Alterra Baristas Make Semi-Finals at USBC 2008
This year’s Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) convention is just wrapping up, and along with it, the 2008 United States Barista Competition. Three of our finest baristas, Scott Lucey, Justin Teisl and Dave Schwalbach (pictured top to bottom), have been practicing for months in preparation for this year’s USBC and each made a great showing in the competition. This was Dave’s first time to compete and he held up well against the daunting list of big names that made up this years group of over 50 competitors. Scott and Justin took their well-oiled routines through the first round of competition and into the semi-finals. We are thrilled to have seen them advance into the select group consisting mostly of regional champs, who were automatically added to the semi-finals, past USBC champs and other talented baristas from across the States. It took great skill and great scores from the judges to make it into the semis and, along with their espressos and cappuccinos, Scott’s custard and Costa Rica “Campeon del Valle” drink and Justin’s espresso Manhattan were just enough to place them amongst some of the barista world’s finest.
We and our many talented baristas will be working hard in preparation for, and looking forward to, next year’s competition, so be on the lookout for at least one Alterran somewhere in the final 6 of the USBC 2009 in Portland.
Click here to check out video of Scott’s and Justin’s semi-finals performances.
We are thrilled to announce that two of Alterra’s finest baristas, Justin Teisl and Scott Lucey, took home the 2nd and 3rd place trophies, respectively, from the 2008 Great Lakes Regional Barista Competition! The GLRBC was held in Milwaukee, WI over the weekend of March 14-16 and hosted over 30 competitors from across the Great Lakes region. The group was whittled down to 6 finalists competing on Sunday for the top 3 spots. 
(pictured left to right: Mike Phillips - Intelligentsia Coffee, Tayla Strader - Intelligentsia Coffee, Alexandra Switzer - Intelligentsia Coffee, Justin Teisl - Alterra Coffee, Andy Carey - Intelligentsia Coffee, Scott Lucey - Alterra Coffee)
We are thrilled to congratulate Justin Teisl and Jenny Gartman on their fantastic finishes at the 
The Millrock Latte Art Competitions are held tri-annually at Coffee Fest Trade Shows that travel from Seattle to Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and Hong Kong. Justin and Jenny also took part in the Millrock competition in Seattle this past November, taking third and ninth places respectively. Way to go, Justin and Jenny!
A recent article in Forbes Traveler Magazine named Alterra Coffee Roasters as one of the country’s “10 Hottest Coffeehouses.” The piece by Rob Baedeker focuses on independent cafes and the differences between small- to mid-size companies and their larger national counterparts. Experts in the specialty coffee industry and connoisseurs nationwide were polled to help compile the list, which includes coffeehouses in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. The common thread shared by these businesses is a passionate attention to detail not always found on a national scale.
We are proud to announce the opening of our ninth café in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee! On Saturday, December 15th, the Alterra café on Humboldt Boulevard opened its doors, joining neighbors Loop Yarn Shop and Alterra Baking Company in our new building across from Pumping Station Park. In addition to freshly brewed coffee, the café serves soups, salads, and sandwiches, and a wide selection of teas, espresso-based drinks and baked goods made daily from scratch. Alterra is honored to be a part of the neighborhood and we look forward to many years of of serving the Riverwest community. We hope that you’ll stop by for a visit!
