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The Northwest’s top barista is not from Capitol Hill


NWRBC ’09

Originally uploaded by Lay-Luh

And he’s not even from Seattle. Billy Wilson runs his own shop in Portland. Sunday, Wilson became a three-time winner of the Northwest Regional Barista Competition at this weekend’s Coffee Fest tradeshow in Seattle.

Thanks to flickr user Lay-Luh for her picture of the top three finishers:
1st: Billy Wilson, BARISTA (right)
2nd: Andrew Milstead, Urban Coffee Lounge (middle)
3rd: Laila Ghambari, Urban Coffee Lounge (left)


Wilson was also NW champion in 2007 and 2008 and, as you can see in this picture from a big win down in Vegas in 2005, is used to getting large checks for his creations at latte competitions. Way to go, Billy. He’ll now automatically advance to the national semifinals at the 2010 United States Barista Championship held in Anaheim in April.

Meanwhile, the list of finalists included baristi from Portland and Kirkland — but nobody from Cap Hill made this year’s finals.


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Sprudge
Sprudge
15 years ago

it’s worth noting the coffees that andrew milstead and laila ghambari used were roasted by stumptown coffee roasters here on capitol hill. panama carmen estate and guatemala finca el injerto bourbon were used as single origin espressos for all of their drinks served during the competition.

zachary
http://sprudge.com

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15 years ago

Is that representing Capitol Hill or Portland (where Stumptown is from)? I don’t know…

Sprudge
Sprudge
15 years ago

as a roastery operating on capitol hill… yes.

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15 years ago

A roastery operating based on business practices and standards developed in Portland by a Portland-based company.

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15 years ago

oh, snap

Sprudge
Sprudge
15 years ago

the physicality of the roasting process, the actual location and the person guiding the beans from green to brown are all far more important than bookkeeping. those roasters go to work every day on capitol hill, and you should be into that. why do you care where their paychecks come from?

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15 years ago

Are the beans grown on Capitol Hill?

Rev.Smith
Rev.Smith
15 years ago

respectfully disagree with the first three words of first comment.

Bummer that cap hill, or even seattle, didn’t represent, in the *ahem* barista *cough* competition that Seattle hosted.