Scottish Aeropress Championships - 2017

The annual Scottish Aeropress Championship is back.

On 27 September, 36 domicile as well as professional person brewers volition battle it out, armed amongst hot water, a bespoke java blend, a slice of plastic that looks similar a plumber's offcut, as well as a flake of carefully timed elbow grease.

While this is a contest that doesn't induce got itself also seriously, winning is a huge endorsement of brewing prowess. Our Champion volition jet off to Seoul for the World Aeropress Championships afterward this year.

While the aeropress makes a
polish loving cup of coffee,
it's non going to win awards
for beingness aesthetically pleasing.

For those unfamiliar amongst the aeropress - it's a method of brewing java manually (i.e. without electricity) that involves pushing hot H2O through terra firma coffee, via a filter as well as into your cup. It was invented past times Alan Adler who also created the Aerobie flight band (that’s faster than a Frisbee) this post gives y'all a intro.

Scottish Championship organiser Dave Law from Brew Lab gave us the run downward on what promises to live a great nighttime - made fifty-fifty ameliorate past times loads of friendly folk pitching upward to cheer on our competitors! (book your ticket here)

Coffee & competition

Some activity from the 2016 heats

• Competition heats volition induce got house during the day, opening upward to Earth at 6.30pm for 2 semi finals as well as the final
• Eleven domicile brewers volition compete this yr which is quite a flake to a greater extent than than in conclusion year. The remaining competitors are professionals working for cafes as well as roasteries.
• Competitors come upward from Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews, Fraserburgh, Falkirk as well as more. Cairngorm Coffee induce got a rigid showing amongst five competitors, Artisan Roast as well as Machina Espresso both amongst 3 competitors. Last year's winner James Aitken is dorsum to defend his crown!
• Judges this yr are from the 3 roasteries that induce got provided the contest coffee. Emiliya Yordanova from Machina Espresso, Matt Carroll from Fortitude Coffee Roasters as well as Zach Williams from Williams & Johnson. 
• Judges volition live judging based on the uncomplicated criteria that is consistent across all Aeropress Championships globally: 'which loving cup would I prefer to drinkable all of'. Dave as well as the judges are also planning to involve random audience members if necktie breaking is required.
• Each oestrus is pretty quick - 8 minutes to live precise. After all it doesn't induce got a long fourth dimension to brew a loving cup of java - but it's intense!



Competition java - photograph kindly as well as unknowingly
provided past times Brew Lab's instagram feed, thanks!

• All competitors purpose the same java as well as they're sent it inwards advance as well as hence they tin practise prior to the big event. This year, organisers induce got taken the chance to showcase 3 great novel Edinburgh roasters: Machina, Fortitude as well as Williams & Johnson who've produced a three-way blend. According to Dave from Brew Lab, "blends induce got pretty much disappeared from speciality coffee, but when y'all induce got actually high character unmarried origins every bit the components, y'all tin larn some pretty exceptional java too. Its going to live actually complex as well as interesting."

More fun materials that happens on the night

Brass Gumbo friendly faces - photo
snitched from their facebook page
but I'm hoping that's OK

• Brass Gumbo volition perform on the nighttime - self described every bit "a musical melting pot of brass as well as percussion playing funk, jazz as well as more, all amongst a distinctly New Orleans flavour... this is feel-good music for the feet as well as the soul"
• Baba Budan are doing their signature filled doughnuts, Jones as well as Son bringing their BBQ, Brew Lab volition live making java cocktails as well as Barneys Beer as well as Pilot Beer volition both live providing exceptional java beers. 
• Company Bakery volition furnish their super baking every bit good every bit providing ingredients for the avocado making contest which is dorsum again! 
• Local high cease java accessory makers Made past times Knock will induce got a merch stand upward and their novel Aergrind grinder may brand an appearance



Example Brew Lab coffee-inspired
cocktail - doctored from their
Ista feed

• The event's principal sponsor is Intelligent POS past times iZettle, who volition also live at that spot doing demos. Without this amazing sponsorship as well as that of the other supporting sponsors, our Scottish Champion wouldn't live able to larn to Seoul for the World Championships, as well as hence bravo to iZettle as well as other sponsor pals!

More most Aeropress Championships to a greater extent than generally

This year's poster is past times Struan Bruce Sloan

This actually is a non bad wee movement. Here's what appeals to me:

• It's inclusive. Anyone tin participate. Home brewers through to total fourth dimension baristas
• The World Aeropress Championships guidance is every bit follows: "At all times, your resultant should strive to live fun, inclusive as well as welcoming for competitors as well as guests alike. The World AeroPress Championship is most edifice community, making friends, as well as celebrating coffee. Use that ethos every bit your guiding light"
• The rules are direct frontwards and, every bit I mentioned above, don't induce got itself also seriously, I pull your attending to 2 specific rules that underline this ethos: "On the count of three, all judges volition shout for simultaneously, confidently, as well as definitively at the loving cup of their choosing." This agency literally shout for their fingers at the loving cup they similar best, no complex grade sheets involved. as well as "Any challenger protests or appeals should live addressed to ‘just_try_to_have_fun_ok [at] worldaeropresschampionship.com'. Please do non aspect a response." So y'all run into what I mean. This is non most overly precious barista-ing.
• And lastly, as well as i of my favourite things, is the emphasis on poster design. Any province that wants to host their country's Championship, has to pattern a poster. So every year, a fantastic novel array of posters are created that are real cool. This year's Scottish Championship poster was created past times illustrator Struan Bruce Sloan as well as it's good worth scrolling through posters from around the world.

So larn yourself along on Midweek night. You tin majority tickets here.

It'll also larn y'all nicely inwards the mood for the upcoming Edinburgh Coffee Festival!