Ben Put, Canada | 2025 World Barista Championship: Finals

Summary

In this inspiring presentation, the speaker reflects on the profound influence of mentors and industry legends in shaping their coffee journey. Through a series of metaphorical drinks, each crafted from the wisdom shared by notable coffee producers like Mariana Italdi, Wilfred Lamastasis, and Jameson Savage, the speaker showcases how small pieces of knowledge from mentors can transform lives. The coffee courses, ranging from an espresso to a signature drink, highlight scientific innovations and thoughtful processes, blending flavors and techniques to create an unforgettable experience that honors mentorship and the exchange of wisdom in the coffee world.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker begins by asking the judges to reflect on someone who had a positive influence on their life, setting the stage for a metaphorical connection to coffee.
• 😀 The thought experiment emphasizes how knowing someone deeply means carrying small pieces of them within us, just like how we learn from mentors in the coffee industry.
• 😀 The speaker highlights the influence of three coffee producers—Mariana Italdi, Wilfred Lamastasis, and Jameson Savage—whose coffees are blended together for the espresso course.
• 😀 The coffee blend features high-altitude Geisha variety coffee (over 1900 meters) with a focus on clarity, terroir preservation, and innovative processing methods.
• 😀 Each producer’s coffee is showcased with unique processing techniques: Wilfred’s use of ethylene gas to enhance sweetness, Jameson’s Ellipse hybrid process, and Mariana’s first-ever natural anaerobic process.
• 😀 The espresso course features tasting notes of pineapple, plum, orange, orange blossom, dark brown sugar, and a medium, velvety body.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning from industry legends and how their wisdom has influenced the speaker’s own journey in coffee.
• 😀 The milk course features a new method of using freeze-distilled coconut milk, with the drink being stirred at 8,000 RPM to create a unique flavor transformation when combined with milk.
• 😀 The milk drink, once stirred, reveals flavors of chocolate milk, caramel, freshly mixed milkshake, and strawberry ice cream.
• 😀 The signature drink is a metaphor for the growth and transformation nurtured by mentors, using a blend of espresso, aromatic turppins, and mango juice to represent different qualities and flavors.
• 😀 The speaker encourages the judges to continue sharing knowledge, with the hope that future generations will carry forward their expertise, eventually returning as mentors themselves.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's presentation?

The main theme is the profound influence mentors and producers have had on the speaker’s journey in the coffee industry, as well as the importance of knowledge sharing and the small pieces of wisdom passed down through generations of coffee professionals.

Who are the three individuals the speaker mentions as key influences?

The three individuals are Mariana Italdi from Yanukachi, Bolivia; Wilfred Lamastasis from Bokeete, Panama; and Jameson Savage from Volcan, Panama.

What unique experimental technique was used by Wilfred Lamastasis in his coffee production?

Wilfred Lamastasis experimented with ethylene gas, which is naturally responsible for fruit ripening, to accelerate the ripening process of geisha coffee cherries, resulting in heightened sweetness in the coffee.

How does the speaker describe the impact of their mentors on their personal growth?

The speaker reflects on how their mentors saw qualities and abilities in them that they didn’t know they possessed, nurturing their growth and transforming them into the coffee professional they are today. This growth is likened to the transformation of coffee through various processes.

What is the significance of the espresso recipe shared in the presentation?

The espresso recipe, which includes a blend of all three producers’ coffees, serves as a metaphor for the collaborative wisdom shared by the mentors. It represents the blending of different influences and processes, creating a balanced and nuanced coffee experience.

What are the notable flavor notes in the espresso served to the judges?

The espresso features notes of pineapple, plum, orange, orange blossom, and dark brown sugar, with a medium body and a round, velvety finish.

What is the main concept behind the speaker’s milk course?

The milk course is designed to showcase how temperature changes can alter the flavor profile of milk-based drinks. The speaker incorporates freeze-distilled coconut milk and stirs it with an electric stirrer to create a new milk drink that reveals different flavors.

How does the milk course enhance the overall flavor experience?

The milk course begins with a dark cherry and Bailey’s Irish Cream flavor. After the coconut milk is stirred into the drink and the temperature drops, new flavors such as chocolate milk, caramel, and strawberry ice cream emerge, providing a dynamic, evolving taste experience.

What is the symbolic meaning of the signature drink prepared by the speaker?

The signature drink is a metaphor for personal growth, mentorship, and transformation. Each ingredient represents a small piece of wisdom or influence, coming together to reveal something greater. It symbolizes how mentors and producers help individuals uncover hidden qualities within themselves.

What scientific knowledge did the speaker gain from Professor Christopher Henden?

Professor Christopher Henden, a chemistry professor, taught the speaker about the science of coffee, specifically the chemistry behind flavor compounds and how they change with temperature. This knowledge helped the speaker innovate in their coffee preparation, particularly in the milk course.