Barista on national stage for a great coffee

Amazing talent is brewing in Slacks Creek, with the Head of Coffee at Extraction Artisan Coffee recently celebrating a national achievement as a barista.

Liam Pratt placed 4th in the 2025 Australian Specialty Coffee Barista Championships in Melbourne in June.

The annual event challenged Australia’s most skilled coffee professionals to present exceptional coffees with precision, creativity, and technical excellence.

Liam’s competition routine featured 2 Ethiopian varieties – Java and Wush Wush – grown by Colombian producers Felipe and Carlos Arcila of Cofinet Coffee.

‘There’s been huge satisfaction in not just sourcing these coffees from our green bean partners, but also roasting them and getting to know every nuance over the last 3 months,’ Liam says.

‘That deep relationship with the coffee made presenting it on stage something really special.’

Co-founder of Extraction Artisan Coffee, Heather Scott, says the national recognition is a huge achievement for Liam and the whole team.

‘You need sharp focus, nerves of steel, and the ability to communicate clearly while managing a dozen tasks at once,’ Heather says.

‘We may be a small operator, but we’re focused on quality, consistency, and constant improvement. Our vision is to nurture the kind of excellence that transforms both coffee and community,’ she says.

PHOTO AT TOP: Barista Liam Pratt shows his skills at the 2025 Australian Specialty Coffee Barista Championships in Melbourne.