MILAN – Agnieszka Rojewska has been one of the absolute protagonist of the World of Coffee 2022: on the stage of the Championship in Milan organized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), she conquered the podium for the coffee in good spirits category (CIGS), confirming her skills – she has already distinguished herself as the first female world barista champion in 2018, and three-time Polish Barista Champion, four-time Polish Latte Art Champion, Coffee Masters Champion, World Latte Art Championship Finalist – when it comes to knowing how to manipulate coffee, enhancing all its nuances. The Polish competitor this time won thanks to coffee negroni, żubrówka sour with coffee and coffee mulled wine.
In the finals, in addition to Irish Coffee, she also had to prepare an original recepie, called Coffee Champagne, a drink carbonated with dry ice and clarified with milk. And not only that: she also won fourth place in the Cezve / Ibrik championship.
Rojewska: why did you decide to change category and try your hand at mixology?
“I’m kind of a person that doesn’t like to stop developing skills. Mixology is totally a new area, new skills, new flavors to explore. It is at the same time a challenge to improve, but also fun.”
Rojewska, could you tell more about what you felt in the moment they told you won, did you expect that?
“It’s hard to describe that precise feeling. It’s just pure happiness. You never expect to win. You just need to experience it to understand completely.”
At the World of Coffee you also decided to compete for the cevze ibrik (reaching the finals): what does this method represent for you?
“It is a very old and traditional method, I decided to compete with it because I wanted to get to know it better. Still have a lot to learn there.”
What convinced you most about your performance and what do you think brought you the first place?
“It is question that you should ask to the judges – Agnieszka Rojewska jokes – I just tried to make it a little fun for everybody to watch and experience.”
Was it different from the barista competition?
“Definetely the whole atmosphere – barista is much more serious, more focused on details – spirits make it more relaxed“.
And now for the next World Championships, what would you like to try your hand at?
“I would like to try brewers one day, and maybe go back to latte art, but I’m getting to old for this one. For this tecnique you need a good muscle memory, good strength, and a lot of practice. The older you get, the more difficult it is to train”.
Besides the competition stage, what are your next plans?
“I’m opening a roastery in south part of Poland together with small agrotouristic space there – but hopefully next year. It’s still a little bit of a secret. I can tell that the location will be in a small village in the south of Poland. There will be a coffee shop, a roastery and a small hotel – everything built around coffee.”
Rojewska, would you like to say something to those who are entering this world for the first time?
“I can only say: try it! Do it, because even if you don’t win, you will learn a lot and get to know new people.”
From Agnieszka Rojewska’s revelation on her instagram profile, we can share more details about coffees she used in CIGS:
spirit bar and cold designer cocktail (preliminary)
Sudan Rume Natural – roasted by @standoutcoffee produced by @cafegranjalaesperanza.
warm cocktail (preliminary) and designer cocktail (final)
Panama Geisha – roasted by @coffeacirculor and produced by @altieri.coffee and @coffeacirculor
Irish coffee (final)
Pacamara XO roasted by @standoutcoffee produced by @cafegranjalaesperanza
And for the other discipline, Cezve/Ibryk
Mokka Natural roasted by @standoutcoffee produced by @cafegranjalaesperanza
