Tea-Tastic

We had a day of playing around with different products at the roasting facility the other day and we came up with some tasty ideas for some existing products. We decided to try our Jet Teas with some plain Harney and Sons black tea. This makes an amazingly good, refreshing beverage. The Jet Tea adds enough sweetness and a natural fruit flavors that even the die-hard coffee nerds at the roasting plant enjoyed this creation! We found that the berry-based flavors, peach, and mango were the most overall appealing flavors in this mix. Give it a try and see for yourself!

Pictures from the USBC

I thought that everyone might appreciate seeing some pictures from the USBC. There will be more pictures available as time progresses!

Final day of LBC

Well folks, the day has come and it's the final day at Long Beach. Most of us are flying home tomorrow, but Pete is bringing back the best carry on out of all of us. As Victoria stated, our very own Pete Licata took second! ALL of us at PT's are soooooo proud of him and can not seem to remind him enough of that. His performance was so smooth and you could tell that he has been practicing...for quite awhile! All of his shot times were within 2 seconds of each other which is not an easy task to do!
Being even in the final 6 of this group of baristas is truely an accomplishment in itself. Pete beat out 3 other past champions and many other very talented competitors. Some of whom were thought to win this year. Way to go Pete! Everyone should go into the Edwards store and congratulate him, see the trophy (which is amazing looking!) and get a shot of his signature espresso blend. I know you will enjoy it as much as the judges did...and than some! Next stop, Japan to support team US and champion Heather Perry.
My day was spent mainly being a volunteer for the USBC so I didn't get to see much on the floor again. But I did get some free schwag finally so that was cool, lol.
Afterwards, the PT's crew celebrated Petes victory with some fine dining and drinks at a local sports bar. Afterwards we headed to the Roasters Guild Party and said our final goodbyes to everyone until next year. Some of them we will get to see at next years Midwestern Barista Competition and I cant wait. But, until then...
Goodnight and good luck. See y'alls when we get back to Kansas!

Pete Takes Second!

I just received word from California that PT's very own Pete Licata placed second at the Speciality Coffee Association of America's United States Barista Competition. Good friend of PT's Heather Perry a returning SCAA United States Barista Champion won the event. Kris will be posting the details of finals as soon as he gets a chance, and Pete from all of us "congratulations!!!!!!!"

Waiting is Torture

I am sitting at my desk glancing nervously at the clock. Every minute seems like hours as we are waiting for the results of the competition. I knew that the guys were going to rock at the USBC, with all of their talent, on top of time they put into it how could they not? Pete is our veteran barista with the most competition experience, and now he has made it to finals! One of the neatest things is his espresso, it's a version of our La Bella Vita! What he did is took this great espresso and very slightly tweaked it to enhance certain aspects of his signature drink. This coffee is available to you just by visiting our website! Ok so I need to stop staring at the clock and get back to work, but waiting for this BIG news is torture!!!

LBC Day 3!

Another day gone by and it ended on the best note of them all. Pete's in da Finals baby!!! I know I have already said it, but this is where months of hard work gets you. And we at PT's couldn't be more proud. Well...we could. When we bring home the whole thing! Robin did an amazing job as well but was just short of the finals. But, all of us are VERY proud of our "Big Daddy" and everyone else should be as well. As stated yesterday, competition only makes you better which means Robin will be absolutely wonderful next year. So everyone needs to watch out for Team Goonie next time!

Another day in the sun....good times for the crew!

I missed blogging yesterday so everyone is gonna get the scoop for two days worth. My dearest appologies too all our fellow readers in the whirled wyde web, hehe.
So after a not so busy first day and short nights rest, my day started pretty early with a volunteer meeting. I was representing the PT's crew and tryin to be on my best behavior. But ya know, bein on Team Goonie, doesn't make it all that easy ;) I got to meet and greet with all the baristas and see some great people that competed with us at the Midwestern Regional which was really nice. Chris Berola was the first of our team (who works for one of our wholesale accounts, Latte Land) to get his practice time out of the way. This year they are giving the competitors an hour and a half to warm up. Seems like a lot if you ask me, but many are taking full advantage. At the Midwest, we got 10 minutes. Chris was also the only one of the team to go in the first round Friday. His performance was amazing and one of the best we have seen. All of the teams hard work and dedication has really paid off! Pete would do his run the following day.
Later in the evening, myself, our fearless leader Jeff Taylor, Berola and Latte Land owner Ed Schultz (along with some others) all headed to a massive party at the new Intelligentsia Roasting works facility in LA. This was pretty much a who's who in the industry. They were brewing coffee using the new Clover machine, which we at PT's are also a proud owner of as well, and had one of LA's finest taco trucks parked in front feeding everyone. Yep, tacos and coffee...not a good combo in the stomach but nobody seemed to mind. So after a few drinks and mingling amoung the many, we headed back to our hotels and called it a night.
The next day got started pretty early again. I joined Pete, Robin Seitz who manages our Topeka store and is also the current Midwestern Barista Champ, and Holly Bastin for some breakfast. Holly and I had a 9am class on brewing fundamentals. I wasn't for sure on what we would learn, but I gotta admit, I walked out knowing more than I had. Which is great because now I can make sure all that amazing new coffee we have coming in will taste just as amazing in everyones cup! Shortly after, Holly and I attended another class and both got Gold Cup certified which is a good thing for any company or individual to accomplish.
In between classes, I took a chance and competed in a competition of another type. The distributer ESI (whom PT's has a great relationship with and gets equipment from) was doing a trivia type game where the winner would get a brand new La Marzocco GS3. It's a single group machine that runs around 5 grand so I thought what the heck! Well, I gave it my best shot but didn't move on. But it was a lot of fun and a good way to waste 15 minutes, lol.
Later on in the day, the first of PT's baristas, Mr. Pete Licata, would do his first round performance. All I have to say is WOW. Pete was like a barista ninja out there, smooth and deadly. You can see where all those hours, days, and weeks of practice have really paid off because he was simply amazing out there. With the ability to set the judges table now in your 15 minute "set up" time, he had a little more time to fully explain his espresso and the drinks he would serving and how he would be expressing his passion for the mighty spro. He even made a few changes in how he prepared his espresso. Changes im goin to leave out on purpose so everyone has to go in and see Pete so he can tell you personally and prepare his signature espresso for ya!
So after a long day of competing, everyone was finally finished up. And when the smoke cleared and the semi finalists were announced, PT's was very proud to hear that BOTH of our baristas, Pete and Robin, would be competing! Since Robin won the Midwest, he got an automatic bid in the semis. Chris Berola did a great job but didn't make the semi-finals. Watch out for him next year though because competing can only make a person better...eek! So tomorrow will be an exciting day because we finally get to see Robin "Big Daddy" do his performance and Pete go again. From what I hear, Robin is going to blow some people away and I know Pete will do amazing as well. Could the United States Championship be comin home with us? Oh, I believe it will...I believe it will.
Till tomorrow, Good night and good luck.
-Kris w/ a K

Hello from Long Beach!!

Well, everyone made it here to Long Beach in one piece. As much as I would like to say this post will be full of madness, mayhem, and mystery, but two out of three isn't bad right?
I arrived around 12:30 today and found a shuttle to Long Beach, excited about attending my very first SCAA Conference and getting to do it as a PT's barista! A company known for it's quality throughout the coffee community and im so proud to be a member of this squad of Goonies. Shortly after arriving, I contacted one of our competing baristas, Pete Licata and than met up with another of our baristas and Midwestern Barista Champ Robin Seitz and team member Chris Berola from Latte Land. While Pete went to go get buff, Robin, Chris and I went over to the Convention Center to get some checking in takin care of and to check out the mayhem known as the competitors area of the United States Barista Championship, lol. Yeah, it was a slew of who's who in the barista community including every past USBC Champ, except one, returning for this year. There were rounds of hellos, howdys, and how've you beens goin around everywhere. Especially exciting for me because this was my chance to match faces with all the names I have heard about. All of the biggest rock stars in our small barista community here in the US standing in one room. And one of them is going to walk away the next USBC champ. But, as nice and joyful as everyone was, it was nothing but business for the PT's crew. Pete and Chris got all of their stuff unpacked and ready for practice tomorrow. They have been working sooooooo hard the last couple of months for this moment and are ready to shine. Robin will begin competing on Sunday. Since he won the MWRBC, he gets to move right into the semi finals.
Jeff and Holly spent most of the day working with the judging staff getting them set up for competition. This is to make sure everyone that is judging is on the same page and scoring correctly. It's no easy task getting everyone squared away and in sync but im sure Jeff and Holly laid the smack down! lol.
Well, the mystery part will be what will happen tomorrow. Everyone gets started pretty early which means I should hit the sack.
From Long Beach. Good Night, and may the force be with us...and with you too of course!