In our December 2025 + January 2026 issue, we feature the new World Barista Champion Jack Simpson! Also: We take a deep dive on energy drinks, find hacks to help the rush crunch, get the dirt on mushroom coffee, go ’One on One’ with Detroit’s Martell Mason, and much, much more!
BY SARAH ALLEN
BARISTA MAGAZINE
It’s remarkable that exactly three years after we featured Australia’s Anthony Douglas on the cover after winning the World Barista Championship (WBC), we’re shining a spotlight on his compatriot, Jack Simpson, on this one’s. Jack’s story of determination and perseverance is inspirational, and we are delighted to have him as our global specialty-coffee representative and as the focus of the December 2025 + January 2026 issue of Barista Magazine! In addition to finding out more about Jack’s journey to his first-place finish with his loyal team from Melbourne, Australia’s Axil Coffee Roasters by his side, we’ve packed this issue with tons of great content. From the coffee and tea culture in the cloud forest of Sri Lanka to mushroom mycelium, we’re spanning the globe to bring you another great issue.
Our team is made up of writers, designers, illustrators, and photographers; real people who do exceptional work creating this issue and filling it with the informative, educational, and incredible articles. We couldn’t do it without them, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without you, either, readers. Thank you for reading and supporting Barista Magazine!
You can subscribe through our online store to get a hard copy print version of the magazine mailed to you. Or you can read it for free with our digital edition here.
Cover Feature: Jack Simpson
When the 2024 World Barista Championship came to a close, and Australia’s Jack Simpson placed second, one point behind the winner, it would’ve been understandable to call it good and step away from barista competitions. Instead, Jack redoubled his efforts, won his national championship again, and once more found himself at the WBC, ready to try for the title once again. In this issue, author Isabelle Mani takes meticulous care writing about Jack’s fascinating journey and story of triumph.
‘Holiday Gift Guide’
For the first time ever, we’ve launched a Holiday Gift Guide! Looking for a perfect gift for a coffee lover in your life, or maybe something for yourself? Check out our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide featuring fabulous coffees, exceptional equipment, great gear and more!
‘In Our Energy-Drink Era’
One of the undeniable trends from the last year is the rise of energy drinks. As more people look for functional beverages, adding energy drinks to your café’s menu may help bring in new customers and bring back existing customers for more purchases throughout the day. ‘In Our Energy-Drink Era‘ writer Josh Rank walks through the benefits of retailing energy drinks, how to market them to consumers, and suppliers to work with.
Beyond energy, we also dive into the world of mushroom coffee in the December 2025 + January 2026 issue. Investigating claims of wellness, mental acuity, and more, Barista Magazine‘s Emily Joy Meneses finds out what’s driving the mushroom coffee boom, how it fits in the café scene, and what the heck mushroom coffee might taste like.
‘Field Report: Sri Lanka’
In the 1800s, Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) was the largest coffee producer in the world. It was also the first major coffee producing country to face roya or coffee leaf rust. The disease decimated coffee farms across the island, and led to a replacement of the crop with tea. In this ‘Field Report,’ Jen Roberts takes an unforgettable journey climbing through the island to the cloud forest and finds a new coffee community taking root.
And Much More Inside
Also in the December 2025 + January 2026 issue: We find tips and strategies to help your café beat the morning rush with the first installment of the cafe retail solutions column, ‘Hacks,’ talk with Martell Mason about what it means to bring coffee to Detroit’s historically black neighborhoods, find out about the woman leading the charge in providing menstrual health support for women coffee growers in Rwanda, and much more!
Subscribe and More!
As always, you can read Barista Magazine in paper by subscribing or ordering an issue.
Read the December 2025 + January 2026 Issue for free with our digital edition.
For free access toFor free access to more than five years’ worth of issues, visit our digital edition archives here.
