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2018 Irish AeroPress Championship - Meet our Competitors (pt.1)


05 August 2018

Lee Shannon

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
Hello! My name is Lee. I'm a lover of the perfectly imperfect. I love working with my hands and creating things. I'm slightly obsessed with pugs. I really like reading and listening to folk music. I've been working in the service industry for a number of years now and love being part of Two Pups Coffee :)

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
When starting to work in specialty coffee, I always thought it was important to enter competitions but then I realised I lacked the competitive streak. I've played with the idea of coffee competitions and even prepared for them but I realised some of the more formal competitions are just not for me. I really admire the competitors who compete again and again. :)

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
Its inventor! I watched a video of this guy on youtube and thought he was the bees knees! He didnt even know how good the thing was! Which makes me love it even more! He makes frizbies look cool also.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
The weird and wonderful tales of Lee

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Other than to make decent coffee, I dont think I'd want a coffee superpower. When a barista serves coffee with speed, cleanliness, efficiency and politeness, they have the ultimate coffee superpower.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
I heard a really sweet story one time of a coffee farmer called David Vilca from Bolivia and ever since then I've wanted to go to Bolivia and pick cherries with him. :D

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why? Remember years ago they made those colored pencils with all the colours in the nib? Like a rainbow colour pencil? Yeah, thats the crayon I'd like to be. Little bit of every colour. :)

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
Thats easy an axe a wooden spoon and fine pair of wellies for the puddles!

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
I was once described as Bubbly and I liked that. I guess I'm caring. And I'm always a Pup.

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Bumb N' Grind by R. Kelly. Those who know, Know.

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I'd be a suspicious pug. Borking at neighbours.

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
Heres an fact that I'm not particularly embarrassed about but Ill bet it would suprise a few, I have gained lots of credits on my Starbucks loyalty card. :D hahaha!


Liam Harris

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
I've worked in coffee for about 5 years. Starting in Costa where I worked as a trainer and manager. From there I went to work for Craft Coffee Roasters. Right now I work for Bear Market as the manager of our Pembroke Street store.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
Just once. The second Liberty Brewers Cup... it did not go great.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
It's easy to learn and difficult to master. There's so many ways to play around with it making it a really versatile brewing device.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Working Title

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
To be able to tell TDS by looking

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
That depends. Ethiopia for the coffee, Brazil for the craic.

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Purple. I just really love purple

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
The complete collected works of HP Lovecraft, a deck of cards and a Rubik's Cube.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Big dumb puppy

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Bitter Sweet Symphony

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A chimp. They just seem to have things figured out

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
I'm terrified of moths


Megan Byrne

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
Hello! My name is Megan Byrne, and I'm 23 years old. I come from Kildare. I'm pretty obsessed with coffee, It's both my profession and favourite hobby (besides petting dogs) I didn't drink coffee for a long time but after I had my first real cup I couldn't go back, it's really opened up a whole new world for me. When I'm not making coffee you might catch me out in Dublin grabbing a cup of coffee somewhere, probably in Vice or Proper order and most likely I'll be jamming to some Twenty One Pilots or Paramore.


2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
I recently entered the second annual Liberties Brewers Cup and managed to bag myself first prize which was pretty sweet! Excited now to be moving on to the Aeropress Championship for a fun night of brewing coffee.


3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
I generally really just like the user friendless of the Aeropress, the pressing motion brings a lot of fun to the brewing process I feel. But also I love when you knock that puck of coffee out after brewing your aeropress, it's pretty satisfying.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Recently my Instagram name has kinda replaced my real name with a lot of people now referring to me as SuperMegMeg, maybe I'd title my Autobiography something along the lines of: "SuperMegMeg: Caffeinated wisdom, and other nonsense."

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Lots of me wants to pick flawless latte art as my coffee superpower but that's kinda predictable. I would love the power to be able to have endless cups of coffee without feeling the caffeine jitters, I love the taste of coffee so much but the caffeine leaves me hyper like a 3 year old with a packet of skittles.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Definitely Hawaii. Hello there's sun, sand, surf, and coffee! What's not to love about that.

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Orange is my favourite colour by far, I even drive an orange car. Its bright and a bit eccentric just like myself. So definitely somewhere between a sunburnt orange and a super bright one.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?Coffee, food, and a dog companion to keep me company💜

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Easy going, hard working, and caffeinated!

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
I'm gonna go for: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! By ABBA. Mostly because I love ABBA but also its what I'd hope people are thinking when I brew up a nice coffee for them!

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I would 100% like to be a small dog of some kind. Small dogs get to sleep on the couch all day, run around playing, and get spoiled rotten with treats. Sounds like a pretty good way to live life if you ask me.

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
I'd never admit it to a room full of people but I'm a secret fan of really trashy TV. I never let on that I enjoy it but particularly those terrible shows where people get bad tattoos, its great entertainment.


Maxwell Varela

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
I’m a 24 year old Brazilian with a degree in Civil Engineering who moved to Ireland in order to get some new experiences and a new understanding of the world

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
Never before.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
Practicality and versatility. You can make coffee easily and in different ways.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
The man who thought he could more and (probably) never did.

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Perfect milk steaming at any time and anywhere.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Brazil has a lot of great farmers that I never visit, but I’d rather go to Ethiopia to know a different culture.

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
White. It never gets noticed until you realize how much you can do with it.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
Three books: How to Survive on a Desert Island, How to Build Wooden Boats and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Independent. Determined. Analysts

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Four out of Five - Arctic Monkeys

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Dolphins are the smartest animals, so...🐬

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
I don’t really, really like to drink espressos. 🤷🏻‍♂️


Gianluca Mereu

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
I am gianluca and i work as a Head Barista Trainer of Bear Market Coffee.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
Yes, it's my third time.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
it's a quick brew method for lazy morning and handy for travels.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Don't stop my brew!

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
I would like to visit El salvador, because i have friend there, and i love their coffees and pupusas.

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Red because is my favourite colour.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
A sharp knife, a fire starter and a pigyama.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Stubborn, Enthusiastic, Meticulous.

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Despacito.

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I would be a dolphin because i am smart and i like swimming.

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
I only wear my socks inside out.


Paul Hickey

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
At the wrong end of my 20's and most other things. Clinical pharmacist in a hospital to fund my coffee habit.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
I entered this last year; I'm a masochist.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
The weird looks you get for brewing coffee with something that looks like it belongs in a sex shop.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Is This It?

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Roasters for hands so that the term hand-roasted could make sense for once.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Rwanda is producing increasingly ridiculous coffees year on year and is on the up after a pretty devastating history, definitely on the list.

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Pink to make the boys wink.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring
Elon Musk's gas little submarine yoke, and a shotgun and shells for when it inevitably goes wrong.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Ninety percent Boojum

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Rapih - Mango x Mathman

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A wagyu cow because I'm fierce tender.

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
I don't know what a tracker mortgage is.


Marcin Kotwicki

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
I’m a busy man. Barista, Chef, Sommelier, Competitor and Human Being,

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
Few Times ;)

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
Weight

4) What would your autobiography be called?
The man of many faces.

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
To Caffeinate everybody.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Kenya - with no reason.

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Gorm of course :)

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
Aladdin’s Lamp, Gold Fish and Jesus who turn water in to Wine and get food from nowhere :P

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Stubborn, Open-minded, Helpfull

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Walking on the Moon

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Cat, that is obvious.

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
póg mo thóin :D I will keep that in secret :)


Robyn Butler

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1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
Hi, my name is Robyn and I’ve been working in 3fe for around 4 years.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
I’ve been in a few informal latte art competitions etc. and I’ve judged both the Irish and the World aeropress championship, but this is my first foray into aeropress as a competitor.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
It’s versatility

4) What would your autobiography be called?
‘I can’t tell if she’s being sarcastic... The Robyn Butler story’

5) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - if I were a robot the aeropress would be my arm.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Kenya

7) You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Cappuccino brown 🙃

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
I’d have to bring a lot of sunscreen, a coconut piano, drinks 🍹

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Live laugh love

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Hit me with your best shot by Pat Benatar

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I’d be a cat because I just really relate to their energy.

12) A fact about yourself that you're embarrassed to admit to a room of new people.
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