Nine Finalists. Three Rounds. One Beverage Battle Champion.

What do you get when you mix coffee, cocktails, creativity and some healthy competition? 

Held at Extract HQ in London, this year’s Beverage Battle saw nine talented finalists compete for the chance to be crowned the 2026 Champion. 

Three rounds. One winner. 

To secure a spot on the podium, competitors needed to bring their A-game across three rounds, demonstrating technical expertise and sensory skills,  to creative flair. Each challenge tested precision, showcased their craft, and created beautiful beverages that told a story and delighted the taste buds.

The competition included: 
 
Brew Bar Round: Competitors had 10 minutes to showcase their filter coffee brewing skills using a gravity brew method, presenting both their coffee and a completed tasting sheet for evaluation by the judges.

Aroma Round: Sensory skills took centre stage as competitors identified six coffee aromas from Le Nez du Café, earning points for each correct answer and showing their depth of flavour knowledge.

Signature Beverage Round: Competitors had 10 minutes to create and present two original beverages each, combining creativity, coffee expertise, flavour pairing and thoughtful storytelling. Judged on taste, presentation and service, this round challenged them to make a lasting impression through both craft and creativity.

In the final showdown, competitors created their individual signature beverages in just 10 minutes. Inspired by morning, noon and night, drink creations included ‘Trick or Treat’, a Polish mead with homemade forest fruit liqueur and pickled beetroot martini, to ‘The Apple of my Eye’ with spiced soy milk and hand-picked apple compote, and everything in between. 

The standard keeps getting higher 

Judges were blown away by the level of talent on show. 

Head of coffee development Jana Slamova said: “Maggie was exceptional throughout the competition and rounds. Her drinks were imaginative, with thoughtful flavour pairings that tasted fantastic. What made them even more memorable was the story behind each one, drawing inspiration from different aspects of her life.”

Meet this year’s winners

After an incredibly close competition, the judges selected three standout winners: 

First place: Maggie Pui Lam Pak, barista at Anglo American

Maggie impressed the judges with two creative drinks inspired by her heritage and memories of home.

Her signature coffee, Golden Roots, combined Finca San José espresso and whole milk with homemade banana peel and cardamom syrup, finished with black sesame foam. She also created Bloom, a refreshing blend of homemade quince syrup, Alishan milk oolong tea, lemon juice, saline solution, aquafaba and soda water.

Both drinks were deeply personal to Maggie, bringing together flavours from her childhood and allowing her to share a little piece of home with others.

Speaking about being crowned champion, Maggie said: “I can’t believe I’ve won! I created these drinks with my younger self in mind. I often visited dessert shops with my family, and one of my favourite desserts was black sesame soup. It has such a rich, nutty flavour and always reminds me of home, which is why I wanted black sesame to be at the heart of my coffee.”

Their prize is a place at the 2027 World of Coffee Lisbon, a fantastic opportunity to gain inspiration from the best in the global coffee industry. 

Second place: Ella Stevenson-Taylor, head barista at Natwest Spinningfields

Third place: Katia Anderson, barista at Sky Osterley

Katia celebrated the bold blackberry flavour across both creations. Blackberry Booch combined blackberry kombucha with light cultured berry notes, while Blackberry Bru topped a light, nutty cold brew with blackberry cold foam. Inspired by a Black Forest ganache cake, her drinks offered a playful and inventive take on a much-loved flavour combination.

Toasting our Beverage Influencer Graduates 

The first cohort of seven regional influencers officially graduated from our Beverage Influencer Programme, marking an exciting milestone for the Beverage Academy. Over the past year, the group has developed their beverage knowledge and completed a final project focused on elevating beverage bar experiences at their own locations.  

The graduation culminated in a celebration of the cohort’s achievements, with Debbie Razza, Welcome Host at the Obsessed Lab, named winner of the Spirit of the Beverage Academy Award and securing a place at the World of Coffee Lisbon 2027 alongside fellow winner Maggie. 

More than just drinks 

Throughout the day, guests enjoyed a thoughtfully crafted seasonal menu from Chefs Sam Fisk and Elliott Faulkner. From Project Knead breads served with whipped Sutton Hoo chicken skin butter and no-waste red pepper butter, to confit ChalkStream trout, Crown Prince squash and heritage beetroot, each dish burst with flavour and complemented the beverages, keeping guests energised between rounds.

Previous winners, Isaac Raaz and Rosie Barnes-Dennison kept the drinks flowing between rounds with crowd-pleasing sips, including chilli honey cortado, hibiscus refresher and spiced apple margaritas. 

Missed the action? Keep an eye on our Instagram for highlights, behind-the-scenes moments and plenty of beverage inspo!