This weekend the Madcap team traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to compete in the regional U.S. Barista Championships.
Leah Ritsema, Brodie Lewis, Ryan Wojton, and Ben Martin brought their best as they performed well-practiced routines in front of judges from across the country. Each Madcap barista spent countless hours behind the scenes over the preceding months fine-tuning their presentations with many long days and late nights.
Since August, when the Madcap team competed in a preliminary competition in Grand Rapids, MI, these baristas have been refining their efforts. In Nashville, competing with a total of 120 contestants, they represented themselves and Madcap well, with several advancing to the national competition in Kansas City in March.
The Results:
- Ben Martin finished 5th in Brewers Cup (highest compulsory score at the competition) qualifying for nationals.
- Brodie Lewis finished 5th in Coffee and Good Spirits qualifying for nationals.
- Ryan Wojton finished 9th in Barista qualifying for nationals.
- Leah finished 28th in Barista dominating with her presentation and professionalism.
We are thrilled by the efforts and commitment every one of our baristas put forth. It is an incredible experience and growth opportunity for each individual, with many conversations over the course of the competition on how to improve and become better. We are honored to have such a fantastic array of individuals as a part of our company on a week to week basis working behind our bars and facilities. Kansas City cannot come soon enough!