Welcome, welcome, welcome to Day One among Spherical One for the 2026 US Barista Championship. We’re right here at Huckleberry Roasters HQ in Denver, Colorado to deliver you reside protection of each competitor taking the stage immediately. Sixteen. That’s the variety of routines we’ll see immediately, and a whopping six of them come from former Finalists. One among whom, San Schroeder, can be a Espresso in Good Spirits Champion. If it feels prefer it’s a stacked day, it’s as a result of it’s (besides spoiler alert: tomorrow is the very same).

And we’re right here for the entire thing, to deliver you the sights and sounds and all these mind-bending taste calls. We’ll be updating this very article you might be studying with the informational deep dives on every routine as they occur, so make sure that your finger is glued to that refresh button. It’s going to be an thrilling yr for the US Barista Championship, and all of it begins right here. Right here we go!

Sprudge Media’s protection of the 2026 US Barista Championship is sponsored by Pacific Barista Collection, Ghirardelli, Swiss Water, Cafe Imports, La Marzocco, and Huckleberry Roasters. 

Livestream the 2026 US Barista Championship on YouTube hosted by occasion sponsor Roastronix.

Circle Chan (she/her) – The Espresso Motion – San Francisco, CA

Kicking issues off on the 2026 US Barista Championship is Circle Chan of The Espresso Motion in San Francisco. Chan is seeking to enhance upon final yr, the place her unimaginable Hawaii-focused routine took her all the way in which to the Finals, ending in fifth place, in her first yr of competing no much less.

This yr Chan competes with a Gesha selection espresso produced by Diego Bermudez at Finca El Paraiso in Colombia. The espresso, which has been roasted by Berkeley’s Hydrangea Espresso Roasters, whose Ashlynne Wike took second at this yr’s Brewers Cup, was created by yeast-inoculating overripe Gesha cherries then thermal shock processing them.

Beginning with the milk course, in a 1:3 ratio with a mix of 70% lactose-free entire milk, 29.5% evaporate milk, and .5% non-fat milk powder to reinforce the notion of sweetness, the Salma Gesha has flavors of black milk tea, vanilla custard, and wildflower honey.

The signature beverage course is a tribute to Chan’s grandfather, notably their time at Giants baseball video games collectively. It’s going full Purchase Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks, combining espresso with toasted corn inventory, clarified mango puree, and maple orange blossom syrup. It will get blended with ice to relax and dilute for notes of sesame cookie, peanut butter, grape jelly, orange creamsicle, and mango lassi.

Chan ends her set with espressos. Stirred at the very least 10 instances, to be consumed after time known as, they’ve flavors of mango, dulce de leche, and elderflower, with a medium weight, creamy texture, and a lingering mango end.

Circle Chan closes out the primary routine of the 2026 US Barista Championship by calling time at 15:49.

Sam Schroeder (he/him) – Olympia Espresso – Seattle, WA

“Elevate, amplify, protect. Three pillars within the pursuit for readability.” That’s the way in which 2023 US Espresso in Good Spirits and multi-time USBC Finalist Sam Schroeder kicks off his routine. Schroeder competes immediately with a Gesha produced by Maria Amoruso of Finca Lérida in Boquete, Panama. In contrast to Chan’s espresso, these cherries have been picked simply earlier than the height of ripeness, then present process a five-day chilly room anaerobic fermentation.

Pulled at an extended 19g in to 50g out, as an espresso the Panama Gesha has notes of apricot, jasmine tea, and lemongrass, with a medium-light weight, silky physique, and a lingering end. Schroeder removes the crema from his espressos utilizing the Higher Vessel, created by Philippines Barista Champion Michael Harris, who used the machine to publish prime marks within the espresso course finally yr’s World Barista Championship.

For the milk course, Amoruso’s Gesha undergoes an prolonged roast time, to raise the floral and stonefruit traits, and when mixed with a 50/50 mix of lactose-free 2% milk and grassfed entire milk—freeze-distilled to 50% of the whole weight—the flavors remodel to these of honey and canned peaches.

Ending with the sig bev, Schroeder combines a cacao nib and lemongrass tea, whey, anaerobic fermented peach and plum syrup, and carbonated water, completed with a floral lemongrass atomized mist, to provide the Gesha notes of oolong, semi-sweet chocolate aftertaste, and guava.

And Olympia Espresso’s Sam Schroeder calls time at 15:02.

Cole Oppedisano (he/him) – Corvus Espresso – Denver, CO

Following two former Finalists, we’re shifting on to our first first-timer of the competitors with Cole Oppedisano. He’s additionally the primary native, representing Denver’s Corvus Espresso Roasters. Extra firsts accrue, as Oppedisano is the primary to make use of a number of coffees over the length of his routine.

To not belabor the purpose, however he’s additionally the primary (and probably solely) competitor this weekend who made his personal ceramics, on the close by Kinship Studio.

For the primary course, the milk drinks, Oppedisano is utilizing a Mejorado selection from the esteemed Juan Peña of Finca La Papaya in Ecuador. In a 1:1 ratio with entire milk, the macchiato-style drink has flavors of lemon cream pie, candy marzipan, and a darkish chocolate end.

Shifting onto the espressos, Oppedisano switches the Enigma, an prolonged pure processed, carbonically macerated Gesha produced by Jameson Savage on Panama’s Finca Deborah, expressing notes of candy harmony grape, clean blackberry juice, and pear brandy, with a delicate effervescence and velvety mouthfeel.

Sticking with the Enigma, Oppedisano combines chamomile clarified tea, honey easy syrup, lemon oleo saccharum, aquafaba, and soy lectin, ending with orange blossom spritz and a candied lemon peel. It presents within the cup (learn: glass stemware not created by Oppedisano) with floral notes, blueberry lemon bar, and a milk chocolate end. Cole Oppedisano calls instances at 15:23.

Will Shadley (he/him) – Mandarin Espresso – Los Angeles, CA

Subsequent as much as the stage is Will Shadley of Mandarin Espresso in Los Angeles, California. Shadley could also be a rookie, however he has teamed up with Jaymie Lao, who coached 2024 US Barista Champion Frank La, 2025 US Espresso in Good Spirits Champion Jerry Troung, 2026 US Latte Artwork Champion Marco Monzon, and 2025 Brewers Cup Runner-Up Christian Bak. All of which to say, when you’re making an attempt to identify the first-time competitor that comes seemingly out of nowhere to make a deep run, sensible cash is on Shadley.

For the milk course, Shadley is utilizing a pure processed ET47 selection espresso produced by Jonny Alvarado at La Cusuka and the in Costa Rica. His milk is a 2% milk that has been freeze distilled right down to 50% by weight. Shadley selected this decrease fats milk for its greater sodium content material, which will get concentrated much more within the freeze distilling course of. It will get completed up a contact of entire and coconut milk, and combines with a shorter shot of the pure ET47 for notes of heat sake, white miso, and cheesecake, with a lingering golden kiwi end.

Shifting on to the espresso course, Shadley switches the espresso to a washed Gesha from Marlene Rojas at Finca El Nevado in Inkawasi, Cusco, Peru. It expresses a blackberry acidity, with notes of peach, crimson plum, and pomelo, and a light-weight, silky tactile. Within the signature beverage, the identical Gesha espresso will get mixed with turbinado oleo sacchrum, agave peppercorn syrup, Yunnan white tea, and agar clarified pine honey, all nitrogen charged for flavors of cola, paloma, osmanthus, and butterscotch.

Will Shadley of Mandarin Espresso calls time at 15:11.

Anthony Ragler (he/him) – Black & White Espresso – Raleigh, NC

We’re in for a deal with. Up subsequent to the stage is Anthony Ragler representing Black & White Espresso Roasters. Ever the fascinating storyteller, Ragler at all times finds inspiration for his routine from his household. This routine is impressed by his two non-verbal autistic sons.

Espresso immediately for Ragler is a thermal shock Sidra from Edinson Argote at Quebraditas Espresso Farm in Huila, Colombia. He’s the primary competitor immediately to NOT use a Gesha, in case you’re maintaining depend.

Ragler begins off his set with the signature beverage course, which a play on an affogato. Ragler instructs the judges to pour their espresso over a steeped parmesan rind and turbinado sugar and add a balsamic glaze, which has flavors of salted caramel, raspberry compote, and chocolate mousse. It’s a course about play and having enjoyable.

Shifting to the milk course, Ragler combines lactose-free milk with a freeze-dried milk powder, and when added to the thermal shock Sidra, it has notes of chocolate cake, cherry, whipped cream, like a black forest cake in cortado kind.

There’s a lot taking place in Ragler’s routine. Simply actually multi-sensory. I need to see it once more in Semi-Finals so we are able to dive in deeper.

Ragler finishes with the espresso course, which has a silky mouthfeel and flavors of craft chocolate.

Anthony Ragler calls instances at 15:06.

Jason Yeo (he/him) – Saint Frank Espresso – San Francisco, CA

We’re again with one other former Finalist, Jason Yeo of Saint Frank Espresso in San Francisco. When you’ve been following US espresso competitions, you’ll be able to in all probability guess the producer of Yeo’s espresso. Consistent with Saint Frank custom, Yeo’s espresso comes from producer Benjamin Paz from his farm La Salsa excessive up in Santa Barbara, Honduras. A Greep Tip Gesha, it has been darkroom dried and naturally processed.

As an espresso, pulled at 19g in to 40g out, the Gesha expresses flavors of tangerine, rainier cherry, with a black tea end.. Pulled on the identical output however with a barely greater, 21g dose, the Inexperienced Tip Gesha is mixed with a mix of lactose-free and rice milk that has had 30% of the water content material evaporated out of it, and it has notes of cherry, cheesecake, and an almond crumble end

For the signature beverage, Yeo makes use of hyperchilled espressos pulled on the identical ratio because the milk course, to which he then provides a freeze-clarified hibiscus, peppercorn, pineapple, and soursop punch and a non-alcoholic California Chardonnay mixed with an elderflower cordial. All elements get blended collectively, creating flavors of lime sherbet, peach, lychee, and white grapefruit.

Jason Yeo calls time at 14:02, the primary competitor of the day to not go over 15:00.

Fernando Ayala (he/him) – Tuyo Cafe – Santa Ana, CA

Up now to the stage is Fernando Ayala, who competes as a form of dual-national for Tuyo Cafe, a extremely lauded espresso store in Mexico with a location Stateside in Santa Ana. Kicking issues off with the espresso course, Ayala is utilizing a wash processed Gesha from Finca Deborah in Panama. Pulled at 18g in to 40g out, it has notes of jasmine, mandarin, and candy lime.

For the milk course, Ayala switches to a Crimson Bourbon from Finca Las Flores in Colombia that has been double anaerobic fermented. Mixed with freeze distilled milk, it has flavors of dulce de leche, cheesecake, and peach jam.

A lot of cheesecake calls to date within the competitors. However what cheesecake? Are we speaking New York model? Basque? Japanese? Easy “cheesecake” received’t reduce it anymore. It’s time we actually get into it.

Tonka bean and non-alcoholic whiskey get mixed with espresso for the signature beverage, expressing notes of cherry and chocolate, to be consumed simply after Ayala calls instances, which he does at 15:55, simply seconds earlier than the 16-minute cutoff.

Ziah Bloom (he/him) – Lamppost Espresso – Austin, TX

We’re shifting to the Texas portion of the proceedings immediately with Ziah Bloom of Lamppost Espresso in Austin. Bloom competes with a Black Honey thermal shock processed Gesha selection produced by Edwin Noreña at Campo Hermoso in Quindio, Colombia.

First course for Bloom is the milk course. Utilizing a 70/20/10 mix of freeze-distilled lactose-free milk, oat milk, and macadamia nut milk, a shorter 20g in to 36g out shot of Gesha espresso combines for notes of brown butter, Neapolitan ice cream, and honeycomb.

As an espresso, the Black Honey Gesha has an intense candy florality and wine-like acidity, and after a fast stir with a calming spoon has notes of grape sweet, lemon rind, flaxseed, and coconut sugar.

Within the sig bev, Bloom makes use of a clarified cascara and yuzu syrup, fermented honey tea, and recent crimson grape juice, all nitrogen infused and completed with a lemon oil spritz, giving the drink flavors of chamomile tea, caramel, apricot jam, and grapefruit juice.

Ziah Bloom calls time at 14:49.

David Buehrer (he/him) – Greenway Espresso Firm – Houston, TX

Houston, Texas you’ll be able to verify his tags. Subsequent up is none apart from David Buehrer of Greenway Espresso Firm. Buehrer is one other of immediately’s opponents whose first USBC look was over a decade in the past. He made a triumphant return in 2022, the place he made his first Finals look.

He’s kicking his routine off with the espresso course, utilizing a chilly room dried, washed Gesha grown by producer and Panama Barista Champion Juan Sebastián Hernandez on Finca Lerida in Boquete. Mild-bodied and juicy, the Gesha espressos expresso notes of apricot, peach, yuzu lemon, pink lemonade, recent apple, and glowing inexperienced grape.

We’ve acquired not solely our first Rwandan espresso of the afternoon, however our first African espresso. It’s an anaerobic fermented, pure processed Crimson Bourbon from Nova Farm and it’s the foundation of Buehrer’s milk course. Utilizing a 70/20/10 mix of freeze-distilled natural entire milk, lactose-free freeze-distilled milk, the Rwandan espresso tastes like raspberry sauce, scorching fudge, cherry, and cheesecake.

For the ultimate course, Buehrer combines a Gesha blossom tisane, a fructose-based easy syrup, and citric acid, all blended with an ice dice, giving it notes of tangerine, peach, apricot, and lychee gummy sweet.

David Buehrer calls time at 15:04.

Case Osborn (he/him) – Longmont, CO

Our subsequent competitor to the stage can be our first impartial competitor of the 2026 USBC, Case Osborn from close by Longmont, Colorado.

Of us, we’re mixing. We’re not speaking a few paltry two coffees both, however 5—depend them 5!—completely different coffees. The espresso mix is again, child! Although Osborn’s could be very of the second, consisting of 4 completely different co-ferments and one carbonically macerated Crimson Bourbon, all from Colombia and roasted by Lamppost Espresso.

Osborn’s megablend is utilized in his signature beverage together with hibiscus, lemongrass, and licorice root tea, selfmade cherry cordial, and mineral drops, all of which get carbonated.

However all good issues should come to an finish and so too does using the mix, with Osborn switching to a single origin for the espressos. This one is a wash processed Parainema selection from Victor Bermudez in Colombia, and it expresso notes of lemongrass, orange peel, agua de Jamaica, and cardamom, with a light-weight effervescence.

Lastly for the milk course, Osborn opts for a two espresso mix, combining 70% of the Parainema with 30% of a banana co-ferment from the primary course. In milk, it has tastes of banana cream pie, milk chocolate, and demerara sugar.

And Case Osborn ends his first time competing by calling time at 16:32.

Reily Pond (she/her) – Madcap Espresso – Grand Rapids, MI

We’re buzzing proper alongside now. The subsequent competitor to the stage right here on the 2026 US Barista Championship is Reily Pond representing Madcap Espresso in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Pond competes a washed Java selection grown in Huila, Colombia produced by Juliana Rivera and Nestor Lasso. As an espresso, pulled at 18g in and 43g out and stirred 5 instances, it expresses flavors of nectarine, mandarin orange, and starfruit, with a medium excessive acidity and sweetness, and a barely drying however pleasantly lingering end.

Utilizing the identical longer photographs, Pond creates a 1:2 ratio milk drink consisting of 70/30 entire milk and excessive fats coconut milk that has notes of blueberry compote, vanilla custard, coconut, and apple turnover.

And eventually, for her signature beverage, Pond’s hyperchilled Java espressos are blended with a kiwi, dragonfruit, and lychee clarified milk punch, saline answer, xanthan gum, and maltodextrin, getting a double nitrogen cost to create a velvety texture and flavors of honey crisp apple, grapefruit, and butterscotch.

Riley Pond of Madcap Espresso calls time at 15:25.

Noel Goodwin (she/her) – Hagen Espresso Roasters – Seattle, WA

Subsequent up is Noel Goodwin of Hagen Espresso Roasters in Seattle. Goodwin is coming off a fourth place end final yr, her greatest up to now, and is seeking to maintain that ahead momentum right here this yr. She’s one to look at for certain.

Goodwin competes immediately with chilly pure processed Sidra selection, produced by Rodrigo Sanchez Velencia and grown at 1,900MASL in Huila, Colombia.

Staring with the milk course, Goodwin is getting artistic. Combining a 2:1 ratio of entire milk and macadamia milk, she freeze-distills it then sous vide it at 85 deg C for seven hours. Mixed with the Sidra, it has notes of strawberry ice cream, cookies and cream, and tiramisu, with a medium physique, creamy mouthfeel, and a candy end.

For her signature beverage, Goodwin created a white chilly brew, which she combines with hop syrup, a cascara discount, the identical sous vide milk from the earlier course, and espresso, all completed with a espresso cherry blossom fog, for flavors of yellow peach, 70% darkish chocolate, and orange.

Within the closing course, the espressos have notes of blackberry, black grape, and inexperienced apple, with a medium physique, creamy mouthfeel, and a floral end.

Noel Goodwin calls time on the 2026 USBC at 15:00 on the dot.

Jake McFarland (he/him) – Black & White Espresso – Raleigh, NC

“Residing for othersraw refined sugarcane juice is a rule of nature.” It’s the theme immediately of Jake McFarland’s routine immediately. He’s already repeated it 5 instances and can proceed to take action all through his quarter-hour, because the chorus would be the judges’ cue to take pleasure in his drinks.

Espresso immediately for McFarland comes from two producers we’ve already met immediately, Benjamin Paz and Edinson Argote. In a 50/50 mix, McFarland combines Paz’s washed Gesha from Santa Barbara, Honduras with Argote’s superior processed yeast inoculated thermal shock processed Gesha from Huila, Colombia.

As an espresso pulled at 20g in to 43g out, McFarland’s mix has notes of candy lemon, lavender, and mango. However when paired with a cryo-skim milk reconstituted in lactose-free milk, these flavors remodel into these of wildflower honey, lavender, and vanilla ice cream.

Residing for others is a rule of nature.

McFarland’s signature beverage is impressed by a New England IPA. Hyperchilled espresso will get mixed with mosaic hop water and honey easy syrup, all nitrogen emulsified for flavors of pineapple, inexperienced grape, and orange blossom florality.

Jake McFarland calls time on his Spherical One routine at 14:49.

Manuel Torres (he/him) – Boxx Espresso Roasters – Los Angeles, CA

Our subsequent competitor is Manuel Torres of Boxx Espresso Roasters in Los Angeles, California. Boxx is well-represented on the 2026 USBC, having three opponents going between immediately and tomorrow. It’s essentially the most of any single espresso firm this yr.

Nestor Lasso makes one other look immediately. For Torres it a pure processed, thermal shocked Ombligon grown at 1,850MASL on Lasso’s Finca El Diviso in Huila, Colombia. The Ombligon is on a little bit of a tear on the USBC; it was the espresso utilized by the 2 prior champions Isaiah Sheese and Kay Cheon.

As an espresso, it has notes of raspberry, lime, and darkish cherry. As a milk drink, which Torres goes refreshingly old skool and utilizing a easy entire milk, it has flavors of white chocolate cookie and apple.

Hibiscus, agua de tamarindo, cinnamon, and uncooked refined sugarcane juice get blended with the Ombligon, shaken over ice and completed with Fever Tree tonic water for Torres’s signature drink. It has notes of crimson cherry, mulberry, and pear.

Manuel Torres calls time at 15:55.

Seidy Selivanow (she/her) – Kafiex Espresso – Vancouver, WA

Our penultimate competitor for Day One is Seidy Selivanow of Kafiex Roasters in Vancouver, Washington. Selivanow has been on a gentle rise within the competitors ranks over the previous few years and the subsequent huge step she is seeking to take is beat her seventh place end final yr and at last punch by to the Finals. I actually wouldn’t wager in opposition to it.

For the espresso course, Selivanow is utilizing a 48-hour yeast inoculated, wash processed SL28 selection from Finca La Riviera, Colombia. Pulled at 18g in to 50g out, it has notes of orange blossom, peach, grape, and an orange sweetness with a floral end.

Shifting to the milk course, Selivanow switches to a mix of Aji and Sudan Rume varieties which were processed collectively in a single lot by Nestor Lasso of Finca El Diviso in Pitalito, Colombia. Mixed with an 80/20 mix of freeze-distilled lactose free milk and cryosdesiccated milk, the espresso presents flavors salted caramel, milk chocolate, and hints of stonefruit, like peach cobbler.

Returning to the SL28, Selivanow hyperchills the espresso, combining it with a pink peppercorn and vanilla bean easy syrup, strawberry clarified milk punch, and a mango and cempasúchil water, for a signature beverage with notes of caramel, pineapple, and granny smith apple.

Seidy Selivanow calls time at 14:50.

Christopher Maxwell (he/him) – Huckleberry Roasters – Denver, CO

We’re ending immediately’s festivities with a house staff competitor. Final up is Christopher Maxwell of Huckleberry Roasters right here in Denver.

He competes immediately with a Gesha produced by Israel Hernandez of Finca Buenos Aires in Colombia. Pulled at a reasonably prolonged 19g in to 46g out, as an espresso it has a lemon meringue acidity, floral hibiscus, darkish cherry, and an almond pastry and salted toffee end.

The milk course continues to push the boundaries of drink preparation due to Maxwell’s use of corn milk, a nod to each the first crop of his residence state in addition to the premise of whiskey distilling. Mixed with Gesha, it has notes of white chocolate pastry, apricot, and a linger raspberry end.

Maxwell’s signature beverage goes full root beer float and attracts inspiration from each espresso and whiskey making, his two passions. Barley soda, espresso, and a brown sugar, star anise, and ginger syrup, all get topped with a chilly foam for notes of cherry coca cola, vanilla ice cream, and licorice.

Christopher Maxwell calls time on Day One of many 2026 US Barista Championship at 16:02.

That’s it! Thanks for tuning in with us immediately, and we’ll be again tomorrow for the completion of Spherical One of many 2026 US Barista Championship!