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Roasting to Glory: The Story Behind Australia’s Coffee Champion

by Jessica

In an exclusive interview, the reigning Australian Coffee in Good Spirits Champion shares insights from her 15-year journey in the coffee industry, detailing her evolution from a café all-rounder to a skilled roaster and competitor.

First Steps in Coffee

The champion’s coffee career began at Bespoke Café in Hong Kong, where she worked as an all-rounder. This experience ignited her passion for coffee. As she honed her skills, she transitioned to a specialty coffee shop, where her mentor, Lok, introduced her to the nuances of filter coffee, emphasizing the importance of coffee origins and processing methods.

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Transition to Roasting

After completing her university studies, she returned to Australia to further explore her coffee journey. In 2022, while working as a barista, she felt a strong urge to deepen her knowledge by learning the art of coffee roasting.

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Her connection with Bruno Maiolo, President of the Australian Specialty Coffee Association, played a pivotal role in her roasting journey. After meeting through judging competitions, she seized the opportunity to assist him during his recovery from shoulder surgery. This mentorship laid the groundwork for her to establish her own roastery, Smay Coffee Roasters, in 2023.

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Passion for Roasting

The champion expresses a deep appreciation for receiving feedback from coffee drinkers. She relishes the creative freedom to adjust each roast, experimenting with water and sugar to optimize flavor profiles. Her approach aims for a more developed roast that stands out against the prevailing trend of lighter roasting. Although her roasts may lean slightly darker, they retain a balanced taste, enhancing the home brewing experience.

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Inspiration to Compete

Patrick Rolf’s book, From Nerd to Pro: A Coffee Journey, served as a significant inspiration for her decision to enter the Coffee in Good Spirits competition. Rolf’s narrative illustrates how competitions can sharpen skills, impart knowledge, and foster valuable connections. Despite lacking a bartending background, she embraced the challenge and discovered that coffee serves a complementary role in cocktails.

Her first competition in 2023 taught her valuable lessons, including the importance of adhering to rules, as she lost points for breaking one. This setback motivated her to compete again in hopes of demonstrating her growth.

Winning the Championship

The moment she won the Australian championships was surreal. She had meticulously prepared, ensuring she adhered to the competition rules. However, the victory quickly turned into a new challenge as she faced a month to prepare for the World Coffee in Good Spirits Competition in Denmark in June. Despite the celebratory drinks with fellow competitors and judges, thoughts of her upcoming challenge loomed large. Fortunately, previous champions Danny Andrade and Danny Wilson provided invaluable advice and support.

Lessons from the World Stage

Competing internationally taught her essential logistical skills, such as packing tools and ingredients within baggage limits to avoid spills. More significantly, she learned the importance of humility and the generosity of sharing knowledge, appreciating the support and constructive feedback from the global coffee community before heading to Copenhagen.

She plans to compete again, although a timeline has yet to be established. While she acknowledges the rewarding aspects of competition, she also recognizes the accompanying stress. Following the World Championships, her mind already began to brainstorm ideas for her next competitive venture, demonstrating her unwavering passion for the craft.

The journey of the Australian Coffee in Good Spirits Champion continues as she blends her experiences and aspirations in the vibrant coffee community.

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