World Barista Championship - Looking Back to the Past

Tomorrow it’s happening. Tomorrow we’re going to be at full attention, eager to see how the first round of contestants perform. For any of us who’ve seen this competition unfold in the past, we might even speculate as to which contestant is really qualified to take the championship. Tomorrow is a new day, indeed.


What about today? Today is the 1st of the month, just another day, the quiet before the storm… Well, let’s stir things up a bit. Let’s use today as an opportunity to look back on previous World Barista Championship competitions.


It’s hard to believe that 11 short years ago, there were only 12 world competitors. The World Barista Championship was borne out of an enthusiasm by coffee pros out there who wanted to showcase their talent. Only two short years later, the total number of competitors doubled and the Scandinavian forces dominated the competition, taking the crown for the 3rd time in a row.


By 2003, over 20 million viewers could watch the competition on national television and Paul Bassett, of Australia, broke the Scandinavian streak. Over the next three years, Norway & Denmark once again dominated and took the titles. In 2007, Japan hosted the competition, marking the first time Asia played host to the championship.


In 2009, we played host to the championship, opening the doors to over 8,000 eager fans in Georgia. The 10-year anniversary for the World Barista Championship hosted interactive presentations and beverage sampling. Last year, the competition moved on to London, where American Michael Phillips took 1st prize and made us proud.


This year is especially significant in that it’s the first time the competition will take place in one of the largest coffee-producing nations in the world, Colombia. Not to mention that it’s clear the evolution of the competition has leapt forward and the caliber becomes ever more epic. So if you’re as thrilled as we are, tune in to our blog, we’ll be featuring daily doses of the competition as well as a link to view everything live.

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For the duration of the competition, we’d also like to give you $5 off the 2007 World’s Best Espresso. Click on the banner below and enjoy quality coffee from your home. Heck, I’ll drink to that…