Seattle, Wash. – October 17, 2007 – The Millrock Free Pour Latte Art Championship at Coffee Fest is gathering steam as the annual contest adds blind judging and a leader scoreboard to the much-awaited contest. This and an increased winner’s purse are sure to stir up competitive fires among the 40 baristas who will gather at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle on November 9-11, 2007, to vie for first place.

The 40 baristas that made it through the application process will compete for 10 finalist spots at preliminary rounds on Friday and Saturday from 10a.m.-12p.m.  The finals will commence on Saturday evening at 5:30p.m., followed immediately by the Coffee Fest Seattle Reception.

“Latte art is aesthetically pleasing but to create these designs, a barista has to know coffee and coffee making and all of its nuances,” points out David Heilbrunn, Coffee Fest show manager. “We hope to further elevate the profile of a championship that is a lighthearted take on making a seriously good cup of coffee.”

Only the Cup Counts
This year, Coffee Fest organizers strove for the fairest competition and took contestants’ looks, personality, and relationships out of the equation.  The three judges will not be able to see or hear the competitors.  Only the artfully designed drink placed in front of the judges will be scored – a score based exclusively on the pour.

Another shift in the competition is immediate scoring. Drawing comparisons to the “kiss and cry” area at Olympic Ice Skating events, contestants and the audience will view scores for each competitor directly following the competitors’ pours. Each contestant will know exactly where they stand throughout the competition. 

The most deft combination of technical expertise and artistic whimsy will yield the top prize of $5,000. The second place winner will receive $1,000 and third place victor will pull in $500. These not-so-small sums signify a growing sophistication in the coffee industry when it comes to coffee preparation and presentation. Millrock Free Pour Latte Art Championships is presented by Barista Magazine, Nuova Simonelli and Dillanos Coffee Roasters.

About Coffee Fest
Coffee Fest has been bringing coffee industry people together since 1992 when the show first got its start as a consumer festival in Seattle. Since 1998, Coffee Fest has gathered coffee retailers, roasters, distributors and manufacturers together for thrice annual trade shows to help attendees build and refine their business, learn about the latest products and stay tuned into the latest happenings within the coffee industry. Coffee Fest will celebrate its 50th show in Washington, D.C. in February 2008, and will host its first show off the mainland in Hawaii in June. In November of 2008, Coffee Fest goes international with a debut show in Hong Kong. For more information about all the shows, go to Coffee Fest.