You oughta know #40
In this issue: NZBC has a new champ! All Brews has a new champ! SL.OW has a newsletter.
Nau mai hoki mai - welcome back to You Oughta Know, your somewhat regular coffee news hit to the veins.
The sun is shining, the lawns are starting to need a weekly mow and the birds and doing weird things with bees - it must be spring. A new beginning for some, a new energy for others.
You Oughta Know is back and it’s time to get back into your hopefully more than somewhat regular coffee news.
In this issue of You Oughta Know: NZBC has a new champ! All Brews has an old champ! SL.OW has a substack!
Max Cui is your new 2024 NZ Barista Champion!
Max Cui, from Wellington’s Mojo - The Beanery, has just been crowned your NZ Barista Champion.
For those keeping score, that’s the second year in a row that the NZ Barista Champ has come from Wellington (last year’s champ was Honoka Kawashima from Frank’s). Add a 2021 champ to the mix (Luise Metelka from Flight), and the Wellington scene might not be as dead as some coffee hack said recently.
Max took out the championship, even though he lost a huge amount of points in his first round, thanks to going 40 seconds over his allotted time. He bounced back from that and pulled out a winning performance.
Max has already thrown himself head first into preparing for the World Champs, which don’t happen until October 2025 - some 12 months away. Over the weekend, Max flew up to Hamilton to chat to Grey Roasting Co’s roaster, Dove Chen (and 2017/19 NZ Barista Champ). Maybe the search for the winning bean is already underway? Buckle in for a wild ride.
Tauranga’s Matt Ross, featured by The Magic Roast (and an AI generated podcast) took out 5th place, locking down his reputation as one of Aotearoa’s most skilled and consistent baristas.
It’s been great watching Matt’s journey, progression and his infectious enthusiasm for coffee. The coffee scene in Tauranga is in safe hands with Matt Ross and Mt Zion Coffee pushing quality and innovation.
Competitors at next year’s NZBC are on notice, as Matt put on a show that was worthy of higher honors. The curious thing about the rules around barista champs is that points can be deducted over things that don’t reflect the skill or talent of the barista. You can be marked down heavily for things like not having equipment in the right the place at the right time. Seems overly harsh considering it doesn’t change the drink being made, and Matt’s total point score was a victim of this.
But I guess rules are rules - the coffee at Mt Zion is some of the best you’ll find across the motu, even if the ice isn’t in the right place…
Oisin wins back-to-back All Brews throwdowns
2024 saw the return of All Brews, and it saw the return of Oisin from Frank’s Coffee at the top of the podium.
Oisin brewed up a storm, pulling out the AeroPress in this all-brewers-welcome competition. For regulars of Frank’s Coffee on The Terrace, it’s no surprise that Oisin took out the top prize. He’s an incredible barista and always has a massive smile on his face.
For his troubles, Oisin took out a Moccamaster and a cash prize.
Oh, and I got second. I’m not sure how but I’ll get into that at a later time.
SL.OW has a Substack
Waikato based coffee roaster SL.OW coffee has killer coffee, and now also has a great weekly Substack.
Every Friday you’ll get a wee insight into coffee culture and what makes SL.OW tick.
It’s worth signing up and checking it out.
As they say, “the world moves fast. slow down.”
I cant believe theres a photo of a dog in this issue. Travesty of it all.
Oh and congrats on 2nd again.