COLUMBUS, Ohio – Wayfarer Blend from Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea took home a third-place trophy in the America’s Best Espresso Central Region Competition at Coffee Fest Chicago.
“We’re extremely proud of Wayfarer Blend and the team that sourced, roasted and presented this exceptional coffee,” said Founder and President Greg Ubert.
“Their hard work has propelled Crimson Cup to a place among the country’s top coffee roasters.”
He noted that the company was named 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year by Roast magazine and was recently named one of America’s Top 25 Coffee Roasters by Men’s Journal magazine.
In each round of the America’s Best Espresso competition, Coffee Sourcing and Education Director Brandon Bir pulled shots of Wayfarer Blend for evaluation by a panel of three judges.
“It is great to share our coffee with so many wonderful coffee professionals,” Bir said. “Their feedback can only help us to continue increasing the quality of the cup to produce the best espresso possible.”
Wayfarer, which means traveler, is blended from a rotating selection of current-crop coffees. Lightly roasted, the coffee melds the syrupy, rich and smooth notes of tree nuts and chocolate with bright accents of exotic fruits.
In 2015, Wayfarer Blend 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.
America’s Best Espresso Competition is a tri-annual vehicle designed to determine and acknowledge the three best coffee roasters in North America. Every other year, the top four roasters from each of the previous six competitions will come together for the Grand Championship, where America’s Best Espresso National Champion will be crowned.
America’s Best Espresso Central Region competition took place June 9 through 11 at Coffee Fest Chicago, a coffee industry trade show held at the Navy Pier, 600 Grand Avenue.
