COLUMBUS, Ohio – Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea will compete in the America’s Best Espresso Eastern Championship at Coffee Fest New York. Crimson Cup is one of 24 coffee roasters facing off in a tournament designed to find the country’s best espresso roasts and blends.
Crimson Cup entered its Wayfarer Blend in the competition. “Wayfarer literally means traveler, and we developed the current blend after over 25,000 miles of travel to coffee-growing countries last year,” said Greg Ubert, founder and president.
Wayfarer is blended from a rotating selection of current-crop coffees. The blend currently has Heirloom and Bourbon varietals cultivated at elevations of 1,700 to 2,000 meters. Lightly roasted, Wayfarer Blend melds the syrupy, rich and smooth notes of tree nuts and chocolate with bright accents of exotic fruits.
Crimson Cup’s first appearance in the competition is at 12:15 p.m., Saturday, March 12. Coffee Sourcing and Education Manager Brandon Bir and Craft Coffee Sales Leader Patrick Boes will pull shots of Wayfarer Blend for evaluation by a panel of three judges. Espressos will be evaluated for flavor complexity/balance, mouthfeel & appeal/body and aftertaste/session.
Wayfarer Blend recently received an outstanding 92 rating from Kenneth Davids and the Coffee Review. Reviewers described the handcrafted coffee as, “… a quietly comprehensive cup, with crisp nut and cacao notes and a softening bloom of sweet flowers.”
Coffee Review’s blind assessment was, “Rich, round, brisk. Hazelnut, roasted cacao nib, lemon grass, sweet honeysuckle in aroma and cup. Gently and softly tart acidity; smooth, satiny mouthfeel. Hazelnut and cacao carry into a gently dry, resonant finish.” The complete September 2015 review is available on the Coffee Review website.
This is Crimson Cup’s third appearance in the America’s Best Espresso championship. In 2013, the roaster’s signature Armando’s Blend advanced to the second round of competition.
America’s Best Espresso Eastern Championship competition takes place March 11 to 13 at Coffee Fest New York, a coffee industry trade show held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, 655 W. 34th Street. The winner of the America’s Best Espresso title will be crowned Sunday afternoon.
Crimson Cup has been named 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year by Roast magazine and is one of 100 Blue Ribbon small businesses honored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in the 2016 DREAM BIG awards.
