Name: Alicia Bulter
Region: Gauteng
Company: Molecular Bars
3rd Barista Championship Gauteng Regionals
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What is it about coffee that gets you fired up?
Coffee is such a complex thing to understand and what gets me fired up every morning is knowing there is a bunch of people waiting for me to train them on something I'm completely in love with.
We're not just teaching them on coffee we are inviting them into a family of coffee lovers.
What, to you, is the most exciting trend in coffee right now?
This might not be coffee related at all but the gap between bartenders and Barista's are slowly but surely closing. Bartenders are getting more and more interested in coffee and I see more bartenders coming through my barista school than actual Barista's. And with all their bartending toys that they have. Like suve's, centrifuges, smoke guns ect. I think we'll see more bartenders competing in the barista competitions soon.
How do you drink your coffee?
Depend on what time of day it is.
Early morning I will drink a cappuccino with 1 sugar ..... Is that bad??? Lol
Rest of the day V- drip black
Late afternoon cap or Flat white. Depends on where I am.
No coffee for me at night time.
What's the biggest challenge you face in the build up to Nationals?
Choosing the right coffee :) there is a whole new variety of green coffee and processing methods that green brokers and roasters are bringing in and I think the choice is overwhelming. So for me it has been a battle finding the right coffee.
Why do you want to win this thing?
In my first competition I said that I believe in making memories rather than serving drinks. And in order to do that, you have to make an impression for people to remember you by.
Barista's on international level's don't just serve drinks they all make impressions. They are extremely knowledgeable about their coffee and I just want to spend some time with the best of the best.
Testing my Barista skills next to theirs will be the best thing ever. And bringing that knowledge back the second best thing.
What's your best tip for people trying to make better coffee at home?
Make another cup. Hahaha! Ask a lot of questions, but ask the right people. Get online, do a few coffee workshops. The more people we can get to drink better coffee at home the quicker we can grow a coffee loving country.
What and where is the best coffee you've tasted so far in 2017?
It's still very early in the year haha. I've always had a very good relationship with
Urban Grind Roasters and Wayne will always call me first if they get a new coffee in which is every second week almost.
So far for me this year is the Columbian El Quebradon.
