World Barista Championship
{{Short description|Annual coffee competition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
The World Barista Championship (WBC) is an annual barista competition operated by World Coffee Events for the title of World Barista Champion. The competition is composed of the winners of the national barista championships, which are operated by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) chapters, or an approved, independent, non-profit national body. First held in 2000, the event is hosted in a different city every year.{{cite news |last1=KUDAK |first1=KELSEY |title=Calling the Shots: 20 Years of the World Barista Championship {{!}} Specialty Coffee Association News |url=https://scanews.coffee/25-magazine/issue-9/english/calling-the-shots-20-years-of-the-world-barista-championship-25-magazine-issue-9/ |access-date=11 April 2022 |work=Specialty Coffee Association News}} The most recent edition in 2024 was in Busan, South Korea.{{cite web | url=https://perfectdailygrind.com/events/world-of-coffee-busan-world-barista-championship-2024/ | title=World of Coffee Busan and World Barista Championship 2024 }}
History
The first competition was in Monte Carlo in 2000. The WBC was dominated in its early years by Scandinavian baristasWBC [http://www.worldbaristachampionship.com/wbc_history.htm WBC History: Previous Years.] Retrieved on 2006-oct-25 and was held in Europe or the United States from its inception until 2007 when it was hosted in Tokyo, Japan.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
In 2016, significant changes were made to the competition format: Grinders were now provided by the competition's partner (Mahlkönig), new models of espresso machines were introduced, and the cappuccino was replaced by a "milk drink" component.{{cite web|url=https://dailycoffeenews.com/2015/03/27/major-rule-changes-announced-for-2016-world-barista-championship/|title=Major Changes Coming to the 2016 World Barista Championship|website=Dailycoffeenews.com|date=27 March 2015|author=Nick Brown|access-date=3 July 2019}}
In 2018, Agnieszka Rojewska became the first woman to win the World Barista Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.beanscenemag.com.au/agnieszka-rojewska-becomes-first-female-win-world-barista-championship/|title=Agnieszka Rojewska becomes first female to win the World Barista Championship|website=Beanscenemag.com|date=24 June 2018|access-date=3 July 2019}}
The 2020 championship was due to take place in Melbourne but was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://worldcoffeeevents.org/2020-world-coffee-championships-canceled-due-to-covid-19-travel-restrictions/|title = 2020 World Coffee Championships Canceled Due to COVID-19 Travel Restrictions|date = 28 July 2020}}
Competition format
File:Wider side view Jong Hoon Lee competing WBC.jpg
There are three rounds of judging over two days. The first round included 55 national barista champions in 2018. The top 15 competitors advance to a second (semi-finals) round, plus the addition of a wildcard placing. The final round comprises the top scoring six baristas from the semi-finals round and takes place on the last day of the competition. In each round competitors present a 15-minute routine in which they must prepare and serve a total of 12 drinks: (4) espresso, (4) milk beverages, and (4) 'signature beverages' (a non-alcoholic espresso-based cocktail) to each of four sensory judges.{{Cite web|url=https://worldbaristachampionship.org/rules/|title=Rules & Regulations|website=World Barista Championship|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-21}} Baristas commonly perform the same routine in each of the rounds that they compete.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
The four judges award points on a variety of factors including the taste and balance of the barista's beverages as well as their presentation. A technical judge grades their technique and cleanliness on a range of technical and sensory attributes.{{Cite web |title=2025 World Barista Championship to Take Place at HostMilano {{!}} Sprudge Coffee |url=https://sprudge.com/event/2025-world-barista-championship-to-take-place-at-hostmilano |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=sprudge.com |language=en-US}} The judges' points are totalled to produce a final score for each barista in each round. The baristas with the highest scores advance from the first and second rounds, and the barista with the greatest score in the final round wins the title.
In 2023, the SCA updated the rules and regulations and now allow the use infused and co-fermented coffees in baristas' routines. {{Cite web |last=Zanin |first=Rodolfo |date=2024-09-16 |title=Infused & co-fermented coffees at the WBC: What to expect |url=https://perfectdailygrind.com/2024/09/infused-coffee-world-barista-championship/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Perfect Daily Grind |language=en-GB}}
Organization
The WBC is operated by World Coffee Events (WCE), and is one of seven World Coffee Championships which was established by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) to run a portfolio of international coffee events. Since the SCAA and SCAE have unified in 2017, WCE is a part of this global organization called the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
The national barista competitions are each organized by their respective national coffee organizations.
Past winners
{{multiple image
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| footer = James Hoffmann (left) and Gwilym Davies (right) preparing drinks at the World Barista Championships in 2006 and 2009 respectively.
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References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://worldbaristachampionship.org/ World Barista Championship] official site
{{Coffee}}