"Welcome to Five Senses Coffee"

Jennifer Murray, manager of the 5 Senses Coffee training school, the Western Australian Barista Academy, today took out the 2008 Western Australian Barista Championship held at the Perth Town Hall.

The event took place over the weekend of 15-16 March with a total of 18 competitors competing for the coveted award. 5 Senses was well represented at the event with seven out of the top ten competitors using their own 5 Senses custom blends, including the first, second, third and fourth placed competitors.

Jennifer scored an astounding 189.1 points which is the highest score by any Western Australian competitor since its’ inception, including the national finals. She took home a $1000 cash prize, a Compak grinder and an all-expenses paid trip to the 2008 Australian Barista Championship Final that will be held in Melbourne on 3-4 May.

Second place in the competition was experienced competitor, Vanessa Moore from Epic Espresso, with possibly the most precise display of timing ever seen in a barista competition. After going over time in the 2007 event, Vanessa Moore was determined to get her timing right and stopped her 15 minute routine at precisely 14 minutes and 59.3 seconds. Vanessa’s performance was extremely polished and should give her a massive amount of confidence for the open round on 2 May where she has a chance to gain a wildcard entry into the 2008 Australian Barista Finals beginning the following day.

Once again there were two giant screens with live feed showcasing the action for the entire weekend. One provided super close-ups of each espresso shot, milk pour and signature drink concoction, the other gave everyone in the heritage building a front row view.

With the largest number of competitors on the circuit so far and 14 of them first timers, Western Australia produced a blockbuster event with the Barista Competition separated by a Cupping Competition and an informal and very vocal latte art smackdown. The latte art smackdown was bombarded by vocal Epic Espresso competitors who gave the comp the boisterous atmosphere that was needed to raise the pressure for the competitors. The comp was eventually won by Epic’s Vanessa Moore with Dale Fewson from Café 54 the runner-up.

“After a disappointing number of entrants in the official 2008 Latte Art Competition, we had to cancel it, however after the response from the informal smackdown, we thought we’d re-open the nominations and run the official competition away from the pressure of the Barista Comp in the coming weeks,” said organiser Ben Bicknell.

The cupping competition demonstrated some brilliant sensory abilities with Catherine Ferrari coming first, followed by Matt O’Donohue and Michael Fewson from Cafe 54 third.

Top Ten Results
1st: JENNIFER MURRAY [Five Senses Coffee/Western Australian Barista Academy] – 189.1 points
2nd: VANESSA MOORE [Epic Espresso] – 175.9 points
3rd: MIMMA BATTISTA [Gloria Jeans Head Trainer using Five Senses Coffee] – 158.1 points
4th: TRACEY RUPE [Mooba] – 156.4 points
5th: JACKSON DUXBURY [Tiger Tiger] – 153.1 points
6th: RYAN CLARKE [Epic Espresso] – 151.1 points
7th: KAYA MCCARTHY [Fix Espresso] – 150.5 points
8th: ALEXIA MITCHELL [Lemon Station] – 147.9 points
9th: LAURENCE GREENFIELD [Lemon Station] – 145.0 points
10th: BRIONY McNALLY [Pronto Café] – 139.0 points

© Photo provided with permission by David Bicknell. All rights reserved by photographer.