Guidelines and Rules

Presentation

This year the Swiss champion will have the chance to represent his country in Melbourne !!! and to export our know-how.

Come and enjoy !

Free beer will be offered to the participants during the event !
Hosted Mame Geneva the 2024 Swiss AeroPress Championship is the place to be.
Registration

Application deadline is August 14th, 2024. Don’t wait !

A maximum of 48 participants has been delimited in order to have a smooth competition with 3 rounds. First come first served. A waiting list will be created for those who are too late

Application fee for attending the competition is 60CHF. The payment of the fee must be done online. No refund will be provided in case of absence during the contest or registration cancelation after payment.
Visitors are most welcome to support free of charge (no entry fee for visitors but fun, beer, music, gin rock’n’roll and more !!). Of course, in case of cancellation coming from the authorities, we will refund ALL PARTICPANTS !
Once registered, you will be sent a confirmation email with the competition rules and other juicy details.

Event Format

  1. The competition is a multi-round, elimination tournament.
  2. In each round, two or more competitors will brew coffee simultaneously, using an AeroPress Coffee Maker. Maximum is 4 competitors per set.
  3. Competitors have five minutes for the complete process of preparing, brewing, and presenting their coffee.
  4. Post-brewing, the coffees are to be presented in identical vessels to a panel of judges.
  5. Judges will conduct a blind taste-based evaluation of each coffee, making a private assessment to determine the best brew.
  6. On a synchronised count of three, judges will simultaneously point to their preferred coffee.
  7. The winner of each round advances to the next stage, while the other competitors are eliminated.

Source : http://worldAeroPresschampionship.com/rules/

Brewer Specifications and Restrictions

  1. Competitors must use a genuine AeroPress Original or AeroPress Clear.
  2. All components of the AeroPress, including the chamber, plunger, and original filter cap, must be used.
  3. Other versions of AeroPress Coffee Makers, including but not limited to Go, XL, Premium, and the Flow Control Filter Cap, are not permitted in the competition.
  4. Competitors may use World AeroPress Championship-issued trophies, and custom-painted AeroPress brewers, provided they are made from an unaltered and genuine AeroPress Original or Clear.
  5. No other coffee brewer is permitted for use in any aspect of competition. This includes, but is not limited to, brewing methods such as French presses, pour-overs, zero bypass brewers, syphons, or any other alternative brewing devices.

Filter Use and Guidelines

  1. Any type or brand of filter is permissible, as long as it does not replace the AeroPress filter cap.
  2. Filters can be made of paper, metal, cloth, or any other material, provided it is neutral in taste and does not impart flavour to the brewed coffee.
  3. The filter must fit inside the filter cap when it is affixed to the chamber, and simultaneously be the primary mechanism by which the brewed coffee is filtered.

Brewing Accessories and Tools

  1. Accessories that aid in coffee brewing, such as grinders, kettles, decanters, scales, stirrers, spoons, timers, thermometers, brewer stands, sifters, air blowers, RDT (Ross Droplet Technique) tools, WDT (Weiss Distribution Technique) tools, chilling rocks (frosty balls), and water dispersion aids are allowed for use in competition.
  2. All accessories must comply with the rules specifically stipulated under “Brewer Specifications and Restrictions” and may not contravene any other rules of the competition.

Brewing Regulations

  1. Only ground coffee and water are permitted as ingredients.
  2. If hosts have specified and provided a competition coffee, it is the only coffee that may be used.
  3. If hosts have specified and provided a competition water, it is the only water that may be used.
  4. A maximum of 18g of ground coffee is allowed in each recipe.
  5. Competitors are required to prepare a minimum of 150g of brewed coffee.
  6. Competitors may add bypass water of any temperature to their brewed coffee.
  7. Brewed coffee not presented within the 5-minute time limit will not be evaluated.

Water Regulations

  1. Unless Hosts have specified and provided a competition water, competitors may bring their own water to use in their recipe.
  2. The water must taste “neutral” and not be noticeably sweetened or adulterated.
  3. The Head Judge reserves the right to taste the water and may disallow its use if deemed inappropriately sweetened.
  4. The use of ice in recipes and any temperature water for bypassing is permitted.
  5. The same standards applied to brewing water also apply to both ice and bypass water.

Judging Process

  1. Each round is judged using the blind cupping technique (spoon, slurp, spit).
  2. Competitors’ names and/or countries are marked on the underside of the cups to remain hidden.
  3. There is no formal scoresheet. Judges simply determine their preferred choice of coffee.
  4. Each judge arrives at their conclusion independently, without discussion with fellow judges
  5. On the count of three, judges point simultaneously, confidently, and definitively at their chosen cup.
  6. The MC reveals the round winner by lifting the winning cup.
  7. In case of a tie, with all judges pointing at different cups, a predetermined Head Judge will taste all samples and decide the winner. This decision is final.

Pre-Competition Preparation

Before stage time, competitors may preheat brewing water, sort through and pick coffee beans, weigh out coffee doses, assemble the brewer, and place the filter into the filter cap.

Set Up Time

  1. Once on stage, but before competition time starts, competitors will have a few minutes to get set up.
  2. Competitors may;
    1. Plug in kettle or any other equipment
    2. Set brewing equipment into place
    3. Pre-heat brewing water in kettle
    4. and anything else allowed under ‘Pre-Competition Preparation’
  3. Competitors may not:
    1. Rinse the filter
    2. Pre-heat/pre-chill brewers and vessels
    3. Add coffee to the grinder or grind the coffee

Competition Time

Within the 5 minutes of competition time, competitors must;

  1. Pre-heat or pre-chill brewer and vessels, if doing so
  2. Grind the coffee
  3. Prepare the recipe
  4. Pour all the brewed coffee into the judging vessel

 

Regional and National Competition Eligibility

  1. Competitors of any age are eligible to compete.
  2. Competitors are not required to hold a passport, citizenship, or permanent residence in the country in which they are competing. The organization only needs an address in Switzerland in order to send the first round coffees.
  3. Individuals employed in a management or leadership position within a Hosting Organisation may not compete in any event that organisation hosts. This comprises owners, managers, directors, executives, and senior staff.
    Chardonne, April 1st 2024
  4. Individuals with an ownership stake in a Hosting Organisation are not eligible to compete in any Regional or National competitions for any season in which their organisation is hosting an event.
  5. Employees, contractors, and freelancers who are significantly involved in competition operations, such as event coordinators, event managers, or direct contacts of the Organisers, are also not eligible to compete in any Regional or National competitions for any season in which their employer is hosting an event.

World Final Eligibility

  1. In the event where a National Champion is unable to travel, or unable to obtain a visa to travel to the World Final event, eligibility passes to the 2nd place winner of that national competition.
  2. If the 2nd place winner cannot attend, eligibility passes to the 3rd place winner.
  3. Eligibility does not pass any further than this, nor can it be transferred to any other person.
  4. Eligibility does not ‘roll over’ to any future seasons.

No Winner Able to Travel

  1. In the event that 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners are all unable to travel to the World Final event, the Host will award the National Champion a consolation cash prize.
  2. The prize must be equal to at least 50% of the estimated travel costs that would have been incurred for attending the World Final event. For example:
    Hotel accommodation – 3 nights @ $200/night = $600
    Travel – Return flights from Melbourne = $3,000
    Total = $3,600
    Cash prize @ 50% value = $1,800
  3. The value of the prize must be verified and approved by the World AeroPress Championship.
  4. The cash prize must be paid by cash or bank transfer, directly to the winner, within 7 days of the value being approved.
  5. This consolation prize is a last resort only. National Champions are expected to take part in the World Final, and Hosts are expected to send them there.

Procedure for Complaints and Disputes

  1. Any complaints or disputes at a Regional or National level should be directed to the Host of the event.
  2. If unresolved, or for complaints at the World Final level, a clear and succinct explanation of the issue should be sent to hello@aero.press.
  3. Complaints via social media comments or direct messages will not be addressed.

Judges

Three to six juges will be selected by the organisator for the 2024 Swiss AeroPress Championship. Judges will alternate in order to avoid any cupping saturation.

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