The 2016 World Barista Championship only just ended, crowning Berg Wu of Taiwan as the world’s greatest barista, yet we’re already thinking of 2017.

Why? Because some competitors, even though they didn’t make the finals, showed so much potential that we’re sure they’ll ranking highly in the future. Here they are, in no particular order:

SEE ALSO: 5 Winning World Barista Championship Performances

1. David Coelho, Portugal

It’s only the second time that Portugal have entered the WBC, and last time David Coelho placed last. This time he placed 26th – an impressive step up. He represented D. Origen Coffee with a natural Castillo from Finca Laderas del Tapias in Colombia. As for his signature drink, it was a sophisticated presentation involving steam, black cherry reduction, and fruit.

2. Stefanos Paterakis, Greece

Last year, Greece came in 21st; this year, Stefanos Paterakis of Taf Coffee just missed out on entering the semi-finals. He used a Colombian cross-varietal of Typica and Bourbon that had been processed with lactic acid fermentation, and opted for a relatively long extraction. His signature drink featured syrup, grapes, and orange.

3. Eddy Pan, Thailand

It’s rare for a coffee-producing country to do well in the World Championships, but we were have high hopes for Eddie Pan of Sensory Lab Coffee Roasters. He placed 41st, with a score 363, and no doubt his remarkable presentation goes some way to explain that: he knowledgeably discussed how everything from the processing to the roasting and the milk to the cup type impacted the final profile. He used a fully washed Geisha from Panama and, interestingly, he froze it prior to grinding it. His signature drink included honeycomb and peach juice.

4. Leonardo Moço, Brazil

Leonardo Moço of Café de Moço proved that being from a coffee-producing country can add a unique twist to your presentation: he competed with a natural Brazilian coffee that he’d picked and processed himself. He brought coffee cherries and seeds in to give a demonstration to the judges, and his signature drink was an ode to the journey of the Brazilian coffee.

Danilo Lodi, the WBC-certified Head Judge of the first round, told us that “The 2016 World Barista Championship was one of the most exciting and innovative events yet. The introduction of live scores and teams competition made everything more dynamic and entertaining, and the baristas were on the top of their game, delivering high quality presentations with outstanding coffees.”

We couldn’t agree more – and we can’t wait to see what the baristas produce next year, too!

Danilo Lodi and Sasa Sestic prepare to “steal” the trophy! Credit: Danilo Lodi

Feature photo credit: Jake Olsen for World Coffee Events

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