CoffeeGeek Podcast 030 - The News, and Feature Interview with USBC Champion, Phuong Tran.

The News with Jeanette Chan (1:52) - Kenyan coffee farmers in debt (2:00) - New Orleans-based PJ’s coffee reopening locations closed by Katrina (2:38) - Coffee lowers risk of breast cancer in certain women (3:10) - Starbucks wins trademark infringement suit in China (4:32) - Lakewood, WA couple charged with forcing their niece to work as a slave at their espresso stand (5:25) - Culprit in string of espresso stand robberies in Washington state apprehended (8:24) Phuong Tran, 2005 US Barista Champion (9:29) - Phuong’s café: Lava Java, Ridgefield, Washington (10:05) - Phuong’s road to the USBC (10:43) - What the competition consists of (14:47) - What barista competitions are all about (19:21) - How to improve barista competitions (22:03) - Rumors of a competing body to the World Barista Championship (WBC) (26:59) - Phuong’s experience at the Nordic Cup: cow milking; triangle tests; milk tasting tests; signature drink team competition; coffee brewing test (27:32) - The 2005 WBC (34:50):  Mark’s view on Phuong’s finish (36:02); the finalists (congrats to Sammy Piccolo on his new baby boy!)  (37:31); a behind the scenes look (38:42); Phuong’s training (43:53); Phuong’s signature drink, the Crimson Sage (47:23) - Judging and the sensory skills test (54:38) - The Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition (58:39) - Vancouver café crawl: Caffe Artigiano, JJBean, Prado, Wicked Café, Elysian Room (59:31) - Mark and Phuong compare shots and discuss flair vs consistency (1:02:26) - Phuong’s thoughts on what could be done differently at the USBC (1:07:57)