Results at World of Coffee Panama
Pan Wei of China won the 26th World Barista Championship on 25 October at the Panama Convention Centre. This competition was the headlining event for the inaugural World of Coffee Panama, which brought 49 Competition Body champions to Central America to demonstrate technical expertise and creativity. The 26th World Barista Championship ran from 22 to 25 October and gathered 49 national champions to showcase their coffee knowledge. Each competitor had 15 minutes to prepare four espressos and four milk-based drinks, as well as four signature drinks, for a panel of World Coffee Championships-certified judges. These judges evaluated the performances on taste, technical skill, creativity, cleanliness, and overall presentation. Pan Wei won the title with a performance that showed the sensory characteristics of his chosen coffee through a well-crafted narrative and precise technical execution. He finished ahead of Malaysia’s Shing Win in second place and the United Arab Emirates’ Frederick Ruben in third. The event had support from STORM Barista Attitude, BWT water+more, Ceado, and Weber Workshops, along with Gold Sponsors Scotsman Ice and pulyCAFF.
Technical coffee routine
Pan Wei used two different Geshas for his routine. For the espresso course, he used a Panama Gesha from Finca El Pergamino in Chiriqui. He pulled shots at 20g in to 50g out. Anyone watching the livestream saw real-time stats on each shot because of Bibe Coffee. The espresso shots produced notes of orange, peach, elderflower florality, a green tea finish, medium weight, and a juicy texture. He applied a "reverse tamping" method where he stirred and declumped the grounds with a WDT before a vibration process distributed the coffee by particle size and placed heavier particles on the bottom and lighter ones on top. For the milk course, he used a mosto fermented Colombia Gesha from Finca Las Flores in Huila. He pulled the shots at 21g to 35g and used a 1:3 ratio milk blend of pistachio milk and freeze-distilled cow’s milk with 30% of the water content removed. This drink produced flavors of cinnamon and single origin chocolate, along with a blueberry finish. Pan Wei’s signature beverage, "The Family Link," combined chilled Panama Gesha espresso, a coffee cherry honey infusion, and mosto, which he then nitrogenated with sparkling water to create a drink with notes of lemongrass, apricot soda, coffee blossom, and a grapefruit finish. I find the specific use of freeze-distilled milk for the 1:3 ratio incredibly precise for a 15-minute routine.
Final rankings and history
Jack Simpson, the defending 2025 World Barista Champion from Melbourne’s Axil Coffee Roasters, was on hand in Panama to present the trophy to his successor. Simpson traveled to Panama to support Australian competitor Gabrel Tan, who finished in fourth place. The final rankings for the 26th World Barista Championship included Gabrel Tan in fourth and Jane Kawinnart in fifth, while Jill Hoff finished in sixth.
| Rank | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pan Wei | China |
| 2 | Shing Win | Malaysia |
| 3 | Frederick Ruben | United Arab Emirates |
| 4 | Gabrel Tan | Australia |
| 5 | Jane Kawinnart | Thailand |
| 6 | Jill Hoff | Canada |
The 26th World Barista Championship was the headline competition for the first World of Coffee Panama. Pan Wei’s win marks a milestone in his 12-year career. He is a two-time China Barista Champion and previously placed 27th in the 2024 World Barista Championship. This victory is the first for China in the competition’s history, following Simon SunLei’s second-place finish last year. Pan Wei, who is based in Hangzhou, also runs his own coffee brand and roastery. He is a rookie in his second year at the world level.
