2020 US Barista Championship Nashville Qualifying Event Day Two Recap

And that’s a wrap for the 2020 US Barista Championship Qualifying Event in Nashville, Tennessee! Well, at least as far as the competitors go. It’s now up to the judges to undergo the unenviable task of deciding who will be moving on to the US Barista Championship next month in Orange County, California.

A total of 18 coffee professionals will join the other half of the field who already earned their spot in the USBC at the Sumner, Washington Qualifying Event last month, with the top six from this weekend’s event earning a bye into the Semi-Final round. We saw the return of barnstormers like Glitter Cat alum Anthony Ragler who is looking to improve upon his stunning 8th place finish in his rookie season last year and we got to witness the return of none other than Mama Mocha herself Sarah Gill, whose Southern charm and larger-than-life stage presence easily made her the crowd favorite at last year’s Nashville Qualifying Event.

But before anyone can start planning their trip to sunny Southern California they, the first step is to make it out of Nashville alive, and while the judges decide the fates of our sum total 54 competitors, let’s take a look back at Day Two of the US Barista Championship Qualifying Event in Nashville, Tennessee.

Sprudge Media Network’s coverage of the 2020 US Coffee Championships Nashville Qualifying Event is presented by Cafe Imports, Acaia, IKAWA, Pacific Barista Series, Bellwether, and Baratza. 

Ryan Moser, Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co

Anna Rozenberg, Rex Coffee

Miranda Haney, Greater Goods Coffee

James May Lee

Kylan Reasoner, Sayso Coffee

Emma Leibman, Peregrine Espresso

Kyla Villamor, Honolulu Coffee

Casey Wilson, Boxcar Coffee Roasters

Maud Hasler, Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Co

Cydni Patterson, Cafe Driade

Morgan Eckroth, Tried & True Coffee

Paige Hicks, Trade and Lore Coffee

Matthew Scott, Lemonjello’s Coffee

Ali Abderrahman, La Reunion

Avery Leith, Huckleberry Roasters

Tyler Montague, Brew Coffee Bar

Jordan Hershberger, Coat Check Coffee

Kristi Persinger

Morgan Mooney-Honeychurch, Revelator Coffee Company

Grace Rathbone, Ada’s Discovery Cafe

Jessica Messer, Red Rooster Coffee Roaster

Sarah Hise, Stovetop Roasters

Gisel Alvarez, Monarch Coffee

Anthony Ragler, Black and White Coffee Roasters

Sam Schaefer, Espy/Anthology

Chelsea Kallman, Stay Golden Coffee Co

Mama Mocha, Mama Mocha’s Coffee

Sam Spillman, Dillanos Coffee Roasters

Photos by Elizabeth Chai for Sprudge