World, Editor’s Pick

A collection of coffee connoisseurs from all over the world will compete to be named master of the mug at the RDS in Dublin this weekend for the World Barista Championship.

Daniel Rivera from Porto Rico shows his skills.

Daniel Rivera from Porto Rico shows his skills. Image by Jake Olson

The competition is produced by World Coffee Events and focuses on promoting excellence in coffee, advancing the barista profession, and engaging a worldwide audience with an annual championship event that serves as the culmination of local and regional events from around the globe.

Evgeni Pinchukov from Belarus.

Evgeni Pinchukov from Belarus. Image by Jake Olson

This weekend will see over 90 international competitors taking part in an exciting display of artistry and technical mastery in the field. Each year, participants in the event prepare 4 espressos, 4 cappuccinos and 4 original signature drinks to exacting standards in a 15-minute performance set to music.

 

Certified Judges from around the world evaluate each performance on the taste of beverages served, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill, and overall presentation. The ever-popular signature beverage allows baristas to stretch their imagination and the judges’ palates to incorporate a wealth of coffee knowledge into an expression of their individual tastes and experiences.

The top 12 competitors from the first round advance to a semi-final, with the top 6 competitors in that category advancing to the finals.

 

 

“There are a record-breaking sixty-one countries participating in the 17th annual World Barista Championships in Dublin this year. One of the innovations for 2016 has been the addition of the Team Competition, which gives competitors another possible way to win!” said Amy Ball, the event’s Creative Director.

The current semi-final includes brewers from Taiwan, China, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Ireland, Canada and the United States.

The four day event culminates on Saturday 25 July with the grand finale, with one skilled Barista being named the champion.

Another competition, The World Brewers Cup, highlights the craft of filter coffee brewing by hand. More events including exclusive tastings, talks and exhibitions will continue in Dublin throughout the next few days as part of World of Coffee.

The event is free to stream internationally at http://live.worldcoffeeevents.org/