1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
Hi I’m Stephen Houston, I’m 33 years old and I’m the Head Roaster at Bailies Coffee Roasters based in Belfast.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
Yes I've done brewers cup 4 times, cup tasters 3 times, UK and World batch brewers cup, Barista League, UK roasting championships and Irish Aeropress last year.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
It's adaptability, easy to use and great for travelling.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
‘Crushed it’

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film?
Christian Bale

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Costa Rica, the coffees we have bought over the last few years are amazing, I used them in brewers last year and would love to see where they are produced.

7) Any hidden talents?
Not that I'm aware of!

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
My wife, my phone, all the pizza in the world.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Obsessive, passionate, dedicated

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
‘So Fresh and so Clean’ – Outkast

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A shark, I can’t swim backwards and never take a rest.

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
I had actually applied for a roastery assistant job merely because I wanted a new job, it sounded better than working in retail and was going to able to drive a forklift, within a few weeks I realised it was so much more and have been obsessed with it ever since.

Probably wishing that I worked in the coffee industry.

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
Getting to make my first origin trip to Colombia this month.

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Roast level sight, ability to tell roast level just by looking at it!

1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
Gary Hollywood, Working for Bewley’s for almost 10 years. 2 beautiful boys at home!

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
Yes, I’ve entered cup tasters several times, Liberties brewers twice, (2^nd place this year), Aeropress 2^nd time, Winner 2016 Aeropress championships.

Representing Ireland in the coffee Mecca of Europe that is… Abbey Street…

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
That my 7 year old knows how to make my coffee with it…

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Partly True Hollywood Stories

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film
Owen Wilson, Funny and Eye Candy

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why
Nicaragua, To Visit the farm we’re partnered with in Soppexca

7) Any hidden talents?
It’s no secret that I play guitar, badly, that’s why I hide it….

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
A Raft, My Guitar… And My Wife, cos why suffer alone?

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Really Bad at Counting

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
SuperHero – Janes Addiction

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A Panda because, why the hell not

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
Necessity drew me to Hospitality, Working through college. Bewley’s Made me passionate about coffee. If I wasn’t in the coffee industry, I would be doing a job I didn’t like for sure

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
it was the Colombia Geisha that Wojciech used for WBC this year.

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Steam wand Fingers, could prove hazardous though……

1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
25 year old barista leading a tumultuous existence through the world of coffee, bitter, acidic and sweet.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
I have indeed.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
Ahh my good friend AeroPress, I really wouldn’t know where to start, the shear versatility maybe?

4) What would your autobiography be called?
‘Nope, you can’t have sugar with that brew’ Binchy’s Barista Life

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film?
Matt Damon

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Ethiopia. The history of coffee fascinates me and the birthplace of the very bean we consume is all the reason. The country is said to be stunning too and I’ve had some cracking coffee’s from Ethiopia the past year.

7) Any hidden talents?
I’m afraid not.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
Boombox, Pet Sounds, Water

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Pretty poorly persistent

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

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Dog. Yes I realise it’s a cliché but they’re the best and have constant contact with humans so if I were turned into a dog in an instant I could still live a relatively human life.

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
I had a brew in Coffeangel about 8 years ago that blew my mind. I hadn’t realised coffee could be like that, sweet and complex. I yearned to be able to learn how to make that brew and my love for coffee bloomed. And If I wasn’t in coffee I don’t know what I’d be doing, potentially sucking pints on social welfare.

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
The Barn in Berlin (for a cuppa) and the buzz with the people of both speciality places I’ve worked so far, it’s a great industry full of lovely people!

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
A complex espresso machine built into the body of myself so that I could, on demand, pour myself a icup of sweet, juicy espresso.

1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
Hi I’m Zuzana, I’m from Slovakia, I work like a barista around 3 years, since 2018 like a barista for Gather&Gather.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
No, first time!

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
So many different possibilities how to brew coffee and of course fits in the handbag.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Are you ducking kidding me?

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film?
Rebel Wilson

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why
Kenya, because safari.

7) Any hidden talents?
Finding cheap flight tickets

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
My husband, sunglasses and cheese crackers.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Witty, passionate, moody

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Blondie- one way or another

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Cat, because they are so cute.

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
I was surrounded by baristas, so I had no other choice. But maybe I would be a croupier in casino.

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
I’ve had so many nice coffees, but coffee from La Cumbre farm(Costa Rica, 3fe) I can drink in the middle of the night.

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
That my coffee mug would never be empty

1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
I’m 28 and from Dublin. Iv been working in the coffee industry for 6 years. I am currently working for Two Beans in Dun Laoghaire and this will be my 2nd Aeropress Competition.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
This will be my 6th competition.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
It has to be its versatility. There’s really no correct way to make coffee with the Aeropress.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Things You Shouldn’t Do

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film?
Zach Galifianakis

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Hawaii. Sitting on the beach with a beer minutes after picking your cherries sounds good to me.

7) Any hidden talents?
Not really but I can juggle.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring
Cold Brew, Sun bed and Sun Cream.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Ambitious, Funny and Perfectionist

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
The Less I Know The Better - Tame Impala

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A monkey as I’m a quick learner and a bitta craic.

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
Started off as a student job that evolved into a passion. If not in the coffee industry, I’d definitely be bored sitting behind a desk in some office.

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
Smashing my glass server while pressing my AeroPress in last years competition. Not my best experience but definitely most interesting.

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
TDS vision

1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
I'm Alexander and a coffee lover from Cork.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
I have entred a few competitions such as The Liberties Brewers Cup Vol.2,Cork Regional Aeropress and The Limerick Aeropress. Now it is time to enter my first national competition looking forward to the experience.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
It is the prefect travel brewing device. It is almost indestructible still haven't broken mine from lugging it around on my travels . You get a relatively could brew easily with all different grind sizes.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
The Life And Crimes Of Me.

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film?
Sacha Baron Cohen

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Uganda- I am loving the new lots coming from there.They have a really interesting taste profile .

7) Any hidden talents?
Not that I know of or I shouldn't say . They are better of remaining hidden.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
Endless supply of purified water, food and my AeroPress

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Passionate, grafter and a chatter box

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Cake-The Distance

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Duck Billed Platypus- It's an interesting animal a cross between two animals.

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
Not working in the coffee industry at the moment. Always looking for a job . If I wasn't in coffee I would be a sourdough baker or a bicycle mechanic.

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
Drinking Gardelli coffee in Kaffee Alchemie in Salzburg for the first time ever . That was a memorable experience and also one of my favorite cafes ever.

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
The ability to roast coffee perfectly blonde and highlight all the best characteristics/flavors of that coffee.

1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
I’m a brazilian guy who moved to Dublin just a few months ago. Not much to say since everything in my life is changing rapidly since I moved here, if I have to say anything about me is that there is two things that keeps me alive and it is like the air I breath: Coffee and Photography. Like every good brazilian, coffee is in my life since little, I remember my grandmother telling me how to brew the very best brazilian coffee with just a flannel dripper coffee maker. Best coffee ever

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
I lost the deadline for the 2018 brazilian Aeropress championship but I couldn’t lose the gig.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
I first came into AeroPress because of its short brewing time and how portable it is

4) What would your autobiography be called?
“Just chill, mate”

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film?
Only one actor would be able to represent me: Will Smith. Unfortunately I am not even a bit fun or good looking like this guy.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Since I’m from Brazil and I already know one or two coffee farms, it would have to be Ethiopia, the birth place of coffee, imagine the magic around this place when it comes to coffee beans.

7) Any hidden talents?
Can quote almost every vines

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?Bottle of water, sunscreen and sunglasses.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Tired. Unbothered. Distracted.

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Eu Bebo Sim - Elizeth Cardoso

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Probably a dog or a cat, most likely a dog. The sense of wellbeing and comfort they provide for people is really something admirable.

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
Coffee provides energy to people. Coffee can warm you in a cold day or cool down in a hot day. People usually are happy around coffee. If you have coffee you have courage to endure the day. If I’m not with a cup of coffee than it is a camera in my hands. When everything gets crazy I manage to have both, one in each hand.

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
To see someone smiling after tasting a cup of coffee brewed by me. It is always a warming experience.

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
To transform water into coffee 🤷🏾‍♂️

1) Briefly tell us about yourself.
My name is Rowan, Im from Navan. Love an auld cup of coffee, so much I decided to enter this competition.

2) Have you ever entered a coffee competition before?
No, this is my first so we'll see how it goes.

3) What is your favourite thing about the AeroPress?
It makes a great cup of coffee and is very easy to keep the brews consistent , also it more or less cleans itself ..whats not to love.

4) What would your autobiography be called?
Shoulda Coulda Woulda

5) And who would play you when said autobiography is made into a film?
Mark Wahlberg.

6) What coffee producing country would you most like to visit and why?
Thats a tough one.

7) Any hidden talents?
None.

8) If you were trapped on a desert island, what 3 things would you bring?
A solar powered camper van, loads of water and a fishing rod.

9) Describe yourself in 3 words.
Happy go lucky.

10) Name of a song that best describes your coffee skills.
Evan finds the third room - Khruagbin

11) If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Id be some kind of monkey cause they just hang around all day eating bananas.

12) What first drew you to working in the coffee industry and if you weren’t working in the coffee industry, what would you be doing?
I'm a civil servant.

13) Whats the best coffee experience you've had to date?
The first time I had a naturally processed coffee about 6 or 7 years ago, I didnt know coffee could taste like that.

14) If you could have any coffee superpower, what would it be?
Do brew ratios in my head.