The Coffee Compass

Your Guide for Craft Coffee

Archives for March 2013

Barista Interview: Cabell Tice, 2013 CoffeeFest NYC Latte Art Champion

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Cabell Tice of Thinking Cup

Cabell Tice shocked the competitive latte art world when he won the Latte Art World Championship Open at CoffeeFest, NYC as a first time competitor. We sat down (digitally) with the reigning champ and asked him a few questions about latte art, being a barista, and where to drink coffee in Bean Town.

You won the Latte Art World Championship Open your first time competing. Did you expect that would happen? What’s it like pouring latte art in those kinds of conditions?
I didn’t expect to show up and win CoffeeFest. I was hoping to not lose in the first round, but then that turned into …

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Cafe Review: Everyman Espresso in SoHo

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Baristas Everyman Espresso Soho NYC
The Big Apple. Gotham. The City that Never Sleeps. Whatever you call it, New York has emerged as a premier coffee destination. In previous years New Yorkers were notorious for drinking their coffee cheap and fast. But today New York is no longer a johnny-come-lately in the craft coffee scene. Just a cursory glance at the New York Times coffee map reveals one doesn’t have to walk more than a few blocks to get a decent cup in lower Manhattan or Brooklyn. For someone plotting an NYC cafe crawl, the choices can be overwhelming.

Thankfully, everyone I polled was unanimous: go to Everyman Espresso in SoHo first.

The Tattoo Heard Round the World

For the past seven years Everyman has been churning out specialty coffee in the lobby of the Classic Stage Company. The postage stamp sized bar has redefined most baristas’ concept of personal space, but the quality of the drinks and the service has drawn more than just theater lovers to this East Village cafe.

Perhaps Everyman’s biggest mark on the NY coffee scene has been owner Sam Penix’s iconic knuckle tattoo, which the New York Times featured in this ground-breaking article. Now, fittingly, the tat adorns the front door of the new Everyman Espresso in SoHo.
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Perfect Bar Flow

When Sam Penix and right-hand man Sam Lewontin opened up Everyman SoHo in 2012, they wanted to design a bar with …

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CoffeeFest NYC 2013 – Recap

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CoffeeFest NYC 2013 has come and gone but baristas and coffee professionals across the world are still in withdrawals from the mass amounts of caffeine consumed March eighth through the tenth at the Javits Center in Manhattan. As always, a lot of the activity focused on the competitions and their was no shortage of entertainment for fans of competitive coffee preparation.

America’s Best Coffee House

Peregrine Espresso won the America’s Best Coffee House competition. When I saw their name on the competitors list, I knew if they could recreate their cafe experience they would be hard to beat. …

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The Coffee Compass is at CoffeeFest NYC 2013

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CoffeeFest NYC Location

photo: Javits Center

CoffeeFest NYC 2013

CoffeeFest. It’s like the Woodstock of the coffee world. Baristas from Japan, Korea, and all over North America (including this barista) are flying in to compete in the mother of all latte art throw downs: the Latte Art World Championship Open. Bragging rights and $2,500 in the form of an oversized check await the winner. On the trade show floor the latest equipment in the industry is on display and exciting new coffees are ready to be sampled. But of course for most attenders it’s all about the networking.

If that weren’t enough for you, CoffeeFest NYC, hosted at the Jacob K. Javits Center, March 8-10, will feature a couple of exciting new competitions. Making its CoffeeFest debut is America’s Best Espresso Competition, a head-to-head tournament featuring 24 leading baristas and coffee roasters. Baristas will have six minutes to prepare a round of espressos on a Slayer espresso machine for a distinguished panel of judges (which also includes a certain Louisville-based coffee writer). The espresso will be evaluated for its flavor complexity, mouthfeel, and aftertaste.

America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition, presented by Davinci Gourmet*, is a newer event that pits the best cafes in the USA against each other. Entire crews from coffee shops around America are tasked with running the convention’s cafe in shifts. Secret judges will evaluate each team on coffee quality, teamwork, and customer service.

Don’t forget to watch it live

Wish you were going but can’t make it? Before you go and drown your tears in a conciliatory cappuccino, check out the livestream of the Best Coffeehouse Competition.

Also, stay glued to our Twitter feed for live updates from the Latte Art World Championship Open and the floor of the tradeshow. I’ll be available for chatting at the Center. Contact me by sending a DM to my twitter handle @mjbutterworth or @CoffeeNESW. In the mean time, start practicing those rosettas and tulips – there’s still time to apply for CoffeeFest Chicago, June 7-9.


*America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition is made possible by the generous support and sponsorship of the following companies: Deviancy Gourmet is the proud presenting sponsor. Design & Layout Services designed and fabricated the coffeehouse competition venue. SelbySoft, Inc. point of sale systems and Natvia the 100% Natural Sweetener are proud to support this competition and coffeehouses across America. Mahlkoenig has provided the whole bean and espresso grinders.