Does cafe have the best hot drink? (From Swindon Advertiser)

Does cafe have the best hot drink?

9:20am Tuesday 18th September 2012 in News By Stephanie Tye

A coffee shop is hoping to be toasting its success with a cup of something hot later this week.

Cafelicious, which is based in The Brunel, is in the running to be named as making the best hot drink in the UK at this year’s Beverage Standard Awards.

The café is potentially up for three awards – Best Espresso, Best Flat White and Best Hot Chocolate – and will find out if they are successful at the awards ceremony on Thursday.

Cafelicious has been trading from Havelock Square, The Brunel, since 2006, and prides itself on producing high quality food and drink, sourced responsibly and locally whenever possible.

It is their combination of Rave coffee, hand-roasted in Cirencester, Taylerson’s syrups from Malmesbury, local milk and handmade cakes and cookies that puts them above other coffee shops in the town.

Last year, Cafelicious was one of only 29 cafés in the country to scoop the Four Cups Accreditation at the awards, making it official that they make an ‘exceptional’ cup of coffee – as well as other hot and cold drinks. This year, owners Mandy and Barry Cook are looking to improve on their already high ranking.

“Last year we narrowly missed out on the top spot at the Beverage Standard Awards but we learned a lot and hopefully this year will reach the standard of Five Cups and hopefully take home an award,” said Mandy.

“We’re passionate about coffee here at Cafelicious and I think that shows in the quality of cup that we make and the number of customers we have coming in time after time.”

The aims of the BSA awards, which cover England, Wales and Scotland, are to continue to build the nationally recognised standards for businesses trading in the ‘Out of Home’ market, identify and recognise excellence of drinks quality in the ‘Out of Home’ Market, encourage best service standards and to support good staff development and training.

The awards are the Michelin stars of the beverage industry and are open to all ‘out of home’ cafes and restaurants.

Trained assesors visit the establishments anonymously and provide accurate and impartial assessments of beverages and service. Instead of ‘stars’, the BSA’s ‘cup’ rankings will be awarded to the different outlets. These BSA cup logos will be displayed on the doors or windows to show the general public the standard of the outlet.

For more information on The Brunel, visit www.thebrunel.co.uk.