Ethan Miller

Dubai International Coffee Championship announces US$40,000 prize

A top prize of US$40,000 (about $56,000) has been announced for the Dubai International Coffee Championship. The runner-up will receive a prize of US$5000. The competition will take place at the Dubai International Coffee and Tea Festival from 5 to 7 December. The Dubai International Coffee Championship is one consolidated event to test its competitors across aspects of coffee making incorporating barista, latte art and brewing skills. 
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New Zealand Barista Championship

NZSCA to hold array of events and educational courses

The New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association (NZSCA) has announced a range of educational courses and events to be carried out from October 2018 to February 2019. On 18 October, the New Zealand Specialty Coffee Guild (NZSCG) and 2017 Brewers Cup Finalist Sarah Stephen will Coffee Extraction Wellington, an interactive evening where the basic principles of coffee extraction will be explained. On 25 October, the NZSCG and Toasted Espresso hill host Water and Coffee Auckland, an education-focused event that explores how the makeup of our brewing water effects coffee extraction and flavour.
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Ona Coffee appoints Tom Beaumont as General Manager

Ona Coffee has appointed Tom Beaumont as its new General Manager. “I have long admired Sasa Sestic and Ona Coffee’s commitment to community and innovation,” Tom says. “I look forward to joining Ona’s talented team on its coffee journey.”  
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ASCA Western Regionals to be held at Double Shot Coffee Fiesta

The City of Unley in South Australia has announced it will hold its annual Double Shot Coffee Fiesta at the Soldiers Memorial Gardens on 4 November. “The City of Unley is endorsing South Australia nationally as a coffee destination and breeding ground for new talent,” Acting Unley Mayor Peter Hughes says. “The newfound appreciation for quality coffee has been made more accessible thanks to Double Shot’s connections with industry favourites.” The festival will include the Australian Specialty Coffee Association 2019 Western Region Coffee Championships, held in the Unley Town Hall, for the third year.
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Jack Simpson of Axil Coffee Roasters wins ASCA Southern Region Barista Championship

Jack Simpson of Axil Coffee Roasters has won the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) Southern Region Barista Championship, held at Criteria Coffee in Victoria from 13 to 14 October. I was not expecting to win,” Jack says. “I spilled an espresso and had to remake a handle. “I wasn’t sure how that was going to go. Obviously, I’m glad I remade it.”
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Zhao Ting Wu of Cote Terra wins ASCA Southern Region Latte Art Championship

Zhao Ting Wu of Cote Terra Coffee in Oakleigh, Melbourne, has won the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) Southern Region Latte Art Championship, held at Criteria Coffee in Victoria from 13 to 14 October. “This has been a very long journey,” Ting Wu says. “It feels good to finally achieve what I wanted.” Aum Phithakphon of Hardware Société placed second and Victor Vu of Veneziano Coffee placed third.
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Ona Coffee releases WBC-winning CM Selections Tasting Flight

Ona Coffee has released the CM Selections Tasting Flight, which includes several coffees used at the 2018 World Barista Championship (WBC). The tasting flight is made up of three 200-gram bags of coffee from the CM Selections series, each roasted to suit a different preparation method. The series, sourced from Project Origin, takes its name from carbonic maceration, the process used to create each coffee’s flavour profile. This method uses controlled fermentation to develop the flavour profiles of each coffee.
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Anna Polyviou: the princess of pastry

Anna Polyviou is a chef with artistic flair, edgy look, and carefree attitude. With her trademark pink mohawk hair and zest for life, it’s little wonder that the ‘Punk Princess of Pastry’ captivates audiences on TV screens and on paper.  Anna’s the first to admit she likes pushing the limits, both in her food creations and daily routine. Recently, she decided to go on a month-long national tour to launch her new Sweet Street cook book, travelling from Perth to Melbourne, Sydney to Canberra, and Darwin to Brisbane, cooking with young kids and signing books for anyone who asked.  “I can’t wait for people to go buy the book from the shops but I also wanted to take the opportunity to personalise the experience for my supporters,” Anna says. “I wanted the chance to meet people, talk about the book, why it’s designed, and what it involves, because it’s not just an average book. It’s been four to five years in the making.”
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Puretec’s Balance+ series

The role of water when creating coffee is to extract flavour compounds from the bean. Ideally, brewing coffee collects appetising compounds and leaves behind the unpleasant ones. Calcium, magnesium, and carbonate play an important role in enhancing and muting flavours derived from coffee grounds. 
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