In the picture you see me at the Swiss Aeropress Championship, where I replicated my personal best recipe for an anaerobic processed coffee from Ethiopia in Lausanne in September 2021. As a participant, you get the coffee sent to your home about two weeks in advance. This gives you enough time to get the best out of the bean. I made it one round further into the semi-finals, where I then tried my luck with a new coffee. A washed Kenyan coffee.
As time was short to experiment with this, I decided to continue in a similar way to the Ethiopian. I only chose a higher water temperature. Not bad at all! But I made a mistake on stage: out of pure excitement I forgot to stir and so I was able to get less out of my coffee. I realised this immediately afterwards. I tasted my coffee. I knew that my chances for the final were slim this time.
Doesn't sound like a success story, does it?
I have already celebrated several successes in my life: I have completed two vocational apprenticeships (technical and commercial); I am a private pilot and have thus fulfilled my childhood dream; as an aviation fan, I worked in the same industry for several years; I was inspired by Steve Jobs and implemented product ideas as a product manager; I won two Las Vegas all-inclusive packages playing poker; I was allowed to participate in promotional videos; I took the final oral exams for my further training as a marketing specialist just in time a few days after the birth of our second child - the degree was also successful! That was in 2017.
"The path is the goal" - Confucius.
In the moment of success, you savour the moment, but no success is without a path: your experience.
Experience, which is defined as the way and the goal by Confucius, is the most valuable thing we can possess and no one can take it away from us.
My interest in coffee was awakened in 2018 when I visited the Henauer Roastery located 10 minutes away from Zurich Airport. At the time, I couldn't claim to have the slightest idea about coffee. I even believed in myths about how coffee would dehydrate the body. Of course, this is not the case, and the following famous quote says it all:
“Coffee does not dehydrate. Otherwise I'd be dust by now.” Franz Kafka.
My eye-opener was a speciality coffee from Ethiopia prepared as an espresso with a GS3 from La Marzocco. Of course, at the time, these were all terms that meant nothing to me. However, I still remember my excitement at this new flavour experience. That was for me officially the key moment and the starting point for my coffee journey.
To date, I have learnt many exciting facets of coffee through trial and error and have made many friends. My steep learning curve is thanks to my great interest in coffee and my participation in championships such as the Swiss Aeropress and Cup Tasters. Nevertheless, during my three-year professional journey in the coffee industry at Henauer Roastery, I have shared many unforgettable moments with this warm community. As a barista trainer, among other things, I was able to transmit coffee knowledge and awaken the necessary motivation and interest in others so that coffee was not just seen as a simple cup of coffee.
Today I work as a Product Manager again. My passion for coffee remains, and I will continue to take part in coffee events and championships. I will not stop enjoying, experimenting and learning and experiencing more and more.
With manubrews, I have found my place of creativity and creation. A place that gives me the opportunity to experience coffee in all its facets again and again. A place where I share my own experiences and coffee knowledge with you. From coffeelover to coffeelovers!
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