Brewers Cup really came about in my mind when I had the opportunity to taste Elika Liftee's coffee at Worlds 2022. I've always been interested in the art of brewing coffee; I drink a lot more brewed coffee than anything else, really. When I tasted Elika's blend, I was blown away by what he was able to achieve with a cup of coffee–which sounds really cliche, but it was super lovely. Hearing about all these amazing coffees coming to the competition stage has been really eye-opening, and our Head Roaster getting involved in Brewers Judging also inspired me to get involved.

With this blend, I really want to highlight and celebrate producer-lead innovation. I am hopeful that this coffee, and the journey that this coffee had, represents a future where baristas, roasters, and producers are in a constant state of collaboration.

It's definitely an exciting year for competition! I was previously on the competition strategic committee at the world-level and was part of the committee when we approved the use of co-fermented coffees. With that now a possibility for everyone, it's really exciting to explore and showcase some beautiful coffees that I've had the privilege of encountering through Black & White. With so many of these producer-driven innovations, it's made me think about all that is possible for coffee and that's a big inspiration for this routine and re-entering the competition field.