It’s finally here! After a year’s worth of competitions taking place across the globe, the World Barista Championship and World Brewers Cup will officially commence on Thursday, April 11th in Boston, Massachusetts as part of the SCA’s Specialty Coffee Expo. Nearly 100 competitors will vie for the top spots across the two competitions, including a two-day preliminary round for each competition that will see every single competitor take the stage.
And though these competitions are the stars of Expo, they are hardly all there is to see over the extended weekend in Boston. There are parties, pop-ups, and just general good times galore! We have compiled all the goings-on into one handy, dandy list for you Expo’ing pleasure. We’ll be updating it regularly as new events become available.
Don’t see your event on the portal? Give us a shout!
All of SprudgeLive’s 2019 competition coverage is made possible by Acaia, Baratza, Faema, Cafe Imports, Wilbur Curtis, Third Wave Water, Minor Figures, and Mahlkönig.
In 2019 SprudgeLive is home to the Digital Roasters Village, because it takes a village to cover a barista competition. The Digital Roasters Village features Camber Coffee, Verve Coffee, Partners Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, Rishi Tea, Kickapoo Coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, Onyx Coffee Lab, Creation Coffee, Amavida, and Equator Coffees without whom this work would not be possible.
Thursday, April 11th
A full competition schedule for Thursday can be found here.
9:00am-5:00pm: World Barista Championship, Round One, Day One
The Chocolate Barista Party 2019: For the third year in a row, Michelle Johnson is hosting an Expo party. Taking place at Intelligentsia’s Watertown location, the event features drinks (both alcoholic and n/a) and swag. The Chocolate Barista Party is free to attend, though they ask for a suggested donation of $5, with proceeds going to the Greater Four Corners Action Coalition. 6:00pm-9:00pm
Specialty Coffee Expo Official Launch Party: Kick off the weekend right with the official Expo party hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association. There will be food, drinks, a performance by Portrait Country Burundi, and the US Latte Art Throwdown presented by Pacific Barista Series. 6pm-9pm at the Boston Convention Center. Free to attend.
Friday, April 12th
A full competition schedule for Friday can be found here.
9:00am-4:30pm: World Barista Championship, Round One, Day Two
10:00am-530pm: World Brewers Cup, Round One, Day One
Flavour Wheel Feud: Scandinavia’s The Barista League returns Stateside for another fun, fast-paced coffee event. Hosted by Lem Butler and Erika Vonie, the Flavour Wheel Feud will feature eight all-star trios of coffee professionals from around the world looking to earn their way to the top spot. 6pm-Late at the Middle East Nightclub. Free to attend.
SCA Events at Counter Culture: Join Counter Culture at their Boston Training Center for a full day of coffee festivities, including a Tasting @ Ten with East Africa Supply Chain Manager Getu Bekele, a tech workshop, and an introduction into “the commonly used ASL signs that relate to specialty coffee and coffee shops.” 10am-6pm at the Counter Culture’s Somerville Training Center. Free to attend. RSVP here.
Baristas Screening: Tired of watching the World Barista Championship and want to watch a movie about the World Barista Championship instead? Your’e in luck, because Baristas—the follow up to Barista—will be hosting an official screening. 6pm at ShowPlace ICON Boston. $20. Tickets can be purchased here.
La Colombe Party: Join La Colombe for a night of bites, brews, and draft latte cocktails. Taking place at the Boston South Station Cafe. 7pm-11:30pm. Free to attend. RSVP here.
Saturday, April 13th
9:00am-3:30pm: World Brewers Cup, Round One, Day Two
9:30am-4:00pm: World Barista Championship, Semi-Finals
4:00pm-5:00pm: World Brewers Cup Finalist Announcement
4:00pm-5:00pm: World Barista Championship Finalist Announcement
SCA Game Night: Want a night of not partying? Come hang with fellow coffee professionals in a more relaxed atmosphere at SCA Game Night. Organized by Jenn Chen (with board game assistance from Nathanael May), SCA Game Night is the perfect alternative to loud music and drinking to excess. 6pm at Pavement Coffeehouse at 415 Western Ave.
Rock’n’Lobster Roll: Hosted by La Marzocco, the Rock’n’Lobster Roll will be a night of good times with “lots of Boston-themed surprises” in store. 8pm-12am at the Paradise Rock Club.
Coffee Roasters Guild Mixer: Come mingle with your fellow roasters without having to leave the convention center. “Coffee Roasters Guild Chair Sonja Grant and Vice Chair Jen Apodaca will welcome attendees and kick off an afternoon full of fun activities with plenty of time to network and socialize.” 5pm-6:30pm at the Boston Convention Center. Free to attend.
Timothy Hill on Coffee Quality: Tools, Tech, Plants, and QC: Timothy Hill of Atlantic Specialty Coffee will be leading an in-depth talk and tasting on coffee QC protocols, including the use of UV light. Taking place at Pavement Coffeehouse‘s 415 Western Ave location. 3:30pm-5pm. Free to attend. RSVP here.
Sunday, April 14th
10:00am-3:00pm: World Barista Championship Finals
10:00am-1:30pm: World Brewers Cup Finals
2:30pm-3:30pm: World Brewers Cup Awards Ceremony
3:30pm-4:30pm: World Barista Championship Awards Ceremony
Drag Brunch: Hosted by Intelligentsia and Life Alive, the Drag Brunch is “a fun morning of delicious food, extraordinary coffee, and drag queens.” Show your Expo badge to receive free unlimited drip coffee by Intelligentsia. 5% of all the proceeds go to Trans Student Educational Resources. 9am-12pm at Live Alive Cafe.
Official After Party: This is the big one. The Barista Guild and World Coffee Events have come together to send off the 2019 Expo in style. Come say goodbye to all your coffee friends and another year of competitions. 9pm-1am at Royale Boston. Free to attend with Expo badge, which is really a good look!
Ask Me About Cost of Production, Boston!: A collaboration between Junior’s Roasted Coffee and the Boston Intersectional Coffee Collective, Ask Me About Cost of Production is “a community-led event that will explore the coffee pricing crisis with members of the local and international coffee community” through panel discussions. 6pm-8pm at Night Shift Brewing. Free to attend with a suggested donation to go towards Coffee Kids. RSVP here.
Top image © Connie Wade/Adobe Stock
We’re updating this post all weekend long from Expo 2019 in Boston. Want to see your event listed? Reach out to Sprudge!
