After three solid days of competition, we’re proud to announce that Daniel Shadbolt has placed third in the 2019 ASCA Australian AMC Roasting Championships.
Held at Criteria Coffee in Port Melbourne, the Championship sees each competitor evaluated on their performance analysing the quality of green coffee, developing and executing a roasting profile that best represented and described the characteristics of the provided coffees. Lastly, the final cup quality of the coffee is analysed in a blind judging process.
Going head-to-head with the seven top ranked roasters across the country, Shadbolt finished in third place behind competition winner Takumi Sakamoto from Deluca Coffee and Pat Connolly who placed second.
Whilst he’s been roasting for four years, been a certified Q-Grader for over three, and has competed and judged regionals, it was Daniel’s first time competing at a national level. After two months of solid preparation, and being mentored by 2017 Australian Roasting Champion Jack Allisey, Daniel didn’t show the nerves of a first timer.
“Despite the fact that it was my first time competing at a national level, I felt reasonably comfortable going into the competition. I was really lucky to have Jack Allisey as a mentor and coach. His experience and insights really helped my prep”, says Shadbolt.
On the first-time experience, Shadbolt continued, “Just making it in to the National Roasting Championships was rewarding in itself, but to place 3rd in the country against such a talented bunch of guys was really more than I could have hoped for.”
Takumi Sakamoto will compete in the World Coffee Roasting Championship in Taipei in November later this year.
