What a weekend it has been in Denver! After three days of competition, we arrived at Finals Sunday with only six routines left to decide who moves on to represent the United States at the World Barista Championship later this year in Panama. And to say that Sunday lived up to all the build-up and hype would be a massive understatement.
It was a mix of new names and familiar faces that took the stage on Sunday, but the level of competition couldn’t have been higher across the board. From this side of the table, picking a winner feels like an impossible (and unenviable) task. Yet somehow, the judges were able to get out the electron microscope and split all requisite hairs needed to pick a winner. Which is exactly what they’ve done.
There’s so much to get to, so much intrigue to explore from the 2026 US Barista Championship, and rest assured we’ll be sinking our teeth into that in the coming days. But for now it’s time to celebrate the winners and Finalists. So let’s meet them. Here are the results of the 2026 US Barista Championship in Denver, Colorado.
Sprudge Media’s coverage of the 2026 US Barista Championship is sponsored by Pacific Barista Series, Ghirardelli, Swiss Water, Cafe Imports, La Marzocco, and Huckleberry Roasters.
Champion: Jak Michael Ryan (he/him) – Proud Mary – Austin, TX
Runner-Up: Jason Yeo (he/him) – Saint Frank Coffee – San Francisco, CA
Third: Ziah Bloom (he/him) – Lamppost Coffee – Austin, TX
4th: Morgan Eckroth (they/she) – Onyx Coffee Lab – Portland, OR
5th: Meg Skop (she/her) – The Coffee Movement – San Francisco, CA
6th: Seidy Selivanow (she/her) – Kafiex Coffee – Vancouver, WA
Thanks for hanging with us all weekend long! It’s been a blast. We’ll see you again in Panama City!
