We had a little treat here last night here in Portland (and no I don’t just mean the NBA draft). The TNT NW team came to town and threw down a throwdown at Ristretto Roasters. Loads of other Washingtonians came down from Seattle, Tacoma and parts beyond to participate, mingle, snag some swag, and enjoy some tasty beverages and snacks.
The TNT had two challenges. One was a traditional latte art throwdown, and the other was a olfactory sensory test. In the sensory test contestants had to pick two out of four descriptors correctly for each scent they were presented with. It was a good twist to have a competition open to anyone (even those with poor latte art skills, like say, me!)
The latte art throwdown had some great prizes at stake for the top-three finishers from the event sponsors including a Virtuoso grinder from Baratza, a subscription to Craft Coffee, and a subscription to Barista Magazine.
Ultimately, the Seattle baristas in attendance showed their mettle and prowess with the pour as they took the top three places. Visions Cole McBride finished in third while DJ Brower from Cafe Migliore taking second, and Riley Paterson landed in first place. It was a beautiful night in the Rose City and a heckuva lot of fun. I hope we get a chance to see the TNT NW team down this way again soon!
