Fresh from the 2026 World Brewers Cup in Brussels, Ben breaks down the coffees, brewers and techniques used by the competition’s top six finalists.

We look at how World Champion Nas Jaafar, Australia’s Simon Gautherin and the rest of the finalists approached their routines, from the rise of hybrid brewers and fast-flow filter papers to shorter ratios, lower temperatures and coarser grind sizes.

Plus, we unpack Bavis Kwong’s wild “sandwich extraction”, Simon’s two-coffee brewing method, the continued dominance of Panama Geisha and whether these competition techniques can actually improve the coffee you brew at home!

Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on-the-fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered café reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gatekept coffee secrets.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Back From Brussels
02:04 The Top Six Brewers
06:24 Is Brewers Cup More Accessible?
09:38 Hybrid Brewers Take Over
11:05 Modern Filter Coffee
13:53 Is Percolation Dead?
14:42 Fast Filter Papers
15:03 Panama Geisha Dominates
18:25 Natural vs Washed Coffee
21:48 The Sandwich Extraction
24:43 Simon’s Two-Coffee Brew
26:10 What Home Brewers Can Use
28:20 Are These the World’s Best Coffees?
30:13 The Future of Pour-Over

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Condesa Co.Lab:
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Riverina Fresh:
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Ultra-light roasting might have pushed coffee forward, but has it now become more about flexing than flavour?

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Tasting espresso is one of the most important skills in coffee, but it is also one of the least clearly taught.

In this episode, we break down how espresso is evaluated using the World Barista Championship sensory framework.

Ben Bicknell, World Barista Championship judge and Q Grader Instructor, explains how to assess sweetness, acidity, bitterness, flavour, body, texture, finish and balance, while separating personal preference from actual quality.

Then we put the framework into practice by tasting four very different coffees and scoring them in real time.

A practical episode for baristas, roasters, competitors, café owners and coffee drinkers who want to taste espresso with more structure, clarity and confidence.

Because “I like it” is a preference. Knowing why it works is a skill.

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Learning How To Taste Espresso

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Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

 Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

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What does it take to become the second-best brewer in the world?

Fresh from the World Brewers Cup stage in Brussels, Australian Brewers Cup Champion Simon Gautherin joins us alongside coach Carlos Escobar to unpack the routine, strategy and tiny details behind their world runner-up finish.

Simon and Carlos take us inside one of coffee’s most technical competitions: the compulsory round that can decide a championship, the enormous logistics behind bringing coffee and equipment across continents, and the clarity-focused routine that earned them perfect tasting note accuracy from every judge.

If you’re new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It’s Just Coffee!

CHAPTERS

00:00 World Brewers Cup

Find Simon here:@simon_gautherin

APAX LAB:

@apaxlab

https://apaxlab.com/

Find Carlos here:

@carlos.esco.bar

Differente Coffee:

@differentecoffee

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To crema or not to crema, that is the question. We run a taste-test to reveal the impact crema has on espresso’s taste, and you might be surprised by the results! Plus we explore tools designed to extract a ‘naked espresso’, like the crema separator and Squeaky’s ‘Esplorer Cup’. 

00:00 Should We Remove Crema?

01:25 The History of Crema

05:48 Stirring vs Removing Crema

08:31 Coffee Market Report

11:15 Taste Test: Does Removing Crema Improve Espresso?

16:13 The Verdict & Final Thoughts

Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.

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IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236

Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by -  

Eco Barista: https://www.ecobarista.com.au/  

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ 

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This week we're joined by World Barista Champion Raul Rodas for a conversation about what actually makes great coffee! We chat about dialling in espresso, building your palate, why better equipment doesn't always mean better coffee, and the realities of coffee production today. Join us for a practical, thoughtful conversation packed with insights for baristas, coffee professionals, and anyone who wants to better understand what's in their cup.

00:00 Are We in the Golden Age of Coffee?

01:24 Meet Raul Rodas

02:13 How a World Champion Drinks Coffee

05:26 Winning the World Barista Championship

07:59 Lessons From a Career in Coffee

10:32 Why Isn't Espresso Better?

16:23 How to Dial In Coffee Better

23:06 Sponsor Break

24:08 Espresso Recipes & Brew Temperature

26:23 Building Better Sensory Skills

34:09 The Reality of Coffee Production

46:35 The Future of Coffee Careers

49:15 Promoting Coffee Origins

If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It's Just Coffee!

Find Raul Here: https://www.instagram.com/raulitobarista/

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Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

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Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ 

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Specialty coffee has a new title …  Master of Specialty Coffee.

The SCA has just announced a new accreditation for people at the very pointy end of the industry. To even apply, you need every SCA Skills Diploma, a Q Grader certification, years of experience, professional recommendations… and that is only the front door.

So what is it actually trying to do?

Why is coffee chasing its own Masters of Wine moment? Is this certification genuinely intended to elevate the industry without creating barriers to entry?

also get into the bigger question: who gets to become a recognised voice for specialty coffee, and does this create a better pathway for coffee professionals, or just another very expensive title?

Plus, Condesa Co.Lab joins us with the weekly green coffee market report.

Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.

CHAPTERS 00:00 New Master of Specialty Coffee 01:18 Who can apply? 03:14 Does Ben want the title? 04:44 The exams explained 07:22 What do Masters actually do? 09:25 Is it accessible for producing countries? 11:32 Where is the barista career pathway? 14:21 Condesa Co.Lab Market Report 16:30 Final thoughts on coffee’s new top title

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Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

 Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

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With the 2026 World Brewers Cup just around the corner, we wanted to ask: What should we (the non-competitors and regular coffee people) be paying attention to… and how can the competition inform our own coffee and business practices?

Here to help answer these questions is multiple-time Singapore Brewers Cup Champion and two-time World Brewers Cup finalist, Elysia Tan! Along with her extensive competition insight, Elysia shares practical (and golden!) tips for improving brewing, such as using different filter papers to adjust mouthfeel and sweetness.                                   

Tune in to discover just how magical the world of coffee brewing can be! 

CHAPTERS!

00:00 Why Brewers Cup Matters

If you're new here (welcome), our show dives into some of the best coffee conversations on the internet, but we will always remind ourselves at the end of the day - It's Just Coffee!

Find Elysia here: https://www.instagram.com/elysiaholmes/ 

World Coffee Championships: https://www.instagram.com/worldcoffeechampionships/ 

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Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

 Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

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3 viral coffee recipes, 1 esteemed WBC Judge. Ben Bicknell put his well-honed sensory skills to the test, judging the “fridge cigarette", “Limoncello espresso”, and “espresso bomb”. 

How do these drinks stack up against the palette of a guy who judges coffee for a living? Which trends are pointing to a genuine demand in the industry, and which are full of air? Tune in to find out!

Coffee Break is your weekly inside scoop into the coffee community. Everything from on the fly 

barista tips, honest and unfiltered cafe reviews (eek), hospitality stories and gate kept coffee secrets.

Want more coffee content? 

IT'S JUST COFFEE: https://linktr.ee/itsjustcoffeepod?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=4e8cead0-6644-4c4a-b419-28c825b1b236

Want to get in touch? Hit us up at [email protected] for any questions or comments.

Proudly sponsored by:

Marco Beverage Systems: https://www.instagram.com/marcobeveragesystems/ 

Apax Lab: https://apaxlab.com/ Condesa Co.Lab: https://condesacolab.com.au/ 

 Riverina Fresh: https://www.riverinafresh.com.au/

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Coffee people love science … but only when it agrees with them.

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