2024 World Barista Championship: The Semi-Finals

Penny Pang (she/her), Cupping Room Coffee Roaster, Hong Kong

Pent Pang competes with a hyper-washed Gesha variety from Cerro Azul produced by Rigoberto Herrera, grown at 1,850MASL, processed with a double fermentation technique, roasted for 10 minutes at 13% development, and an anti-maceration fermented Caturra produced by Diego Bermudez at Finca El Paraiso in Cauca, Colombia, roasted for 10.5 minute 15% development.

20g in and 44g out for 18 seconds with 93 deg C and a 21% extraction, rapid chilled with frozen spheres, the intensely floral espresso has notes of jasmine, orange, and red grape, with a medium citrus acidity, medium plum sweetness, and a low, grapefruit-like bitterness. Judges are requested to drink a water before the espresso specifically calibrated for this course.

For the milk course, Pang makes with blend of 15g Cerro Azul and 6g Caturra, and the espresso combines with a freeze-distilled lactose-free milk steamed to 50 deg C in a 3:1 ratio milk drink for notes of mango, chocolate mousse, and nougat, with a melted ice cream-like texture.

Milk washed guava juice, saline solution, grapefruit peel and clove citrus spice water, and a sweet and sour pomegranate and lemon syrup combine with chilled Cerra Azul espresso and nitro charged, served at 20 deg C for flavors of ginger, white grape, and plum in Pang’s signature beverage.

Honoka Kawashima (she/her), Frank’s Coffee, New Zealand

Honoka Kawashima is using a natural processed Gesha and Maragogype hybrid called Maragesha from Finca Villa Betulia in Huila, Colombia, produced by Luis Anibal grown at 1,500MASL, roasted 30 days ago.

19.5g in and 50g out flash-chilled with metal spheres to 45 deg C, stirred five times with spoon before tasting, the espresso course has notes of pink grapefruit, pineapple, and a hibiscus aftertaste, with a medium body and a silky texture.

Blending 90% high fat cow’s milk freeze-distilled to remove 50% of the water and 10% almond milk steamed to 55 deg C, the milk course has flavors of chocolate brownie, tiramisu, and a sultana aftertaste.

Kawashima’s signature drink includes a mixed fruit infusion of orange, red apple, and strawberry, tomato water, distilled almond milk, and a tea/fructose simple syrup combine with espresso, all hyperchilled together for notes of honeydew melon, green grape, and a candied ginger aftertaste.

Junghwan Lim (he/him), Aerycoffee, South Korea

Junghwan Lim is competing today with a natural processed Sudan Rume variety grown at 1,900MASL by Rigoberto Herrera at Finca Las Margaritas in Cauca, Colombia.

20g in and 45g out with 92 deg C water, the Sudan Rume as an espresso has notes of orange blossom, grapefruit, and lemongrass, with a green apple aftertaste, a juicy, silky texture and medium sweetness and a medium-high acidity.

Distilled to a 70% concentration, the milk is steamed to 50 deg C, creating a creamy texture with flavors of vanilla, caramel, mango, and a milk chocolate aftertaste.

Espresso, blueberry and passionfruit juice tropical culture, coffee saccharum, and a cardamom and cinnamon water are combined and served warm in a wine glass creating a drink reminiscent of Pepsi Cola, including flavors of blood orange, black tea, and cola, with a long-lasting ginger finish, a medium body, and a juicy and silky texture.

Federico Pinna (he/him), Urban Cafe, Italy

Federico Pinna’s coffee today is a 70/30 mosto-inoculated anaerobic fermented blend of Chirozo variety coffee grown by Johan Vergara at Finca Las Flores and a Bourbon Sidra from Adrian Lasso at Finca El Diviso, both in Pitalito, Colombia. And a thermal shocked Ombligon variety, also from El Diviso, produced by Adrian’s brother Nestor. Both coffees were roasted 20 days ago.

Using the Chirozo/Bourbon Sidra blend, pulled at 20g in and 40g out using 94 deg C water, the espresso has notes of guava, peach, ripe pineapple, red grape, and a bergamot finish, with a medium sweetness and acidity and a low bitterness.

Now using the Ombligon, Pinna created a custom milk blend using a 4:1 ratio of freeze-distilled cow’s milk from Czech Republic and thermal shocked oat milk, steamed to 55 deg C giving the beverages flavors of blueberry cheesecake, hazelnut cream, butterscotch and a milk chocolate ice cream finish.

Hyperchilled Ombligon espresso gets combined with blueberry yogurt, a white tea and butterfly pea flower cordial, and elderflower cordial, all shaken over ice and finished with a rose simple syrup foam and served at 10 deg C for flavors of jam, strawberry, jasmine, and a cacao nib finish with a juicy mouthfeel.

Jack Simpson (he/him), Axil Coffee Roasters, Australia

Jack Simpson competes today with a natural processed, 150-hour anaerobic fermented Pacamara variety produced by Jonathan Gasca at Zarza Farm on Huila, Colombia, and a nitrogen macerated Gesha from Finca Deborah produced by Jamison Savage in Volcan, Panama.

20g in and 40g out in 29 seconds, treated with two seconds of 500hz ultra-low frequency electromagnetic waves and served in cups with “evolving lip thickness,”, espressos have notes of blood orange, yellow peach, and red cherry with a medium weight, juicy texture, and a rich finish.

90% full-cream milk treated with ultra-low frequency magnetic waves for two hours and 10% cryodesiccated coconut milk combine with espresso in Simpson’s 4:1 ratio for flavors of sweet cherry, melted chocolate ice cream, and shaved coconut.

Espressos combine with a distilled peach honey and a sparkling kinoto fermentation and are finished with a white peach and marigold flower fermentation aroma cloud, creating notes of mango, passionfruit, dried apricot, and orange soda.

Mikael Jasin (he/him), So So Good Coffee Company, Indonesia

Mikael Jasin’s coffees are an Ethiopian landrace variety known as Aji, yeast inoculated and thermal shocked and grown on Finca El Diviso in Huila, Colombia, and a Gesha produced on Finca Deborah in Volcan, Panama.

Using the Finca Deborah Gesha, the espresso course has notes of jasmine, orange blossom, Sunkist orange, and honey, with a lingering golden raisin finish.

A three-milk blend consisting of 60% dairy, 20% cashew milk, and 20% oat milk, evaporated to an 80% concentration, served in a ratio of 50g milk to 15g espresso, the Aji-based milk drinks presents flavors of peach liqueur and marzipan, with a creamy mouthfeel and a coating chocolate truffle finish.

Aji espresso, a lemon juice-clarified milk blend, a palo santo aromatic infusion, a palo santo vanilla syrup, and Indonesian cacao nibs are combined and served at 50 deg C to create new flavors of lychee, sage watermelon, cherry, with a silky texture with a lingering finish of black forest cake.

Takayuki Ishitani (he/him), Japan

Takayuki Ishitani competes today with two coffees, a wash processed Gesha from Finca Deborah in Panama and a Caturra variety from Finca Milan in Colombia.

Combining 16g Gesha and 2g Caturra for a total output of 44g, Ishitani’s espresso course has notes of pineapple, orange, and a hint of guava, with sparkling acidity, medium sweetness, and a long-lasting jasmine tea finish.

Switching to 17g Caturra and 2g Gesha, Ishitani combines rice milk and lactose-free cow’s milk in a 1:2 ratio, steamed to 51 deg C, blending with the espresso in a 4:1 ratio for notes of yellow peach, mango, and caramel, and a yellow flower finish.

A negroni-inspired signature drink, Ishitani adds to his 17:2 Caturra and Gesha espresso a rose, pine leaf, and juniper berry infusion representing gin, a pineapple a brown sugar fermentation akin to Campari, and a sous vide solution of coarse Gesha coffee and vanilla bean for the vermouth. Combined, it has notes of sage, white peach, black orange, plum, and a caramel finish, with a juicy and silky mouthfeel and a lasting finish.

Frank La (he/him), Be Bright Coffee, United States

Frank La competes today with an anaerobic fermented, natural processed Ethiopian landrace known as Ombligon, grown at 1,900MASL by Nestor Lasso on Finca El Diviso in Huila, Colombia.

Pulled at 20g in and 50g out for 26 seconds over frozen spheres, the Ombligon has notes of tart cherry juice, watermelon candy, raspberry, and dark chocolate, with a medium weight, silky mouthfeel, and a lingering finish.

Pulling a shorter shot and pairing it with a lactose-free milk that is freeze-distilled down to 50% and then evaporated to further concentrate it, the Ombligon in a milk beverage has notes of raspberry cheesecake, butterscotch, and strawberry milkshake.

A Long 3:1 ratio extraction of Ombligon espresso gets hyperchilled and added to a clarified oolong tea and honey coffee milk punch, muscat grape cheong syrup, and coffee saccharum, all blended together to create notes of lemon yogurt, white grapefruit, green apple, and ginger ale.

Mathieu Theis (he/him), Mame, Switzerland

Mathiew Theis competes today with a washed processed, mosto processed Sidra variety grown at 1,500MASL in Colombia.

Pulled at 21g in and 32g out, the Sidra has notes of peach, orange, red grape, and a long aftertaste of orange blossom, with a silky mouthfeel and low-to-medium weight.

Freeze-distilled cow’s milk concentrated down to 50%, served at 50 deg C pairs with espresso for flavor notes of blueberry cheesecake, violet candy, blackberry, red grape, and a creamy mouthfeel.

Chilled espresso, fat washed coconut water, and a bergamot distillation get blended and nitrogenated and finished with a Sidra aromatic for notes of peach, mandarin, lime, and grapefruit.

Zjevaun Lemar Janga (he/him), Ripsnorter Coffee, The Netherlands

Zjevaun Lemar Janga is using multiple versions of a double fermented, honey processed Pink Bourbon produced by Luis Marcelino in Pitalito, Colombia for competition today.

Pulled at 21g in and 42g out in 20 seconds, the Pink Bourbon espresso has notes of elderflower, peach, and grapefruit, medium thickness, a silky texture, and a smooth and long finish.

For the milk course, Janga vacuum-distills 10% of the water from the full fat milk from MRY breed cows and replaces it with coconut milk. Combined with Pink Bourbon in a milk beverage, it has notes of mango, pink guava, caramel, and vanilla, reminiscent of crème brulee.

Magnolia flower syrup, a pink elderflower, honey, and salt lacto-fermentation, vacuum-distilled clarified coconut water, and Pink Bourbon espresso, all get nitro charged and served at 20 deg C and finished with coffee aroma clouds to give the signature beverage notes of strawberry, pineapple, and blood orange.

Lakis Psomas (he/him), Nestle Professional, Sweden

Lakis Psomas competes with a Pink Bourbon variety grown at 1,600MASL under canopy shade by Luis Marecelino at Aroma Nativo in Huila, Colombia, roasted 20 days ago.

Pulled at 20g in and 40g out using 93 deg C water over frozen spheres, the Pink Bourbon has notes of passionfruit and pineapple with a hint of lemongrass and lime, and a grapefruit aftertaste and silky mouthfeel.

A 95/5 Lactose-free milk and coconut milk combination freeze distilled to 70% and steamed to 60 deg C, the 4:1 ratio milk drink has notes of baked pineapple, butterscotch, and a hint of coconut.

Espresso, fermented apple juice, the 95/5 lactose-free and coconut milk blend, and one ice cube all get blended together and served at 10 deg C, producing flavors of passionfruit, pineapple, and peach, with a mango and coconut aftertaste and creamy texture.

Gio Visitacion (he/him), Good Cup Coffee, Philippines

Gio Visitacion competes in the Semi-Finals today with a Gesha variety coffee grown at 1,800MASL by producer Eugene Altieri of Altieri Coffee in Boquete, Panama.

As an espresso pulled using 96 deg C water and served in frozen cups, the Altieri Gesha has notes of mandarin orange, orange blossom, honey, apricot, and a candied orange finish, with a medium-high sweetness and acidity.

Using a lactose-free milk concentrated to 60%, the 3:1 ratio milk drink has notes of orange marmalade, dulce de leche, and apricot jam, a creamy and coating experience with a lingering finish of vanilla wafer.

Coffee blossom tea, cascara cordial, filter coffee concentrate, and Gesha espresso get combined and nitrogen infused for flavors of cherry blossom, dark plum, tamarind, caramelized orange, and a long finish of orange.

Arnon Thitiprasert (he/him), Roast8ry, Thailand

Arnon Thitipresert is using two coffee today, a “two step fermentation” Gesha variety grown at 1,900MASL in Vulcan, Panama and Cafe Red Samosa, a non-Arabica variety coffee grown in the wild in South Africa.

Combining the two coffees, the espresso course has notes of blackberry jam, orange tangerine, dried apricot, with a 50% dark chocolate aftertaste, a juicy body, and a silky and smooth mouthfeel.

A membrane filtration fresh cow’s milk steamed to 50 deg C and prepared in a 3:1 ratio with the Gesha for notes of malt, white chocolate, and a strawberry wafer aftertaste, with a crème brulee-like texture.

A negroni-inspired sig bev, the drink incorporates Panama Gesha espresso, orange peel oil, muscat grape fermentation, and an amarillo hop distillation, shaken over ice for notes of pink guava and sweet chardonnay with a pink grapefruit aftertaste.

Bella Thu Pham (she/her), Quest Asia, Vietnam

Bella Thus Pham has selected an anaerobic fermented Bourbon Sidra variety coffee produced by Nestor Lasso at Finca El Diviso in Hulia, Colombia.

Pulled at 20g in and 40g out and stirred 10 times front to back, Pham’s espresso has notes of grapefruit, raspberry, and black tea, with a medium weight, juicy texture, and citrusy aftertaste.

Using a commercially available milk by CP Meiji due to is creamy texture and sweetness similar to that of freeze distilled, the 3:1 ratio milk beverage has notes of strawberry milkshake, butterscotch, and a milk chocolate aftertaste.

Espresso, a passionfruit and pineapple fermentation, and roselle flower syrup are finished with a strawberry yogurt foam for flavors of strawberry, mango, pineapple, pink guava, and strawberry yogurt.

Surender Kumar (he/him), Malaysia

Surender Kumar competes today with a fully wash processed Gesha grown at 1,7000MASL by Benjamin Paz at Finca La Salsa in Santa Barbara, Honduras.

As an espresso, the Finca La Salsa Gesha has notes of sweet navel orange, dark honey, and nectarine with deep floral aromatics and a lingering orange candy finish.

1:2 freeze-distilled milk concentrated to 30% and fresh whole milk are steamed to 55 deg C, giving the milk beverage notes of Danish butter cookies and toasted cashews, with a creamy mouthfeel and long sweet butterscotch finish.

For the signature drink, espresso, a mosaic hops solution, cold pressed watermelon milk wash, navel orange koji inoculation, and panela sugar are finished with an umami extract created by infusing pressed cherry tomato juice with kelp, shiitake mushroom, and bonito flakes for notes of pink guava, red plums, and orange blossom with a subtle minerality.

Michaela Ruazol (she/her), Typica, United Arab Emirates

Michaela Ruazol competes today with Lot 347, a natural processed Green Tip Gesha grown at 1,700MASL on Janson Farms in Volcan, Panama, roasted 10 days ago.

Pulled at 20g in and 40g out, as an espresso Lot 347 has notes of sweet tangerine, yellow peach, and red cherry, with a cacao nib finish and a medium acidity, sweetness, and body weight.

Using two-day-old 4% fat content cow’s milk freeze-distilled to 50% and steamed to 50 deg C, the Green Tip Gesha milk beverage, in a 4:1 ratio, has notes of sweet apricot, butterscotch, and a sweet milk chocolate finish.

Chilled espresso, coffee saccharum, and a strawberry and Janson Farm honey reduction all get blended and served over frozen steel spheres for flavors of cantaloupe, grape candy, mandarin orange, and a sweet desert wine finish.

Ian Kissick (he/him), Formative Coffee, Ireland

Ian Kissick competes with two coffees today, a white honey processed Gesha variety grown at 2,000MASL in Colombia and an anaerobic fermented Yellow Bourbon from Granja El Paraíso 92 in Colombia’s Cauca Valley, both roasted six weeks ago.

Pulled over frozen spheres at 22g in and 60g out for 31 seconds using 94 deg C water and at a 22.5% extraction rate, the Colombia white honey Gesha has notes of bergamot, white grapefruit, green tea, and yuzu.

Using a 50/50 blend of freeze-distilled Jersey cow milk and freeze-distilled oat milk, steamed to 55 deg C for an overall drinking temperature of 48 deg C, the milk beverage has notes of mango, peach, rum raisin, and cacao nib.

Chilled white honey Gesha espresso gets combined with a bilberry syrup, juice from a tin of pineapples, and whey, all hyperchilled, presenting flavors of raspberry, peach, and white grape.