We continue with our puzzle to discover the official coffee machine for the 2015 WBC together with past Barista Champion.
Today it’s time to re-read what Raul Rodas (Guatemala) said the day after his victory in Vienna, at the World Barista Championship in 2012.
You are the second World Barista Champion from a producing country. Is this a signal that something is changing?
I think coffee industry is a world full of opportunities to change people’s lives, and that anyone can be a part of it. But I think it’s very important to realize that we have different markets, different coffees and different consumers. We need to take the lead and communicate the value of quality coffee, but without being selfish and thinking that there is just one type of quality.
What is your perception of the coffee industry?
Specialty coffee means a lot of things, and can be a lot of things. Personally, I think that it is a coffee that you make special and different just in the way of presenting it and keeping in mind that people work so hard to grow it and make it right. It makes it special that it has a certain quality and personality and focus, and it can represent a different experience to each person.
What are your ideas for promoting specialty coffee?
We can promote it with the producers, helping them understand that there is so much that we need to do to improve quality, and ask roasters to buy these coffee, and to do the best job of roasting it and brewing it.
At the WBC, you used 16 grams of coffee in the portafilter (lower than the standard weight). Why?
After a lot of experimenting, I determined that the basket created the best extraction at this weight, and also allowed the coffee to bloom better. Also, the roast was very light and the sugars caramelized better.
