Over 29,400 visitors decended on The Old Truman Brewery this year (12,310 trade and 17,154 consumer), where they cheered Rob and the other incredible baristas on in a series of head-to-head challenges across the four day competition. In total, 16 baristas from around the world took to the stage where they were tasked with showcasing their skills, creativity and knowledge. Rob dazzled judges over the eight key disciplines, which included; The Cupping, The Brewing, The Latte Art, The Order, The Signature Drink, The Espresso Blend, The Origin and The Mystery Round.
Rob has competed in the Coffee Masters four times, making it to the final last year when Agnieszka Rojewska pipped him to the post. This year he wowed judges across all eight disciplines, including his signature drink - a milk-clarified coffee with Bobby’s Dry gin and a lemon zest twist; which scored a perfect 30/30 in the final. What's more, this year the competition was closer than ever, with the UK’s Jimmy Dimitrov from Clifton Coffee placing second.
The judging panel was made up of nine top industry experts, including, Agnieszka, the 2018 Coffee Masters Champion. It was headed up by Anne Lunell, a Swedish Barista and Brewers champion, and the visionary behind Koppi.
Speaking about his triumph, Rob said: “This was my fourth time entering the Coffee Masters, so to win feels absolutely incredible. Each year it’s a really fun process and I’ve always had a fantastic time taking part, but making it to the final takes a lot of hard work – there are a lot of brilliant baristas out there!”
A big thanks to all our sponsors: @faema_official @theroastingpartyuk @brita.uk @alpro @allanreederltd @mahlkonig_uk @hariouk @isiculinary @marcobeveragesystems @loveramics