Narrowing the gap between baristas and bartenders – BeanScene

For Tanguy Charbonnet, curiosity is more than a simple instinct. It’s a thread that ties together two hospitality worlds that are becoming increasingly close: coffee and barista craftsmanship.

As the 2025 Australian Bartending Champion, there are few people better placed to speak on the next wave of cocktails and mocktails that could next sweep the café scene.

He sees coffee, tea, and cocktails as overlapping expressions of flavour and craft – built on a foundation of human connection – as opposed to being distinct categories.

“I think coffee and tea have always been a part of bartending,” he says. “We see that growing more and more through the creativity of some bartenders.

“This is what we share in common … we’re sharing the passion of barista coffee and tea, also through bartending.”

There aren’t many drinks that merge bartending and barista craft like the iconic Espresso Martini. A long-held mainstay of the late-night hospitality world, many cafés now offer the cocktail as part of an afternoon or evening menu.

Now, however, there are other options such as the Carajillo – combining espresso with Licor 43 and ice – which Tanguy says is gaining popularity.

“Coffee in drinks brings a bit of bitterness. There’s a great cocktail by Felix Woods called Black Caffe Frappe, which features cold brew coffee with a bit of amaro and malt mint as well. It’s a beautiful drink. It’s along the lines of an Espresso Martini, but it’s a bit more refreshing, a bit more developed, and way more interesting. I always recommend it to my guests as an alternative.”

It’s through processes like exploring flavour combinations – such as pairing the base of an Espresso Martini with mint, which is how Felix came up with the Black Caffe Frappe – that continues to push the boundaries of cocktails and signature drinks.

Tanguy is a fan of using jasmine tea in a range of his concoctions. He presented a range of mocktails and tea-based signature drinks at MICE2026.

“In bartending we’ve used tea for quite a long time … cold-brewed tea brings some tenacity, structure, and a bit of depth to a cold drink that doesn’t have to be a cocktail,” he says.

“It’s a great opportunity to develop drinks with a fruit juice, by adding some cold brew and sweet syrups, but you can carbonate it as well to make it a bit fizzy and transform it.

“One of the cocktails I like is a mocktail with apple-infused jasmine tea and a bit of lime cordial. It’s quite fresh and a bit tart – it’s splendid.”

The award-winning mixologist says curiosity must persist if people are to continue to push the boundaries with signature drinks.

“Don’t be scared to try, just jump in and try your own recipe … it’s not that complicated to make drinks,” he says.

“With social media now, there’s a lot of people who share ideas and content, so you can find recipes and try to recreate them differently.” 

This interview originally appeared in episode two of The BeanScene Podcast.

For more information, visit beanscenemag.com.au/podcasts