Q&A with Paulina Miczka - the 2017 World AeroPress Champion

AeroPrecipe: How did you get into coffee?

Paulina: I started working in a coffee business about 7 years ago back home in Poland. I was lucky enough to get my fist job in a cafe (called Kafo @kafo.kawiarnia) run by a polish cup tasting champion Pawel Siemaszko, who have introduced me into the speciality coffee world.

After a year me and my boyfriend, who was also working in that cafe, decided to move to London and learn even more.

A: What do you like the most about the AeroPress?

P: I like that the AeroPress gives you an ability of playing with different variables like brew time or different pressure.

A: What do you enjoy the most about the World AeroPress Championship (W.A.C) experience?

P: The best thing about the W.A.C. is meeting new people from all around the world. And the fact it's not such an intense competition like other coffee competitions. You don't have to spend a lot of money to compete, you just need a good AeroPress recipe and a bit of luck.

A: Your winning AeroPress recipe uses 35g of coffee - do you use that much coffee in competition only, or also day to day?

P: Yes 35g it's my day to day AeroPress recipe at the cafe I work. It's for 2 people though. If you want to make a bit less, use 24g of coffee for 100ml of water, and after pressing add around 120ml of water.

A: What coffee are you drinking today?

P: At the moment I'm enjoying Ethiopia Bolludo roasted by Artisan Roast.

A: What's your go-to AeroPrecipe these days?

P: It's still the same AeroPress recipe I used at the competition.

A: We visited Edinburgh a couple of years ago, it felt like the coffee scene was starting to come to life - how is it now?

P: Edinburgh coffee scene is quite big now, lots of great cafes with delicious coffee.

A: Tell us more about your new project - @pandapots!

P: Pandapots is my ceramic project I've started this year. It gives me a great joy to create beautiful things for people who share the same passion for a delicious coffee. After working so many years behind the bar I know exactly what are the best cups to drink coffee and tea from.

I believe that the right cup can make your coffee taste even better.

You can find me at @pandapots on Instagram.