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Lattes Are Works Of Art At Barista Throwdown

KMUW | By Carla Eckels

Published January 22, 2016 at 5:00 AM CST

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Baristas prepare artful lattes at their stations as onlookers watch on at Reverie Coffee Roasters.

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

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Reverie owner Andy Gough says when the shop opened two years ago, Wichita "had a fairly weak culture of coffee and we needed to connect the baristas together and make that a lot stronger."

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

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A barista froths milk.

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

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"You have to have a great espresso shot, and you have to have good milk consistency" for good latte art, says judge Nathan Holthus.

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

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Judges Mika Holtzinger, Jeff Schauf and Nathan Holthus deliberate over two lattes.

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

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A barista competitor carefully pours frothed milk into a cup of espresso.

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

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Barista Diego Esquivel pours milk as he competes in a Barista Throwdown. He came in second place.

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

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Kristyn Chapman pours milk before making her competition-winning latte art.

Carla Eckels / KMUW

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The judges point to a winning piece of latte art.

Nadya Faulx / KMUW

The art of making a lattes topped with creamy, floating designs is on the minds of competitors taking part in a “Barista Throwdown” at a Wichita coffee shop. KMUW’s Carla Eckels takes us to Reverie Coffee Roasters during a previous contest to look at what’s brewing inside.

The next competition will be held Saturday at Reverie.

See some scenes from the last throwdown:

Carla Eckels is assistant news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.

To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.