Introduction:The exceptional techniques of the top six finalists in the 2015 World Brewers Cup (WBrC) remain a benchmark for the industry to this day. This competition not only tested the competitors’ skills but also showcased their deep understanding of coffee varieties, filter cones, water temperature, and extraction pacing. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the full brewing protocols from sixth to first place, including actual coffee-to-water ratios, bloom times, and unique flavor profiles, helping pour over enthusiasts master professional details and elevate their own brewing skills.
The 2015 World Brewers Cup (WBrC) has long concluded, but the outstanding performances of the top six remain classics in the hearts of many coffee lovers. This international competition not only required contestants to demonstrate superb brewing techniques but also to deliver professional service in front of judges. The preliminary rounds were divided into two segments: brewing with a designated coffee and brewing with a choice coffee. Participants had to prepare three cups of coffee on-site in front of three judges. After fierce competition, only six contestants advanced to the finals in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Each competitor demonstrated unique choices in coffee variety, filter cone pairing, water temperature control, and extraction pacing. From the Russian contestant’s natural Geisha to the Norwegian champion’s honey-processed beans and Bluetooth smart scale temperature control solution, all reflected a blend of professionalism and innovation. This article will introduce each contestant’s brewing method in order, starting from sixth place, including the actual coffee-to-water ratios used, bloom times, and key flavor descriptions, providing practical references and inspiration for pour over coffee enthusiasts.
Sixth place went to Russian contestant Ruslan Shulga, who used a natural Geisha from Finca Esmeralda grown at an altitude of over 1,700 meters. This bean is extremely sensitive to temperature changes during roasting, so Shulga experimented with over twenty different roast profiles before the competition to find the optimal flavor expression. During the competition, he used a V60 filter cone with a coffee-to-water ratio of 15 grams to 250 grams. The resulting coffee had bright acidity, with layered aromas of citrus, caramel, and vanilla. On the palate, it offered flavors of peach iced tea, citrus, and caramel, with a medium-high sweetness, citrus-leaning acidity, and even clearer acidity as the temperature dropped.
Fifth place went to Dutch contestant Rob Kerkhoff, whose innovative approach caught everyone’s attention. He used an anaerobically fermented bean from Costa Rica’s El Diamante Estate, a blend of Catuai and Caturra varieties, which developed a distinct cinnamon aroma after 20 hours of fermentation. Kerkhoff created his own combination of a French press and Chemex using filter paper by placing Chemex paper inside the French press filter basket for brewing. His parameters were 18 grams of coffee to 300 grams of water, a water temperature of 93°C, water quality of 120ppm with a pH of 7.1, and a 5-minute 30-second extraction achieved through constant stirring to pursue higher extraction uniformity. This cup of coffee had a mild acidity with hints of apple, and a lingering fresh cinnamon aroma. The mouthfeel was medium-light, and the total competition time was 9 minutes 40 seconds.
Fourth place went to American contestant Sarah Anderson, who used the Eugenioides variety from Colombia, known as “one of the origins of Arabica beans.” This bean boasts intense sweetness and delicate acidity but is rare in production (only about 200 pounds last year) and is grown in greenhouses, making it highly sensitive to environmental changes. Anderson collaborated with the Intelligentsia team in Los Angeles, conducting over 80 roasting tests and referencing data from Coffee Collective in Copenhagen to determine the optimal roast profile. During the competition, she used her self-created bird’s nest filter cone (the AltoAir brewing device) with a coffee-to-water ratio of 19 grams to 300 grams, keeping the total competition time under 8 minutes 30 seconds. She first bloomed the coffee in a glass for 1 minute 30 seconds before pouring it into the bird’s nest filter cone with paper. This special step impressed the judges. The coffee had aromas of butter, black tea, and cream, while the flavors included sugarcane sweetness, charred notes, melon sweetness, and ripe peach acidity—an unforgettable experience.
Third place went to Swiss contestant Benjamin Prager, who used sun-dried or washed beans from the southern side of Mount Kenya at an altitude of 1,800 meters. These beans, grown in volcanic ash-rich soil, delivered rich fruit flavors and a clean acidity. Prager used a Hario V60 filter cone, and the coffee grounds were double-filtered through 350-micron and 250-micron stainless steel sieves, using only 14 grams of the filtered grounds. The total water volume was 236 grams, with 30 grams used for blooming. He employed a one-time constant temperature descending pour method instead of traditional staged pouring, believing it enhanced the coffee’s silky mouthfeel. This coffee had floral, redcurrant, and blackcurrant aromas, with flavors of blueberry tea, blue grape, and blackcurrant on the palate. The total competition time was 10 minutes.
Second place went to Greek contestant Konstantinos Latridis, who used a micro-lot sun-dried Geisha from Panama, brewed with a Hario V60 filter cone at a coffee-to-water ratio of 15 grams to 250 grams. He began with a 30-second bloom using 96°C water, then completed the extraction with the remaining water. Latridis noted that the V60 filter cone is easy to control, and the filter paper delivers a crisper mouthfeel. This coffee featured flavors of berries, chocolate, and stone fruits, with layered aromas of magnolia, dark honey, and white tea. It was described as “like a washed sun-dried bean,” combining floral notes with juice-like sensations. The competition time was 9 minutes 32 seconds.
First place went to Norwegian contestant Odd-Steinar Tollefsen, who used a shaded-dried natural honey-processed bean from Ethiopia provided by 90+ and roasted it himself, producing only seven bags. This bean had an exceptionally delicate mouthfeel. During the competition, he used a Hario V60 filter cone with a coffee-to-water ratio of 20 grams to 300 grams, a water temperature of 92°C, a 45-second bloom, and a total extraction time of 3 minutes 30 seconds. He used natural mineral water from Norway’s west coast, which had low mineral content and a soft, smooth taste. Additionally, he connected an Acaia smart scale to his phone via Bluetooth to display real-time extraction data. This coffee had intense aromas of tropical fruits, apricot, mango, and passionfruit, with flavors of strawberry, passionfruit, and mango on the palate, a long-lasting aftertaste, and a total competition time within 10 minutes.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
