Jack Simpson takes 2nd Place in 2024 WBC

Jack Simpson; 2X Australian Barista Champion, representing Axil Coffee, has come second place in the 2024 World Barista Championships that took place from the 1st-4th May in Busan, Korea.   

Jack takes second place after being placed third in the 2023 World Barista Championships and missing out on the winning title by just one point, with Mikael Jasin of Indonesia taking the crown for this year. 

“Personally, I’ve poured my heart and soul into this routine over the last six months. Falling short by one point stings, but that is competition. I’m so grateful to have the honour to represent Australia on the world stage, not just once but twice. I hope I did justice to the community that has inspired me so much,” - Jack Simpson. 

Jack centred his 3-part routine around growth, betterment, and improvement as opposed to perfectionism. 

"I'm super grateful to have represented Australia two years in a row. I set out to be better than last year, and I think I did." said Jack. 

For his espresso course, Jack showcased a nitrogen macerated geisha coffee, produced by Jamison Savage of Finca Deborah in Volcan, Panama. 

His milk-based course featured Jhonatan Gasca; a Pacamara varietal from Finca Zarza in Huila, Colombia which was paired with a unique combination of cryo-desiccated coconut milk and Riverina Fresh milk for a sweet, dessert-like taste. 

Lastly, for his signature drink, Jack combined the Geisha and Pacamara coffees, which entailed transforming a peach juice into honey using a rotary evaporator for a truly unique flavour profile. This evaporator allowed Jack to collect the hydrosol; water that is usually eliminated when using a regular distillation method. 

To close, Jack told his judges that as he embarks on this journey of improvement in coffee, that it is not about the final destination, but the journey itself. 

We couldn’t be more proud of Jack; the countless hours of practice, dedication and pure passion for the art of coffee. There’s no doubt that Jack's routine has made waves in the specialty coffee industry already and he will continue to make his mark in the coffee world. This is just the beginning. Go Jack, Go Australia, Go Team!