Hearts for Hurricane Relief Latte Art Throwdown
Last night, members of the Oklahoma coffee community came together for “Hearts for Hurricane Relief,” a Latte Art Throwdown presented by Green Country Throwdowns and Elemental Coffee to aid relief efforts in response to Hurricane Harvey.
Caleb, Tanner, Callie, and Steve all participated, but the competition was fierce. Ultimately Ben from Topeca Coffee took home the gold. Congratulations, Ben!
Tanner Ruminer
Representing Clarity Coffee
Callie Palmer
Representing Clarity Coffee
Caleb Savage
Representing Clarity Coffee
What is a Latte Art Throwdown?
n a typical throwdown (aka pour down or latte art slam), baristas buy-in to enter the competition and the winner walks away with bragging rights and everyone else’s money. In last night’s event, all proceeds were donated to One America Appeal, “a joint appeal by all five living former American Presidents to encourage their fellow citizens to support recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey.”
These events are a popular way for baristas all over the world to get together and show off one of the most easily recognizable skills in the coffee trade, latte art. While the rules change from event to event, typically two competitors face off by steaming and pouring a randomly selected basic latte design: a heart, tulip, or rosetta, into a randomly selected cup size: macchiato, cappuccino, or latte. Throwdowns are almost always an exciting and fun event for all and are a great chance for coffee fans, regulars, and friends to hang out and support your favorite barista! Generally, throwdowns are a lighthearted way for baristas to compete with each other and just hang out with friends, as compared to other more serious coffee events like the US or World Barista, Brewers, or Roasters Championships. We held a latte art throwdown last year. You can find a little recap of our event here.
About One America Appeal
While initiated in response to Hurricane Harvey through the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation in Houston, the One America Appeal has been expanded to include those affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. From the appeal, “All donations made today will go to help victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida. In Texas, monies will go to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund focusing on the greater Houston region, and the Rebuild Texas Fund assisting communities across the state. In Florida, monies will go to the Florida Disaster Fund, which is the state’s official private fund to assist the state’s communities as they respond to and recover from destructive storms. We are actively exploring similar arrangements for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
We were thrilled to be able to sponsor the event with prizes for the winner, and we’re thankful for all of our friends who helped make this event happen! Shout outs: Oklahoma Shirt Company, Green Country Throwdowns, Anthem Brewing Company, District House, KLLR Coffee, DNA Designs, Saint Anthony Industries, Barista Magazine, Handground and Chemex Coffeemaker.
