LONG BEACH, Calif., US – Amanda Juris of Starbucks in Seattle, WA has been named the winner of the 2014 United States Cup Tasters Championship, which took place April 24-27, 2014 in Seattle, WA at SCAA’s 26th Annual Exposition.
The U.S. Cup Tasters Championship was created to test competitors in their sensory skills by discerning taste differences in a “triangulation.
The Official Title Sponsor of the 2014 U.S. U.S. Cup Tasters Championship is Counter Culture and BUNN.
The top three U.S. Cup Tasters competitors for 2014 are:
1st Place – Amanda L. Juris – Starbucks – Seattle, WA
2nd Place – Andy Sprenger – Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters – Lakewood, CO
3rd Place – David Yake – Tony’s Coffee – Seattle, WA
During the U.S. Cup Tasters Championship, all 24 tasters received eight sets of three cups, or triangles, where two cups are identical and one is different. The competitor with the ability to taste, smell, concentrate, and recall, those with the most correct answers in the shortest amount of time wins.
Recognizing that different taste preferences are found in coffee cultures around the world, the U.S. Cup Tasters Championship did not ask contestants to judge or evaluate coffee. Instead, participants in the competition tested their skills to discriminate between tastes in a “triangulation” format. Tasters received eight sets of three-cups, or triangles, where two cups were identical and one was different.
Competitors identified the one cup that was different testing their ability to smell, taste, recall and concentrate on the task at hand against the clock.
The competitor with the most correct answers in the shortest amount of time was named the champion.
Amanda Juris will represent the United States at the 2014 World Cup Tasters Championship held in Melbourne, Australia, May 15-18, 2014. The World Cup Tasters Championship is organized by World Coffee Events (WCE).
