Around Montrose: David Buehrer of Blacksmith

We caught up with David Buehrer, barista and owner of Blacksmith, last week to talk about his win in the The Big Central Regional Barista Event, where he placed 5th out of 36. His placement qualifies him for a spot at the U.S. Barista Championship in Seattle next April, where he will compete with the top six regional competitors from across the nation.

Both competitions have seven judges watching each participant while they make twelve drinks: four espressos, four cappuccinos, and four specialty beverages they prepare specifically for the event. Four judges spectate, two watch for technical precision, and one scrutinizes all aspects of the performance closely so nothing is missed. As you might expect, Buehrer said that the judging conditions were a little nerve-wracking.

He prepared for this intense scrutiny by practicing the entire set for Houston coffee enthusiasts two times a week for six weeks, and will be repeating this prep for the national competition in the spring. These practice runs are likely to be one of the only time you can try Buehrer’s signature competition drinks, so we recommend staying on top of the dates and times to get a taste.

Buehrer is also trying to bring other high-end coffee and dining experiences to Montrose. Blacksmith Coffee will be doing a pop-up dinner with a local gourmet chef on the last Sunday of every month, priced to accommodate foodies of all all means by keeping everything at ten dollars and under. Stay tuned on Twitter with @bl4cksmith and our own feed @MontroseHTX to find out the details each month, and catch Buehrer at Blacksmith to talk about all things coffee.