Union Hand-Roasted Coffee starts its 2013 search for Best Newcomer at the UK Barista Championships
The UK Barista Championships are set to take place nationwide, kicking off in Exeter on 6th February 2013, culminating in finals at the London Coffee Festival 25th to 28th April 2013, welcoming both trade and consumer coffee enthusiasts.
Following last year's success, artisan coffee experts, Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, are set to start their search for a 'rising star' barista 2013.
The 'Union Hand-Roasted Coffee Best Newcomer' will be announced at the London finals of the UK Barista Championships 2013, a competition that celebrates outstanding coffee crafted by the UK's finest baristas.
Union will once again be the Roasted Coffee sponsor and run the Union Brew Bar which will tour with the competition across the nation showcasing their finest coffees, exciting trade and consumer coffee enthusiasts.
Last year the 2012 inaugural 'Union Hand-Roasted Best Newcomer' award was presented to James Bailey who works at Prufrock Coffee, based in the City of London.
James also went on to win second place in the overall competition, twelve points behind winner Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood.
James took home the award for Best Espresso and Best Signature Drink too, and then went on to win the 'Brewers' Cup' at the London Coffee Festival. He was one of 10 newcomers to the competition last year who made it to the semi-finals.
The highlight of James' 'Union Hand-Roasted Best Newcomer' prize will be an Origin Trip to visit the smallholder coffee farmers in Rwanda, with Union Founders Jeremy Torz and Steven Macatonia, from whom they source their high quality speciality Arabica coffee.
The 2013 Union Hand-Roasted Coffee Best Newcomer prize will also feature a trip to origin for the winner.
Judges will once again be scrutinising the competitor's attention to detail, sensory descriptors and technical precision and creative flare in the coffee world.
We are delighted to be taking part in the UK Barista Championships again this year. We are striving to help raise the coffee standards in this country and feel passionate that great tasting coffee is a combination of nature, nurture, intuition and skill.
What better person to be able to help the coffee drinking consumer understand more about their daily brew, and better recognise quality coffee than the barista serving them every morning.
Jeremy Torz, Union Hand-Roasted Coffee Co-Founder
To enter this year's 'Union Hand-Roasted Coffee Best Newcomer' as part of the main championships visit: www.ukcoffeeevents.com
Union Hand-Roasted Coffee is dedicated to the joy of high quality speciality Arabica coffee. London-based, founders Jeremy Torz and Steven Macatonia source their coffee direct from small holder farmers across the world and roast coffee each day in small batches in order to display the fullest expression of flavour and aroma.
Union Hand-Roasted Coffee turn the coffee farmers they work with all across the world into friends. What they call Union Direct Trade is Jeremy and Steven's tried and tested model for ethical buying.
By sourcing their coffee direct from the grower and paying more than Fairtrade price, they develop long term relationships and help promote sustainable livelihoods for the farmers. This directly benefits Union coffee drinkers as it ensures the highest quality coffee and complete price transparency.
Union Hand-Roasted Coffee is available to purchase online where you can browse a diverse range of coffees. www.unionroasted.com