Let the Beverage Battle begin!

On Thursday, 17th October, BaxterStorey made history!

Our very first Beverage Battle—an exhilarating, head-to-head competition manifested by our brilliant Beverage Academy leaders, Jana Slamova and Chloe Walsh—took place at the iconic Extract Coffee Roasters in London.

Armed with their stirrers, shakers, and signature flair, 13 finalists battled through four exciting rounds that tested their senses, creativity, and passion for all things beverage. The energy was electric, and every competitor brought their A-game, showcasing their individuality. Catch the highlights on our YouTube channel.

Head of Coffee Jana Slamova said. “I’m so excited to try all the different creations that our competitors make today. This is the start of a beverage revolution and I cannot wait to see what our baristas bring to the table, and how they embed morning, noon and night into their crafted drinks!”

The day kicked off with the Coffee Triangulation round, where competitors were challenged to spot the odd brew out in a trio of coffees. For those who live and breathe coffee daily, this really put their palettes to the test!

Next up was the Aroma Round, a whirlwind of smells where contestants had to sniff out elusive scents hidden within Le Nez du Café—an aromatic challenge that sharpened their sensory skills.

The Taste, Taste, Taste challenge brought a flavour frenzy, as competitors sampled a series of jellies packed with bold and subtle flavours, identifying each one from an extensive list. This was no easy feat, as competitors had to really concentrate to identify these flavours.

The main event was the Beverage Bar Round—the true showcase of innovation, skill, and spectacle. Each competitor crafted two signature cocktails designed to wow the judges. But it wasn’t just about flair and flavour—they had to embody our 5 C’s: Carbon, Craft, Creativity, Community, and Cheer. From matcha-infused coffee fusions to themed seasonal concoctions—no creation was off the table!

Every competitor delivered unique, inventive, and theatrical drinks that left both the crowd and judges in awe and sipping for more. It was heartwarming to see these bold baristas and beyond, along with many others from our BaxterStorey family, travel from all over the globe to participate in this epic event, and the support was nothing short of spectacular. The room buzzed with excitement and support from start to finish!

Director of Food, Greg Bramwell said, “This is a landmark moment for the Beverage Academy. The art of the beverage is now more than just coffee and this competition really highlights just how important the role of a barista is in our business.”

And now, for the winners of the first-ever Beverage Battle…

A triumphant third place went to Louie Pang from Compton Coffeehouse, whose coffee and tea fusion and gin, tonic, and matcha cocktail delighted judges. Megan Joyce, a graphic designer from our HQ and a novice barista, claimed second place with her autumn-inspired pumpkin-spiced espresso martini and a colour-changing elderflower breeze. Her innovative use of pea-flower and seasonal ingredients brought a nutritious twist to her cocktail game, proving you can still count your 30 plants a week while still having a little fun!

But the Beverage Battle crown went to Isaac Raz, a barista from The Guardian. His creative concoctions wowed the judges, including a vegan iced matcha latte topped with caramel autumn leaves, and a fusion drink of iced Americano and cheezo tea inspired by amaretto, finished with a toasted almond, honey, and olive oil cheezo foam. A victorious Isaac said, “It felt amazing to be announced the winner, it was such a fun day and I met so many amazing people, so I wouldn’t have been disappointed if I hadn’t placed, but to win on top of that was so incredible! I want to congratulate all the finalists, everyone did a brilliant job!”

As if the day couldn’t get better, it all ended with a caffeine-fuelled Latte Art smackdown! Contestants spun the wheel of pours, to determine the fate of what they’d be creating in the mugs, pouring intricate designs—swans, hearts, tulips, and even attempting to master wrong-hand pours!

The day wrapped up on an immense high, with victory, laughter, and plenty of cheers.

Another massive congratulations to all our finalists, and of course our winners! Here’s to the first of many Beverage Battles!

Be sure to catch all the action of our teams on our social channels.