Earlier this month, Stitch Coffee barista/roaster Peter flew to Melbourne to participate in the prestigious ASCA (Australian Specialty Coffee Association) Cup Tasters Finals.

A competition designed to showcase those in the coffee industry who possess a keen palate, the competition (including a semi-finals and finals round) involved having twelve participants speed tasting three cups of coffee at a time and determining which cup is the odd one out before moving onto the next set (8 sets total). All in front of a live audience that's cheering them on!

After succeeding in the semi-finals with a time of 1 minute 56 seconds, Peter proceeded to the Top 6 finals and narrowly missed out on first place.

Eager to hear how he managed such success at the 2024 ASCA finals, we sat down with Peter post-competition to discuss his training regime and how he got to this exciting position over the past year.

How long have you been with Stitch Coffee for and what made you decide to apply?

I initially took a roasting course with ECRE Academy (Stitch Coffee sister company) and was inspired by Nameru and Tuli to apply. Since then, I have been with Stitch Coffee for three years.

What does your role entail, working across both warehouse and cafe?

As I have been working in both different environments at the same time, I think communication and organisational skills are essential alongside flexibility.

Congratulations on getting into the ASCA Cup Tasters Finals! Could you describe in your own words what the competition is and why you decided to compete?

I want to improve my sensory skills and challenge myself so I chose this competition. Though it doesn’t seem as difficult as other competitions, such as Barista and Brewer, it requires a lot of practicing persistently and coffee tasting knowledge.

How long have you been training for this competition/have you participated in previous years?

I participated in the Cup Tasters competition last year but didn't make it to the final. Now this year, I was lucky to be in the Top 6! I think I have been learning while working and paying more attention when tasting different coffee.

How do you train for a cup tasting competition? Has working at Stitch helped contribute to your progression in cup tasting?

Upon learning that I made it into the Top 12, I began spending more time practicing with my colleagues and my coach, Young (World Cup Taster 2023), after work and on my days off. Thanks to the Stitch Coffee team for continuously providing me the facilities, mental and physical support. And thanks to my coach Young for guiding me with different techniques and being a good friend.

How did you feel in the exact moment you found out that you made it into the Top 6? And how did you manage such accurate results in so short a time?

I feel very happy and excited to be in the finals to compete against more experienced competitors, some who have been competing for more than three years.

It’s a combination of strategy and skill! This competition depends on how good your palate (skill) is at differentiating characteristics in the cups whereas the strategy is all about how you move through 8/8 (8 sets of 3 cups) to ensure the quickest tasting time.

Did you think there were any major differences between the Top 12 vs. Top 6 finals? In what ways was the Top 6 competition harder?

Even though I considered myself the underdog in the Top 12 going in, as I had practiced with all the Sydney competitors and knew how good they were, I benefited from getting to observe the first round in the semi-finals. It definitely helped me form my own strategy when it came to my semi-final round.

However, in Top 6 everyone competes at the same time and there’s more pressure. The ambience in that final round was more hyped and it was live-streamed, which made me a lot more nervous (laughing).

Looking back, what was the best part of taking part in the ASCA 2024 Cup Tasters Competition?

I made more friends with many experience people in the industry, and not just from Sydney but Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane too. The food in Melbourne is also very good! Lastly, I now have a better understanding of the competition, so hopefully I will do even better next year.

We noticed that you are training for this competition alongside other Sydney competitors. What is it about the coffee industry or this competition that brings people together even when they are competitors?

Training with other competitors is a good way to understand what level you are at. Coffee is actually to connect everyone with each other.

Do you think you’ll compete again next year?

Yes! Also I want to get more Stitch Coffee members to compete with me.

How do you like your coffee?

I tend to like all the Limited Release coffee we put out as they are carefully roasted by our Head of Coffee Nameru. They always have their distinct flavours and sweetness that make you crazy!

Last question! What is one thing you love about working at Stitch Coffee?

The culture at Stitch Coffee! Here I can be innovative and professional. Everyone is supportive and friendly.