Western Australian Barista Academy, Western Australia

Gearing up for the Australian Barista Championship

If you’ve wandered past the WA Barista Academy in the late afternoon hours of late, you might have wondered at the noise drifting out the door. With the Australian Barista Championship little more than two months away, WABA head trainer Jeremy Hulsdunk, along with Mark Chandler and Jen Murray from Five Senses, are putting in long (and noisy!) hours of practice.

All three are seasoned competitors, so they know exactly what it takes to land a win. The next two months will see them perfecting their blends and roast profiles, practicing for countless hours on the Simonella and fine tuning their routines, trying to prevent any shaky hands when the big day arrives.

It’s not just the prestige of the title that the three are looking for. A win in any of the three championships means a trip to London in 2010 to represent Australia at the World Barista Championship, and the opportunity to mix it with the best baristas from all around the world.