Axil Coffee Roasters’ Anthony Douglas crowned as the best barista in Australia.
Having already taken out top position at the Southern Region Barista Championship 2022 and crowned as Victoria’s best barista, Melbourne barista and coffee training manager Anthony Douglas from Axil Coffee Roasters has been crowned the National Barista Champion at the ASCA National Coffee Championships.
Officially taking on the title of best barista in the country, Anthony will now go on to represent Australia at the World Barista Championship in September, reminding the world that Melbourne is indeed one of the foremost destinations for defining cafes, coffee-producing global barista champions and award-winning roasts.
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The name Anthony Douglas and specialty coffee go hand in hand. He is well renowned in the coffee industry and has achieved numerous awards throughout his career as a barista, including winner of the most recent 2020 Southern Region Barista Championship and runner-up in the 2020 Australian Barista Championship.
After 12 years in the coffee industry, Anthony reflected on this achievement: “This award is a testament to the support and encouragement I’ve received during my nine years at Axil. Our boss Dave Makin is a two-time Australian champion, and he has been my biggest mentor. I’m really proud to be representing Australia and Axil Coffee Roasters at the World Barista Championship.”
Anthony spent months developing his routine for the championships and was judged on taste, technical skill and presentation. His routine consisted of three courses; an espresso, a milk-based coffee and a coffee-based signature drink comprised of a pomegranate and feijoa syrup, juniper reduction, barhee dates and honey sourced direct from the coffee farm.
“Looking back and remembering my first year in the industry, I was very excited about the competition side of coffee – I found it such a fascinating concept. This year, I really wanted to revisit that fascination with coffee and its ability to create a sensory experience and a genuine connection between the barista and the coffee drinker; I wanted to create an exceptional experience worth remembering.”
The boundary-pushing combination, along with Anthony’s determination and proven ability to be both technical and innovative, has led him to be crowned best barista in Australia.
For the first time since 2013, the prestigious World Barista Championship will be hosted by the Melbourne International Coffee Expo from 27th-30th September at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center.
It’s been seven years since an Australian has won, and Anthony has his eye on the crown.
Find out more about Axil Coffee Roasters here.
