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Aeropress

Double Dutch: an interview with World Aeropress Champion Wendelien van Bunnik

November 16, 2020 By Michael Leave a Comment

Just over a year ago I traveled to Den Haag to take a course to become an authorized SCA trainer. Sitting across from me in the class was the reigning Dutch barista champion, Wendelien van Bunnik. Wendelien directs the education program at Single Estate Coffee, a coffee roaster in Maasdijk with a café in Den Haag. I recently caught up with Wendelien over email to hear about what it was like to win the World Aeropress Championship and why there’s more to the Dutch coffee scene than just Amsterdam.   

Before becoming a coffee educator you were an English teacher. Does that traditional educational background influence the way you approach coffee training?

I think so yes! There’s a big difference between having a certain skill yourself, and being able to transfer this skill to others. During my (short) time as an English teacher, I learned that you must never forget how long it takes to learn a new skill. Once you’ve mastered a skill, it’s very tempting to forget the work you put in to learn it. So when I was in front of a class as an English teacher, I already learned that it’s not about the teacher, but about the learner’s process. The difference in speed and way people learn in general is so different for everyone. It’s up to me as a trainer to figure out how people learn the best, and to remain patient and focused on their individual process. Especially in my early days, I stepped into the pitfall of thinking training was about me as a trainer, having to demonstrate my skill (and impress every one of course). Although obviously, you need to be able to demonstrate skill, it’s 100% not about the trainer, but about the learner and the goal they want to achieve….

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Filed Under: Interviews Tagged With: Aeropress, barista competitions, Wendelien van Bunnik

How To Make Iced Coffee With an Aeropress

March 13, 2019 By Michael 2 Comments

Last year we published an Aeropress guide with a rather presumptuous title: “The Only Aeropress Recipe You’ll Ever Need.” We stand by the recipe, but we’ll be the first to admit the Aeropress is an extremely versatile brewing device that can be used in a variety of ways. You can even use your Aeropress to make iced coffee.

…

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Filed Under: How to's Tagged With: Aeropress, iced coffee

Filming the Aeropress: an interview with Ales Pospisil

January 8, 2019 By Michael Leave a Comment

Ales Pospisil has been to a lot of coffee shops. The cofounder of the website European Coffee Trip has compiled the most extensive regional catalogue of specialty coffee shops we’ve seen anywhere. But the Czech-native’s latest project is even more ambitious. Pospisil recently produced Aeropress Movie, a medium-length documentary about the cult brewing device. We viewed a screening of the film and were impressed by its engaging story, uncovering surprisingly bits of information about one of our favorite brewing devices. We caught up with Pospisil to ask him what it was like to meet legendary inventor Alan Adler, and, of course, how does he brew an Aeropress….

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Filed Under: Stories Tagged With: Aeropress

Barista Interview: Carolina Ibarra, 2018 World Aeropress Champion

November 29, 2018 By Michael Leave a Comment

Carolina Ibarra Of all of the varied coffee competitions in the world, there’s little question which one is the most fun: the World Aeropress Championship. The Aeropress enjoys a cult-like following around the globe, and the WAC, which puts baristas head-to-head-to-head in a bracket-style tournament, does an amazing job of showcasing both the versatility of the device and the creativity of coffee professionals from around the globe. 

Barista Carolina Ibarra of the United States won the 2018 WAC in Sydney, Australia. Originally from Colombia, Ibarra started working in specialty coffee after immigrating to Los Angeles. We asked Ibarra to share her recipe and what it was like when she was crowned champion. 

First of all, congratulations on winning the World Aeropress Championship! What was it like when you heard them call your name?

The feelings when you are up there waiting for your name to hopefully be called are crazy intense. Michelle Johnson, the MC, was holding both mine and Clay’s hand, one of us was going to be the first place. …

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Filed Under: Interviews Tagged With: Aeropress, WAC

Five Amazing Must-Try Aeropress Recipes

March 2, 2015 By Michael 2 Comments

Home coffee enthusiast Chris Heiniger lifted the Gold Aeropress at the 2015 Eastern Aeropress Championship, but the competition featured too many creative Aeropress recipes not to share a few of our favorites. Warning: you probably won’t be able to get through this post without grabbing your brewing kit and giving a few of these killer Aeropress recipes a try.

Erika Moore, Bonlife Coffee

aeropress recipes

  • 15 g. Ringer Blend from Bonlife Coffee: 50% Ethiopia natural process Tswana, 50% Granja La Esperanza Geisha Peaberry
  • 240 ml. of water poured over 25 seconds
  • Steep for 20 seconds
  • Stir back and forth
  • 1:20 plunge
  • Aerate and pour awesomeness

…

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Filed Under: Brewology Tagged With: Aeropress

Chris Heiniger Wins 2015 Eastern Aeropress Championship

February 1, 2015 By Michael Leave a Comment

Aero02edit

Chris Heiniger of Louisville, Kentucky is the 2015 Eastern Aeropress Champion. The regional competition was hosted on January 31st by Louisville micro-roaster Quills Coffee in partnership with Prima Coffee. Eighteen baristas and coffee enthusiasts from as far as Toledo, Ohio to Washington D.C. participated in the bracket style competition. Heiniger, who competed representing Misc. Goods Co., defeated Dmitriy Zhigunov of Williamsburg, Virginia in the final round. Coffee blogger Brian Beyke took home the prize for third place. Heiniger, Zhigunov, and Beyke all earned a spot at the national championship, which will happen contemporaneously with the US Barista Championship in Long Beach, California. …

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Filed Under: Barista Competitions Tagged With: Aeropress, Alan Adler, Brian Beyke, Chris Heiniger, Louisville

Louisville to Host US Aeropress Championship Eastern Regional

December 23, 2014 By Michael 2 Comments

aeropress championshipThe Eastern Regional of the US Aeropress Championship will take place in Louisville, KY on January 31, 2015. Louisville-based micro roaster Quills Coffee will host the event, in partnership with sponsors Prima Coffee, Mahlkönig USA, and The Coffee Compass. In each round of the bracket style tournament competitors will have eight minutes to make a single cup of coffee with an Aeropress. A panel of judges select the best cup to advance in a blind tasting.

Competitors will have access to a Mahlkönig EK-43, a Bonavita Variable Temperature kettle, and have the option of using their own coffee or a coffee provided by Quills. The top 3 contestants will automatically earn a spot at the US Aeropress Championship. Prizes include a free trip to the national competition for the winner. Individuals interested in competing in the competition can register at easternaeropress.tumblr.com.

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: Aeropress, Kentucky, Louisville, Prima Coffee, Quills Coffee

Cafe Review: Upshot Espresso in Sheffield

May 16, 2014 By Michael Leave a Comment

Upshot Espresso Sheffield

Good coffee doesn’t happen by accident. Intentional farming practices, skillful roasting, and precise brewing are just a few of the mind boggling number of variables that must be in place to produce a delicious cup of coffee. As such, we don’t usually find great cafes by accident either. Most coffee shops we visit were either recommended by trusted friends or renowned in the specialty coffee community. This makes our first visit to Upshot Espresso all the more serendipitous….

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Filed Under: Coffee Shop Reviews Tagged With: Aeropress, England, Sheffield, Square Mile Coffee, Upshot Espresso, Workshop Coffee, Yorkshire

Learn How to Brew an Aeropress with Koppi

May 15, 2013 By Michael 2 Comments

Koppi Aeropress

The Coffee Compass has a serious coffee crush on Koppi in Helsingborg, Sweden. One of our first posts was a review of the coffee IPA they produced with Mikkeller. Since then, we’ve tried some of their delicious, Scandinavian-light roasted coffee, and we have to say, the first crack never tasted so good. We’re also a big fan of wearing their Indian head t-shirt to coffee events and getting mad props from those in the know.  Although we’ve never actually been to their Helsingborg cafe, we can read blog posts and plot our dream Nordic cafe crawl.

Even if you’re not visiting Sweden in the near future, you can at least learn how to brew an Aeropress in this awesome video with Koppi co-founder Anne Lunell. The video was produced by Tim Ciasto and features some nice, smooth jazz. So grab an Aeropress, order some of their coffee, and get brewing!

KOPPI – AeroPress Brewing from Tim Ciasto on Vimeo.

Filed Under: How to's Tagged With: Aeropress, Anne Lunell, Helsingborg, Koppi, Mikkeller, Sweden

Cafe Review: Joe’s Pro Shop in NYC

April 3, 2013 By Michael Leave a Comment

Joe's Pro Shop Kees van der Westen espresso machine

Joe’s Pro Shop: A Toy Store For Coffee Nerds

Many of the most iconic films in movie history take place in New York. Annie Hall, The Godfather, Wall Street, the list goes on. But one work of cinematic genius stands head and shoulders above the rest. A film whose sweeping cinematography and compelling storytelling single-handedly shaped my perspective of America’s first city. Of course this film …

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Filed Under: Coffee Shop Reviews Tagged With: Aeropress, Flat Iron District, Heart Coffee Roasters, Intelligentsia, Joe's Pro Shop, Kalita Wave, Kees van der Westen, Manhattan, New York, Rwanda Karenge, single origin espresso

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