Fresh Off the Press
AeroPress competitions are known for enthusiastic participants, innovative recipes, and killer event posters. Competitors, supporters, and fans of the competitions can now collect recipes and artwork all in one place with the release of the Annual, a review of the 2016 World AeroPress Championships.
The challenge of the competitions remains quite simple (in principle): brew the best tasting cup of coffee using an AeroPress. No milk steaming, no latte art, no espresso. Participants face off in flights of three, brewing a standardized coffee for a panel of three judges. Judges then simultaneously point to their preferred cup and the winner advances to the next round.
The 2016 season featured 2,581 competitors in fifty-one countries. Through a series of ninety-four events, and lots of pointing at bowls, the competition culminated at the World AeroPress Championship in Dublin, Ireland. Poland’s Filip Kucharczyk took home top prize this season, which came with a slew of gifts including a skateboard, a limited-edition coffee brewer, and a golden AeroPress, of course.
While the competition floor at the World of Coffee events can grow tense, AeroPress competitions have focused on being engaging and enjoyable since their inception in 2008. The Annual pays tribute to the AeroPress competitive spirit, boasting over 300 pages of posters, recipes, interviews, results, and lots and lots of photos.
The 2016 Annual is available for purchase at aero.press/the-annual.
Touring the World of Tea
Tea grows all over the world, with a variety of factors influencing flavors and aromas in the final cup. Each tea has a unique story to tell about where it was grown, including the soil, climate factors, and choices producers made during processing.
Krisi Smith, the co-founder of Bluebird Tea Co., compiled tales of her world tea travels into the newly released World Atlas of Tea. In addition to reviewing taste profiles from key growing regions around the world, Smith details harvesting and processing methods, providing readers with tools to steep the perfect cup. Smith’s 240-page guide is packed with photos, brewing recipes, information on health benefits, and even tips on how to blend your own tea.
The World Atlas of Tea is available at fireflybooks.com.
