It is back, for the third year now and it is even more popular than before. The London Latte Art Smackdown, sponsored by Square Mile, Coffee Hit and Kaffeine, runs over five weeks starting with four rounds of heats from Tuesday the 8th of September and finishing on Tuesday the 6th October at our new store on Eastcastle street, with the final in the event space at Square Mile Coffee Roasters.
It is pretty simple. 48 spaces, £10 entry, maximum of four entries per company, 12 entrants per heat, knock out rounds to get the top 3 to go through to the final, making another 12 competitors for the finals.
The rules: They get tighter each year, but again we keep it simple.
A Kaffeine barista will be pouring double shots for you into 2 x 5 oz ‘flat white’ Acme cups.
You steam your milk and split your jugs.
You pour your preferred pattern, but we only allow rosettas, tulips or hearts.
Cup handle must be presented to the right of the judges, with the base of the pattern at 6 o’clock
You choose your best looking and presented drink and put it forward for consideration
You pour your left over milk into a glass to measure your ‘wastage’
You remove your second drink.
The barista you are battling against then goes through the same process and the judges will then confer.