Francisco, CA
16. Reef Bassette, Saint Frank Coffee, San Francisco, CA
17. Amelia Wimmer, Tried & True Coffee Co., Corvalis, OR
18. Marcos Iglesias, VP Coffee, Raleigh, NC

Brewers Cup

1. Jenna Gotthelf, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY
2. Wade Preston, Prevail Coffee Roasters, Auburn, AL
3. Jessica Rodriguez, Klatch Coffee, Ontario, CA
4. Greg Loring-Albright, Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Harrisburg, PA
5. Alex Meece, Steadfast Coffee, Louisville, KY
6. Brian Beyke, Independent, Louisville, KY
7. Adam Hubbell, Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters, San Francisco, CA
8. Phillip Hatter, Red Rooster Coffee Roaster, Floyd, VA
9. Ashley Whelan, Keffa Coffee, Baltimore, MD
10. Don Lawrence, Intelligentsia Coffee, Chicago, IL
11. Dustin Thomas, Steadfast Coffee, Nashville, TN
12. Kevin Smith, Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia, PA

Cup Tasters Championship

1. Samuel Demisse, Keffa Coffee, Baltimore, MD
2. Steve Cuevas, Black Oak Coffee Roasters, Ukiah, CA
3. Steve Latham, Everyman Espresso, New York, NY
4. Aaron Lerner, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Manlius, MA
5. Kenny Smith, Sunergos Coffee, Louisville, KY
6. Aaron MacDougall, Broadsheet Coffee Roasters, Cambridge, MA
7. Michael Burkarski, Blue Bottle Coffee, New York, NY
8. Jeremy Moore, Bonlife Coffee Roasters, Cleveland, TN
9. Zayne Dietterick, Keffa Coffee, Baltimore, MD
10. Bryan Belknap, Madcap Coffee, Grand Rapids, MI
11. Adam Snow, Beans and Bagels, Chicago, IL
12. Blake Nail, Seeds Coffee Co, Birmingham, AL

Roaster’s Competition

1. Cameron Heath, Revelator Coffee Company, Birmingham, AL
2. Eric Stone, Mudhouse Coffee Roasters, Charlottesville, VA
3. Hugh Morretta, La Colombe Coffee, Philadelphia, PA
4. Jeremias Paul, Broom Wagon Coffee, Charleston, SC
5. Sam Kayser, Lone Oak Coffee Co, Winchester, VA
6. Christ Vigilante, Vigilante Coffee, Hyattsville, MD

On February 11th and 12th of 2017 a gaggle of baristas rushed the city of Austin, Texas, with a singular goal: advancing to compete at nationals April 21st-23rd in Seattle. And compete they did.

And here they are! Let’s meet the coffee competitors moving on from this first round of qualifiers in Austin.

Barista Competition

1. Andrea Allen, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
2. Talya Strader, Equator Coffee & Teas, San Francisco, CA
3. Devin Chapman, Coffee Manufactory, San Francisco, CA
4. Ashley Rodriguez, The CRO Cafe, Oakland, CA
5. Isaiah Sheese, Archetype Coffee, Omaha, NE
6. Lorenzo Perkins, Fleet Coffee, Austin, TX
7. Nicholas Balcer, Barista, Portland, OR
8. Matthew Gasaway, Intelligentsia Coffee, Los Angeles, CA
9. Sam Schroeder, Olympia Coffee Roasting Co, Olympia, WA
10. Andrew Frohn, Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia, PA
11. Becky Reeves, Barista, Portland, OR
12. Eliza Lovett, Story Coffee Co, Colorado Springs, CO
13. Tyler Hill, Loyal Coffee, Colorado Springs, CO
14. Dustin Mattson, Counter Culture Coffee, Atlanta, GA
15. David Buehrer, Greenway Coffee Co, Houston, TX
16. Milo DeGoosh, Bard Coffee, Portland, ME
17. Brandon Paul Weaver, Foreigner, Seattle, WA
18. Josh Taves, Novo Coffee, Denver, CO

Brewers Cup

1. Tommy Kim, Andante Coffee Roasters, Los Angeles, CA
2. Jacob White, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, San Diego, CA
3. Alexander Choppin, Baratza, Bellevue, WA
4. Chris Garrison, Old World Coffee Co, Reno, NV
5. Allie Silvas, Intelligentsia Coffee, Chicago, IL
6. Michael Schroeder, Oddly Correct, Kansas City, MO
7. Dylan Siemens, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
8. Chelsey Walker-Watson, Slate Coffee Roasters, Seattle, WA
9. Brian Gelletly, Joe Coffee Co, Philadelphia, PA
10. Sam Schroeder, Olympia Coffee Roasting Co, Olympia, WA
11. Erich Rosenberg, Novo Coffee, Denver, CO
12. Conor Poull, West Oak Coffee Roasters, Denton, TX

Roasters Championship

1. Tim Maestas, Augie’s Coffee, Redlands, CA
2. Elliot Reinecke, Steady State Roasting, Cardiff, CA
3. Taylor Gresham, Evocation Coffee Roasters, Amarillo, TX
4. Matthew Toomey, Boomtown Coffee Roasters, Houston, TX
5. Mark Michaelson, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
6. Evan Inatome, Elixr Coffee, Philadelphia, PA

Cup Tasters

1. Jon Allen, Onyx Coffee Lab, Springdale, AR
2. Kevin Rosenkranz, Camber Coffee, Bellingham, WA
3. Charles Lambert, Boxcar Coffee Roasters, Denver, CO
4. Cody McGregor, Ultimo Coffee, Philadelphia, PA
5. Anderson Stockdale, Blacksmith, Houston, TX
6. Taylor Sullivan, Olam Specialty Coffee, Healdsburg, CA
7. Ryan Smith, Novel Coffee Roasters, Dallas, TX
8. Benji Aguilar, XELA Coffee Roasters, Houston, TX
9. Anthony Auger, Genuine Origin Project, St. Louis, MO
10. Megan O’Connell, Portland, OR
11. Marco Carrera, Colectivo Coffee, Milwaukee, WI
12. Steve Hyun, Andante Coffee Roasters, Los Angeles, CA

Coverage is produced by Zac Cadwalader. Photos by Charlie Burt and Elizabeth Chai for Sprudge Media Network.