05/12/2026
A few weeks back, we hosted the ninth iteration of My Old Kentucky Throwdown, our semi-annual latte art competition that draws baristas from far and wide. As always, everyone had a blast — slinging drinks, sipping brews, making new friends and winning all manner of prizes. Thanks to the generosity of our title sponsors, Fortuna Enterprises & Monin USA, the top eight baristas left with a total of $2,000 in prize money, while the rest of the 37 competitors got second-chance prizes from La Marzocco, Prima Coffee, Sunergos Coffee, Not Neutral, Coffee Wrench and Created Co. And thanks to a whole host of local businesses, our annual raffle (along w/ drink sales) raised over $1,500 for The HIVE of Bowling Green, an area nonprofit that helps folks with developmental delays and disabilities to gain independence.
Four folks from Team Spencer’s were among the Elite 8, and our Beverage Director Ben Fox-Ezell claimed third place; second was claimed by Sunergos Coffee’s Josiah Makram, while $1,000 and the title of champion was secured by Dylan Jones, representing Seeds Coffee in Birmingham, Ala. But the ultimate focus isn’t competition, it’s Coffee, Community and Collaboration — and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
(Most pics courtesy of )
