The 2014 World Cup Tasters Championship, a competition that tests coffee palate skills according to speed and accuracy, has just 8 competitors remaining from an opening field of 37. They’ll be reduced to a final round of 4 later this afternoon, as the slate of international competitions rolls on here at the 2014 Melbourne International Coffee Expo.
We’ve got heaps of World Latte Art and World Coffee In Good Spirits coverage impending, but for now, let’s meet the top 8 coffee tasters in the world. You can watch Semi-Finals from the World Cup Tasters Championship live via World Coffee Events on Livestream.
Sprudge.com’s coverage of World Cup Tasters is produced in partnership with World Coffee Events, the international organization that stages these competitions each year. World Cup Tasters will conclude tomorrow, Sunday May 18th, with a final heat of four. For now, let’s meet the elite 8!
1. Mathias Buhler, Switzerland — 7/8 correct — 4:42
2. Amanda Juris, United States — 7/8 correct — 5:25
3. Pand Yu-Liu, Taiwan — 6/8 correct — 5:02
4. Yoeri Joosten, Netherlands — 6/8 correct — 5:49
5. Mikolaj Panasik, Poland — 6/8 correct — 7:25
6. Panu Reinikainen, Finland — 5/8 correct — 6:37
7. Patrik Nilsson, Sweden — 5/8 correct — 7:49
8. Byoung-Woo Kang, Australia — 5/8 correct — 7:49
All photos in this feature are by Eileen P. Kenny for Sprudge.com.
