Hey BXers,

Exciting news for you latte artists. This year SCAA is supporting and promoting a grass roots effort to get latte art to the main stage in Boston.

Here is a rundown.

This new exhibition in the Activities Hall represents a grass roots effort supported by Dalla Corte North America and the barista community to bring the excitement of latte art to life around the country. This event will feature some of the best barista talent in the U.S. demonstrating their artistic skills and is sure to be a thrilling addition to The Event. Latte art is an extremely effective technique for drawing customers' attention and simultaneously preparing a beverage of high quality and takes hours of practice to perfect. Similar to World Latte Art, baristas will be judged based on visual attributes, creativity, identical patterns in the pairs, contrast in patterns, and overall performance. The Latte Art Exhibition highlights artistic expression in a platform that challenges the barista in an on-demand performance. 

For the preliminary round of the exhibition, baristas will go head to head in a 64-person single elimination throwdown with the judges calling for one of three basic latte art designs. The top 32 will move on to the second round where they will be asked produce a single creative latte pattern during their 10 minute practice (they can pour as many lattes during that 10 minute period) then move to the main stage to create two identical free-pour lattes based on that design. The judges will score this round and the top 8 competitors qualify for the final round. In the finals the baristas will be asked to create two identical free-pour macchiatos, two identical free-pour cappuccinos and two identical free-pour lattes in a ten-minute routine. The top-scoring barista in the final round will be declared the winner. 

Grand Prize: A Dalla Corte espresso machine, Mahlkonig ProM Espresso Grinder and a home barista set up (knock box, pitchers, shot glasses, tamp mat) from Prima Coffee. 

The top three competitors will win a Prima Tamp as well! 

Competition Days: 
Thursday April 11, Friday April 12, Saturday April 13 

Competition Times:
Thursday: 11am - 12pm & 2pm – 3pm
Friday: 11am – 12pm & 3pm – 4pm
Saturday: 10am – 12pm Finals & Awards 

Location:  Activities Hall 

Cost:  $25

Register to compete 

For more info, email Patrick Burns atinfo@baristathrowdown.com