Ben Put's performance at the World Barista Championship 2025 was a tribute to the mentors and producers who have influenced his coffee journey. He used a blend of Gesha coffees from Bolivia and Panama, showcasing innovative processing techniques and a deep understanding of flavor chemistry. His presentation was notable for its metaphorical storytelling and creative beverage concepts.
Theme
The performance centered around the idea of mentorship and the small pieces of wisdom passed down from coffee professionals.
Highlights
- · Used ethylene gas to enhance coffee cherry ripeness, pushing sweetness to unprecedented levels.
- · Introduced the Ellipse process, a hybrid anaerobic-washed method, enhancing florality.
- · First-time use of Mariana Iturralde's natural anaerobic process, fermented for eight days, adding stone fruit notes.
- · Freeze-distilled coconut milk in the milk course, creating a new flavor experience at 10 degrees Celsius.
- · Electric stirrer at 8,000 RPM used to mix and incorporate frozen coconut milk, transforming the milk drink.
- · Incorporated aromatic terpenes, geraniol and nerol, emulsified with glycol, transforming floral notes to Earl Grey tea and rose.
- · Used slow and cold-pressed mango juice, filtered overnight, to transform stone fruit notes to peach in the signature drink.
Performance Breakdown
Espresso Course
Gesha
Gesha
Gesha
- Dose
- 18.5g in, 38g out
- Preparation
- Four tamps to eliminate channels
Flavor Descriptors
Tactile / Mouthfeel
Pause between second and third sip for sweetness
Milk Beverage Course
Gesha
- Milk
- Freeze-distilled coconut milk
- Dose
- 20g in, 35g out
- Milk Prep
- Frozen coconut milk stirred with electric stirrer
Flavor Descriptors
Tactile / Mouthfeel
Stirred with electric stirrer to incorporate coconut milk
Signature Beverage Course
Gesha
Gesha
Gesha
- Served
- Cold
- Concept
- Metaphor for mentorship and revealing hidden qualities
Ingredients & Layers
Aromatic terpenes
Mixed with glycol
Mango juice
Slow cold-pressed and filtered
Ice
Blended
Flavor Descriptors
Swirl before each sip, enjoy after time is called
Full Transcript
Hello. Before we get started, please close your eyes and picture someone who's had a profound positive influence on your life. Hold them tight in your mind. All right, judges, you can open your eyes, and we're going to play a little game. Please look at the images on your left. The person you're thinking about, are they more of a cat person or a dog person? Let's do another one. Look at the images on your right.
Transcripts are generated using dual-source audio processing and verified through our internal coffee terminology system. Performance data, brew parameters, and competitor details are cross-referenced against publicly available competition records. While we do our best to ensure accuracy, this is a community-driven archive and errors may exist. If something looks off, we'd genuinely appreciate the correction.
Performance data and transcripts are sourced from publicly available competition broadcasts and may contain inaccuracies. Spot an error? Reach out via Instagram or email.