Taiwanese barista shows off world-beating siphoning skills in Taichung

Taichung, Nov. 4 (CNA) Taiwanese barista Chang Wei-shin (張維欣) served up a coffee masterclass in Taichung Monday with a recreation of his 2024 World Siphonist Championship-winning brewing routine.

Representing Taiwanese coffee company Oklao International, Chang simultaneously brewed six siphons of specialty coffee to take home the gold at this year's world championships hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of Japan in Tokyo on Oct. 11.

On Monday, Chang recreated his award-winning process in front of local media at an Oklao store in Taichung where he detailed each step of his approach in English to making coffee with a siphon, a type of vacuum coffee brewer influenced by chemistry equipment.

As a lover of coffee, the 33-year-old Chang said he entered the coffee industry after graduating from university.

Although he worked as a clerk, he was encouraged by his company to enter domestic coffee-making competitions.

Representing Taiwan, Chang finished second at the 2018 World Siphonist Championships, and a national title last year saw him make a return to this year's championships.

Chang said that to prepare for the October competition, he began tirelessly practicing English speaking and coffee siphoning in May.

He said he even practiced for eight to nine hours a day in the month leading up to the world championships and also spent a week in Tokyo in the lead-up to the competition.

Making coffee with a siphon is fraught with unpredictability, Chang said, as baristas have to accurately and meticulously control water temperature and water flow, among other variables.

Chang said to better manage his siphoning process for the competition, he had worked with Taiwanese pottery craftsmen to develop ceramic special ceramic filters.

On his win, Chang said to have better taste, a siphonist should have a personal trademark so that judges may acknowledge the coffee maker.

He added that since he used a coffee blend he acquired from Panama in May, he presented his unique journey to capture the attention of his judges.