Taiwanese barista Chang Wei-shin (張維欣) yesterday shared his secrets to winning this year’s World Siphonist Championship (WSC) in Tokyo, five years after finishing in second place in the 2018 edition of the competition.
The WSC is an annual competition on who can brew the best siphon coffee, hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of Japan.
In the competition that took place last month, contestants brewed three cups of blended siphon coffee and three original signature beverages in 15 minutes.
Photo: Ou Su-mei, Taipei Times
Time pressure, as well as high temperatures, can combine to make coffee taste bitter and provide a significant challenge in the competition, Chang told a news conference in Taichung.
In preparation for this year’s WSC, he said he took a two-week trip to Panama where he visited the Flying Pumas estate, a specialty coffee farm that calls itself a “sanctuary.”
Chang said he used coffee from the estate in the portion of the contest for original coffee blends, seeking to introduce to the judges its unique flavor and scent.
To control the water temperature, its flow rate and other factors, he worked with a Taiwanese ceramic artist to design a custom coffee filter that lowered the water temperature as well as allow for further circulation, Chang said, adding that he used a computer-controlled roaster, which allowed him to fine-tune adjustments to the roasting process.
Both these factors allow for better extraction, improved the coffee’s flavor and brought forth a fruity aroma, he said.
In the creative coffee segment, Chang created a coffee cherry tea infusion with sweet syrup, chickpea water and fermented coffee cherry husks.
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