barista competition

Huge barista competition in Toronto this week lets you drink coffee for free

A huge barista competition that could quite possibly be the largest one in the city is coming to Toronto, giving you the chance to sip some of the best java in town.

This weekend, 54 of the fiercest competitors in the Toronto coffee scene will be coming together to compete for glory at the Toronto qualifier for the Canadian AeroPress Championship brought to the city by Ethica Coffee Roasters — and you can watch it all go down.

Not familiar with the world of competitive coffee craft? No worries! Here's a quick run-down.

Coffee roasters and baristas from across the city will have the chance to put their best bean forward, judged by a panel of six heavy-hitters in the Toronto food and drink world.

This year, the judge panel includes Yadi Arafin, owner of Kensington's Fika Cafe and 2017 Toronto AeroPress winner; Leah and Kay, co-owners of Java Roasters; Jonathan, co-owner of Pompette; Connor, coffee director at New Brunswick's Epoch Chemistry and Nico, the chef behind tiramisu hot spot Nonna Lia.

If you plan on stopping by to watch the action go down (it's free, why not?), you'll be able to get your hands on free espresso and espresso-based drinks from La Marzocco.

The added caffeine might even heighten the anticipation leading up to the crowning of Toronto's regional champion.

There'll also be a live DJ blasting beats to keep the vibes high, additional coffee and espresso-based drinks from Toronto spots like Java Roasters and Ethica and tasty treats from Nonna Lia and Bakerrae.

In the end, the top coffee crafters in Toronto will head to the national championship in Calgary this August and then on to Lisbon, Portugal to fight for the International title.

The Toronto Regional AeroPress Challenger is taking place at Henderson Brewery on Thursday, July 25. Doors open at 4 p.m. before the competition kicks off at 5.

Admission is totally free if you book a spectator ticket online through the competition's Eventbrite page.

Lead photo by

Jesse Milns


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