Who's the hottest barista around?

You make the call. Get the sexy details about these five finalists, then vote.

As told to Lilledeshan Bose and Justin Shady

You know that barista you have a crush on? No, not that one. The barista by the espresso machine. Yeah, that one!

Well, you took that crush, suppressed any stalker urges, and used it for good.

And by good, we mean you nominated that coffee slinger as one of MKE's Hot Baristas. We took those nominations, tallied them up, ran them through some algorithms and narrowed them down to these five finalists.

Of course, you still need to pick a winner. Before you cast your vote, snuggle up with a cappuccino and find out a little more about the finalists. You'll discover what they find sexy -- and what they think makes them sexy.

Voting ends 5 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2008. Winners will be announced in the March 20 issue. See the sidebar to the left for details.

<-- Vote for John here	1. John Bebeau Age 19 Works at Seattle's Best Coffee in Borders Books & Music, 101 W. Wisconsin Ave. Sample nomination comment "His presence in the bookstore is like a vortex of charisma, good looks and coffee-making genius. It is hypnotizing to watch him create my morning espresso and then flash a charming smile my way when I pay him for it. Frankly, I feel like I should be paying him double, for the delicious coffee and for my viewing pleasure. There are a lot of coffee places downtown closer to where I work, but I cannot - and will not - ever give up my daily dose of John Bebeau. He is steamier than any cup of coffee he could ever make." Sexiest coffee drink you can make Definitely the Cocoa Trio. It has whipped cream, chocolate sauce. It doesn't fool around with any espresso. It's just straight-up chocolate. I'm actually more of a tea kind of guy. Chai is my drink. What do you find sexy? A girl who can get really dressed up for an expensive dinner, gaze into my eyes while sitting at the table and say, "I am the walrus" while putting two straws in her mouth. Also, her mom. What you think your sexiest trait is Either my laugh or the way I look right after I see a girl bite her lip at me. Sexiest thing you own My rocketship underpants. What's hotter: a cup of espresso or you? Definitely me. Craziest pickup line from a customer Every once in a while, people will hit on me. Usually it's with, "What are you doing later?" Or the line you just asked - what's hotter: you or espresso? There's also, "You seem to be able to steam anything just right!" Would you ever consider getting it on with a customer? I haven't, but I'm single. (Note: John later said, "But I know of a girl that would be less than pleased with me if she found out I was advertising it.") What are you doing later? Going home and playing some guitar. If you want to come along, that's fine.
<-- Vote for Jessica here	2. Jessica "Juj" Bohrer Age 21 Works at The Gingerbread House, S63-W16147 W. College Ave., Muskego Sample nomination comment "She gets my heart racing without the shot of espresso! There is no one else that can fill up my cup of joe the way she does. She could grind my beans any day." Sexiest coffee drink you can make An Americano. It's a drink that's bold and straightforward, and it doesn't mess around. What's sexier than that? What do you find sexy? Sexy: when a dude orders an extra-hot hot chocolate with extra whipped cream. Sexier: when that same guy is funnier than Dane Cook. Sexiest: when he's also a firefighter. What you think your sexiest trait is I know what my customers want every time they walk through the door. Sexiest thing you own The Rock & Republic jeans I bought from the Gingerbread House boutique. What's hotter: a cup of espresso or you? You're just going to have to come to the Gingerbread House and find out for yourself. Craziest pickup line from a customer Me: "Cream or sugar with your coffee?" Customer: "Honey, you're all the sugar I need." Would you ever consider getting it on with a customer? I prefer to keep my professional and personal lives separate. Besides, I never barista and tell. What are you doing later? Waiting for my shift to end, so I can enjoy an extra-hot hot chocolate . . . with that extra-hot hot chocolate drinking guy!
<-- Vote for Kristin here	3. Kristin Schurk Age 27 Works at Mocha, 124 W. Wisconsin Ave. Sample nomination comment "I travel to the Milwaukee area weekly for work, and Mocha is my favorite stop for a caffeine boost any time of the day. Kristin always greets me with a smile and good conversation, and the girl makes the best latte I've ever had. Doesn't hurt that she's gorgeous!" Sexiest coffee drink you can make It's not so much how sexy a foamy latte can be, or how much sexy steamed milk you can put into a 12-ounce cup, but rather how sexy you can be while making it. Everyone has their own little tricks and signature moves. It's the preparation of the drink that makes it sexy, but when you add whipped cream and a cherry - phew! - now that's orgasmic! What do you find sexy? Coffee in itself, to me, is not sexy. It stains your teeth and makes your breath stink, and if you drink too much, you could be mistaken for a relapsing drug addict. What I really find sexy is confidence, a sense of humor and a great pair of shoes. What you think your sexiest trait is The ability to make fun of myself, my alluring personality and, honestly, I'd say my eyes. Sexiest thing you own Nothing makes me feel sexier than cruising in my rusty '93 Buick with power windows and an AM-FM radio, not forgetting to mention all the empty coffee cups on the backseat floor. My notoriously empty piggy bank rides shotgun. No one said being a barista would make you rich, right? What's hotter: a cup of espresso or you? If a cup of espresso had a tight ass and a cute face, I'd say the competition would be stiff, but I think I'm gonna have to give this one to myself. Working six days a week to give all the credit to a saucer filled with brown liquid would be ridiculous. Craziest pickup line from a customer It's not so much the pickup lines that are memorable but the verbal attacks and derogatory comments from the town drunks and riffraff who happen to stumble in. It's great to hear some of the stuff they come up with. It's not the most educated foul-mouthery, but it's highly entertaining. It's just one of the many perks of working downtown. It keeps my day exciting, to say the least. Would you ever consider getting it on with a customer? Funny you should ask because one of my loyal customers is now my loving boyfriend. I had a crush on him when he first came into the shop. It makes me laugh when he still puts hefty tips in my jar. So the answer to your question is hell yes! What are you doing later? The same thing I do every day: hitting the gym and slinging some joe.
<-- Vote for Alex here	4. Alex Schwalbach Age 21 Works at Alterra Coffee Roasters, 9125 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa Sample nomination comment "Alex has the biggest, brightest smile. He's so cute, you just want to squeeze him. Oh, and he makes a great cup of java, too." Sexiest coffee drink you can make We have this drink called the Bullfrog. It's a cool contrast - mint and mocha. It's pretty good-looking. My favorite is a double espresso. People who get it are usually coffee purists, who are interesting to talk to. What do you find sexy? Something appealing to my eye. What you think your sexiest trait is My facial features. I have my hair in my eye, but I got a good smile. Sexiest thing you own I've been told my eyes are pretty good. What's hotter: a cup of espresso or you? Definitely me. Craziest pickup line from a customer People are really subtle. They just ask random questions about me. They ask me random questions as an excuse to talk. But I've never had a sweet pickup line. Would you ever consider getting it on with a customer? Yeah. If I think someone's cute, I put a heart in their latte. I don't give out too many hearts. I save them for special occasions. I'm working on etching my phone number onto coffee. It takes a really long time. What are you doing later? Going to bed and coming back here to work.
<-- Vote for Katie here	5. Katie Teisl Age 21 Works at Alterra Coffee Roasters, 2941 N. Humboldt Ave. Sample nomination contest "She knows her customers, greets them with a huge smile and gets to know them personally. . . . I've worked in coffee shops and have visited them around the country, and she's by far the best. Go in when she's working and see what I mean! She's quirky, perky and genuine." Sexiest coffee drink you can make There is nothing sexier than a straight espresso. What do you find sexy? Good food. White shoes. Early rising. Chivalry. Working out. Those who won't settle. What you think your sexiest trait is The likelihood of finding me in bed by 8:30 on any given night. Sexiest thing you own The flannel sheets my grandma gave to me one Christmas. They have skiers and snow-covered mountains on them. What's hotter: a cup of espresso or you? Espresso! Craziest pickup line from a customer "Can I have my latte extra hot . . . like you?" You know who you are! Would you ever consider getting it on with a customer? Who's asking? What are you doing later? The same thing I do every day: gym, class, study, LuLu for wine and watching episodes of "The Sopranos" while laying in bed.
E-mail Address:
Privacy Policy