It’s all in the rearview now, but it was a hell of a competition. The 2016 US Barista Championship was one of the closest in recent memory; we would not have been shocked if any of the six Finalists took home the crown.
But 2016 is the year of the Sexy Foam, of Verity Resins’ Lemuel Butler! An ecstatic cheer ripped apart the Atlanta Convention Center when Butler was announced as the new US Barista Champion. It was by far the most moving moment of the entire four-day coffee conference, and we were lucky enough to be here to witness it live.
To a person, each of the six final performances were incredible. They showed just how difficult it is to make it to the top in the hyper-competitive US Barista Championship. Any of their routines would have been at home on the World’s stage in Dublin. But there could be only one winner, and Lem Butler is a truly deserving champion. Here are the final standings for the 2016 US Barista Championship.
Our 2016 US Barista Championship coverage on Sprudge Live is supported by KitchenAid Craft Coffee Brewers, Nuova Simonelli, and Urnex Brands.
1. Lemuel Butler, Verity Resins
2. Andrea Allen, Onyx Coffee Lab
3. Devin Chapman, La Colombe
4. Samuel Lewontin, Everyman Espresso
5. Trevor Corlett, Madcap Coffee
6. Sam Schroeder, Olympia Coffee Roasting Co.
Thanks for joining us for the past three days of the rip-roaring 2016 US Barista Championship. We’ve had a blast. We’ll be back in June to bring you all minute-to-minute action of the World Barista Championship in Dublin. See you in Ireland, Lem!