How a Roaster Won Second Place at Roasters’ Choice Competition

Most people who attend coffee expos and workshops never imagine becoming competitors themselves. But for Wang Shiru, years of preparation behind the scenes—tracking airfreight effects on beans, late-night roasting experiments, and global learning trips—led her to become the 2023 Roasters’ Choice Competition runner-up.

Wang Shiru placed second in the international Roasters’ Choice Competition after crafting a Latin American blend featuring coffees from El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. She also refined her technique through years of testing how overnight roasts and air travel impact coffee flavor.

Overcoming Time Pressure and Airfreight Challenges

The hardest part of the Roasters’ Choice Competition wasn’t just brewing or blending—it was controlling time and temperature. Wang Shiru spent two years testing how shipping green coffee by air affects its flavor. She took one coffee per trip over six international trips, adjusting how beans were packed even inside the cargo hold. For the actual competition, she mostly roasted late at night when ambient humidity and temperature differ significantly from daytime, and had to manage noise concerns for neighbors. The goal: maintain consistency while racing against tight deadlines.

Latin American Blend Strategy

This year’s Roasters’ Choice theme focused on Latin America. Competitors could use beans from up to three countries, with each making up 20%–50% of the blend. Wang Shiru selected coffees from El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. Her final blend delivered floral aromas, honeyed orange notes, and a smooth, long-lasting finish. Unlike single-origin rounds, blends test a roaster’s ability to balance multiple coffees—like managing a team where harmony matters more than individual star power.

Global Learning and Breaking Flavor Myths

Wang Shiru began roasting in Taiwan in 2003, learning from mentors who shared rules of thumb. But after visiting Japan and eventually Italy, she discovered a more nuanced approach. In Italy, she learned cupping and worked with a mentor who taught her that personal preference matters as much as objective quality. She trained to match five cups to northern, southern, central, and eastern Italian flavor profiles—a task that debunked rigid ideas about regional taste norms. She now believes breaking those preconceptions is key to better roasting and sensory judgment.

Building the Skills to Be a Great Roaster

How do you become a skilled roaster? According to Wang Shiru, start with sensory training: learn to distinguish fruit, candy, or dark sugar sweetness. Study farm profiles and eventually dive into the chemistry of volatile aromatic compounds. The difference between accidentally producing a great cup and intentionally crafting one lies in understanding those chemical interactions. She also advises keeping life simple—minimize distractions, eat clean, and focus on travel, classes, and hands-on experience. “Find the right direction early,” she says. “Five years of the right path can beat ten years going the wrong way.”

Cupping, Calibration, and Open-Minded Learning

In cupping sessions, there’s no single correct flavor description. Wang Shiru encourages using familiar comparisons—like plum, lychee, or longan—to build shared understanding. Calibration is essential: like resetting a scale, roasters align their taste descriptions through group discussion until a consistent standard emerges. Early in her career, she learned that her favorite cup wasn’t the “best” one according to experts—but personal preference still has value. Staying open-minded, taking global courses, and constantly verifying her skills through practice have been central to her growth. “I only trust what I can roast myself,” she says.

Frequently Asked Questions

What competition did Wang Shiru place second in?

Wang Shiru was the runner-up in the 2023 Roasters’ Choice Competition, an international roasting contest that challenges participants to create standout blends or single origins based on that year’s theme.

What was the theme of the Roasters’ Choice Competition when Wang Shiru competed?

The theme for the year Wang Shiru competed was Latin American coffee. Each blend had to include beans from up to three countries, with each origin representing between 20% and 50% of the final mix.

Which countries did Wang Shiru choose for her winning blend?

Wang Shiru selected coffees from El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama to create a floral, honeyed, citrus-forward blend with a smooth, lingering finish.

How did Wang Shiru test the effects of airfreight on coffee?

Over two years and six international trips, Wang Shiru took one coffee per journey to observe how air transport influenced flavor. She even adjusted how beans were positioned inside the shipment to refine her understanding.

What unusual roasting conditions did Wang Shiru face during competition prep?

She roasted mostly at night due to time constraints, adjusting her approach for different humidity and temperature levels, while also managing noise to avoid disturbing others.

What advice does Wang Shiru give to aspiring roasters?

Start with sensory training—distinguishing types of sweetness and aroma—then study farm profiles and coffee chemistry. Keep your lifestyle simple, travel to learn, take courses, and verify everything through hands-on roasting and cupping.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Blending & Roasting

For roasters exploring blends like Wang Shiru’s Latin American-inspired recipe, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera (floral and citrus-toned), Panama Humbera (honey and stone fruit complexity), and Yirgacheffe (bright jasmine and berry notes). These beans offer the aromatic range and balance ideal for crafting nuanced multi-origin profiles. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.