Introduction:In 2022, World Barista Championship (WBC) champion Anthony Douglas claimed victory with his exceptional milk-based coffee and creative beverage techniques, particularly by using 80-hour anaerobic natural Geisha beans from El Diviso Estate in Colombia’s Huila region, paired with unique thickening and nitrogen infusion methods to craft a richly layered coffee experience. This article delves into each step of his competition routine — from bean selection and extraction parameters to creative processing techniques — including vacuum sous-vide syrup making, nitrogen charging, and powdered milk concentration methods. It also explores how these advanced techniques can inspire everyday coffee brewing, offering insight into specialty coffee’s innovative mindset through the lens of competition.
The 2022 World Barista Championship (World Barista Championship, WBC) concluded successfully amidst a blend of competition and creativity. Australian competitor Anthony Douglas secured the championship title with his outstanding milk-based coffee and highly experimental creative beverage techniques. This competition not only showcased the spotlight on 80-hour anaerobic natural Geisha beans from El Diviso Estate in Colombia’s Huila region but also cleverly applied a series of previously lab-only processing techniques — such as date syrup sous-vide cooking, nitrogen injection, magnetic stirring, and vacuum-dehydrated powdered milk technology — within the competitive arena.
For the creative coffee portion, Anthony first extracted three shots of espresso using this anaerobic natural Geisha. Two of the shots were combined with specially processed date syrup (made by simmering dates and water at a 1:1 ratio at 60°C for three hours under vacuum low-temperature sous-vide, followed by dehydration), dehydrated milk, and hibiscus tea. This mixture was then injected into a nitrogen canister for water bath heating. This process resulted in a coffee with a honey-like rich texture, while the nitrogen infusion enhanced the mouthfeel’s creaminess and smoothness.
The other shot of espresso was combined with lactic-acid fermented passion fruit liquid and honey produced by El Diviso Estate itself. A magnetic stirrer was used to evenly heat and mix the ingredients, aiming to intensify the drink’s natural sweetness and honey aroma. Notably, instead of using the frozen purified milk commonly opted for by other competitors, Anthony employed a milk vacuum dehydration technique, turning the same variety of milk into a highly concentrated “powdered milk.” He then mixed it with regular room-temperature milk at a 1:10 ratio, significantly boosting its sugar, fat, and protein content — thereby enhancing overall sweetness and milky flavor.
This homemade high-concentration powdered milk method offers greater flexibility compared to commercial powdered milk. Typically, about 3–4 grams of standard commercial powder is sufficient for a 300ml beverage, whereas Anthony’s homemade version requires around 30 grams per 300g of milk to achieve a similar concentration effect. The advantage here is that baristas can precisely adjust the milk’s concentration according to each batch of coffee’s extraction flavors, achieving a flavor balance strategy where “the milk adapts to the coffee” rather than forcing the coffee to suit the milk.
For the milk coffee espresso extraction, Anthony continued to use the anaerobic natural Geisha from the same estate, employing 22.5g of coffee grounds. After 28 seconds of extraction, he yielded 38g of espresso. Under these parameters, the flavor profile presented bold notes of blackberry, cherry, and red wine, along with a distinct juicy body and a long-lasting red wine tannin aftertaste. This slightly astringent nuance actually added layers and a sweet finish to the overall beverage. When paired with milk heated to 55°C, the final flavor transformed into a combination of red cherry, cream caramel, and chocolate mousse.
To further enhance flavor perception, Anthony placed an aromatic disk on top of the beverage just before serving, concentrating the coffee aroma. He recommended that drinkers begin enjoying the drink once it cooled down to 50°C, ensuring the optimal flavor experience. In the final assembly of the creative coffee, the ingredients that underwent water bath heating and nitrogen treatment were quickly cooled, then poured into the cup together with the magnetically stirred mixture. An aromatic disk was also placed on top, and judges were instructed by the competitor to taste following specific steps — usually taking three consecutive sips while the lid remained on, ensuring consistency between aroma and taste. This creative coffee ultimately delivered a complex flavor combination of plum, raisin, cranberry, and toffee.
In recent years, coffee preparation techniques in the WBC have become increasingly innovative and complex, extending from mere competition over bean varieties and brew water quality to the application of equipment and scientific processing methods. WBC chief judge Ben Bicknell once pointed out that although such competitions differ significantly from the everyday café experience, they provide an immensely inspiring platform for innovation within the industry. Many techniques and concepts introduced in competition often gradually trickle down into the daily practice of specialty cafés in the years to come.
The theme of Anthony’s competition routine revolved around “trust.” At the beginning, he posed a question to the judges: “When was the last time you had a coffee that matched exactly what the barista described?” This question highlighted the deep connection between baristas and customers. A coffee that accurately conveys the expected flavor represents the barista’s commitment to craftsmanship and respect for the customer. This trust relationship exists not only between customer and barista but also among the barista and every link in the supply chain — it is the core value that sustains and deepens specialty coffee culture.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
