Melbourne barista crowned world champion

Melbourne barista Anthony Douglas of Axil Coffee Roasters has been crowned the world’s best barista, taking first place at the World Barista Championship (WBC).

Anthony is the first Australian to take out first place in seven years.

“I feel incredibly proud to be named this year’s world champion and am honoured to represent Australia, and more specifically Melbourne, on the world stage. I couldn’t have done it without the unwavering support and commitment of the team at Axil who have been by my side inspiring me for the past 9 years,” says Anthony.

Competing against 47 world-class competitors from around the globe, Anthony prepared four espressos, four milk drinks, and four original signature drinks to a panel of judges from around the world, using coffee from El Diviso, Colombia.

Baristas were judged on taste, technical skills, and presentation with the top 16 proceeding to the second round and the top six making it to the finals.

Over three rounds, Anthony delivered a routine that focused on four key elements: the choice of coffee and processing, roast and profile, distribution methods and the milk.

For his signature drink, Anthony paired ingredients and techniques to elevate the coffee, including a Colombia honey for complex sweetness, a lacto-fermented passionfruit to elevate the fruit notes, hibiscus cold brew tea to add complexity to the red wine tannins and a ‘cryodesiccated’ date syrup to increase texture and intensity in the drink.

“Working in the coffee industry for the past 12 years has taught me that making great coffee is all about consistency and pushing the boundaries of what has been done before. I’m ecstatic that I could show that to the judges and that I got to be surrounded by others as passionate about coffee as I am,” Anthony says.

According to Axil Coffee Roasters, Anthony’s win firmly cements Australia’s spot on the global coffee stage.

For more information, visit www.axilcoffee.com.au