What is a Latte Art Throwdown?
And why should you come to the one we are hosting on August 3 at our cafe?!
A latte art throwdown is when all of those specialty coffee baristas who serve you beautiful lattes throughout the week come together to compete head-to-head. It’s a fierce competition: latte art skills pitted against latte art skills. But it’s also a great community building event!
Typically latte art throwdowns attract baristas from specialty coffee shops all over the surrounding area. Competitors will travel to participate, bringing friends and coworkers to cheer them on. The crowd is loud and jovial. The beer flows aplenty.
When it comes to the specifics of the competition, every throwdown is different. Usually it’s a bracket system, starting with many competitors who go head-to-head in sudden death matches. They pour their lattes simultaneously and present them to the judges. The three judges point to the better pour on the count of three and the loser is out of the throwdown immediately. Each round cuts the competition in half until only the final two competitors remain.
The rules can vary though. Some throwdowns may make contestants pour certain size lattes, and some may choose the design that contestants must pour in each round, making it more difficult as the competition progresses. Contestants are judged on many aspects of their latte art: symmetry, contrast, definition, difficulty, beauty, and speed are some factors that are commonly used to judge pours.
If it sounds intense that’s because it is. Even the most seasoned barista can crumble under the pressure or succumb to nerves. Milk is steamed wrong. Pours go rogue. Drinks are spilled on the way to the judges. But through it all, the crowd is cheering on the contestants, and the baristas are having a great time. Nerves or no, everyone who competes walks away proud of themselves for going for it. Eventually the winner pours their way to victory and claims their prize.
Speaking of prizes, they’re usually really good. Often the competitors have to buy into the competition and the winner takes all the money. Often the throwdowns are sponsored by well-respected coffee industry brands. For example, ours is sponsored by Brewista and Saint Anthony Industries, and the prizes are amazing. The winner will take all the cash too.
Still need another reason to come to our throwdown besides all of this fun and excitement? We’ll be serving craft beer and Vietnamese Cold Brew for $3!
