The August + September 2023 issue of Barista Magazine features World Barista Champion Boram Um of Brazil on the cover. Also inside: bubble tea; tips on working with your local service tech; private-label coffee; an interview with Lucia Solis; ’Field Reports’ from Addis Ababa and Manila; and much more.
BY KENNETH R. OLSON
BARISTA MAGAZINE
Welcome to the August + September 2023 issue of Barista Magazine! Every year we get to feature the winner of the World Barista Championship (WBC) on the cover of Barista Magazine, and this year’s winner is no exception. Boram Um, however, is an exceptional barista. The Brazilian is the son of immigrants, and he has worked on his family’s coffee farm, Fazenda Um. He and his brother Garam are also award-winning baristas, and the owners of Um Coffee Co. and Um Coffee Academy in São Paolo, Brazil. Boram has represented Brazil three times at the WBC, placing higher each time he’s appeared. He has also been a Brazilian Brewers Cup champion. This year in Athens, while Boram was competing in the WBC, Garam was competing in the World Brewers Cup representing Brazil. We have stories about Boram and his competition team in the new issue.
Cover Feature: Boram Um
2023 World Barista Champion Boram Um made it to the world stage three times in his competition career attempting to bring Brazil its first barista title. This year in Athens, he earned the gold. Boram is the first to say, however, that he didn’t make it there alone. It took a team to win the WBC. In addition to Tigger Chaturabul’s in-depth article on Boram in the August + September 2023 issue, we also have a contribution from Cole Torode. Cole, who is the director of coffee for Rosso Coffee in Calgary, Alberta, as well as the owner of Forward Coffee, is a national champion barista in addition to a highly respected coffee professional. Cole worked closely with Boram and Garam and writes about building a “Coffee Dream Team.“
’The Big Business of Bubble Tea’
Boba or bubble tea continues to grow in popularity and offers an inventive and fun way to create more options for café menus. Writer Emily Joy Meneses looks at the history of bubble tea, how it fits in the specialty-coffee world, and what to consider before incorporating it into your shop.
’Expand Your Brand with Private-Label Coffee’
Looking for a way to increase sales without buying a bunch of new equipment (and learning how to use it)? Offering your own brand of roasted coffee may be just the ticket for your café. Josh Rank talks with roasters and retailers about the pros and cons of private-label roasting and what it can offer independent retailers in the August + September 2023 issue of Barista Magazine!
’One on One: Lucia Solis’
Coffee processing has grown more complex in recent years as farmers look to increase profits and roasters and baristas search for exceptional flavor profiles. One way to modify a coffee’s flavor is by using controlled yeast fermentation. Though the rewards can be great, it is a technically difficult and risky method. Lucia Solis has spent years educating coffee farmers on how to use yeast in their fermentation tanks and has built an educational network to support farming efforts. Lucia is the subject of our “One on One“ interview in the new issue.
And Much More Inside
Also in the August + September 2023 issue, you’ll find articles on getting your local service provider on your team to keep your equipment—and your café—up and running. Additionally, you can read our new column, “Inclusivity in Coffee,“ find fascinating “Field Reports“ from the bustling capital cities of Ethiopia and the Philippines, and much, much more.
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