The World AeroPress Championships: Jaykrut Shah

Representing India in the World AeroPress Championship is Jaykrut Shah. He won the heats in Mumbai and then the overall Indian AeroPress Championship; he currently works for Coffee by Di Bella as a barista and trainer and is very enthusiastic about the coffee world. You can follow his AeroPress journey here: @baristakrut

Why did you choose to enter the AeroPress Championship?

I entered the competition to prove a point. I was immensely motivated by Mr Rahul Leekha who has been my biggest support in this industry. I think the AeroPress Championship is incredibly forgiving and doesn’t require a ton of skill, which sounds bad, but I mean it’s approachable and literally anyone can do it. What I love is that it’s also great from a spectator standpoint. There’s no talking, no presentation, just brew it and get out the way.

What’s your favourite way to make coffee (other than AeroPress of course!)?

My favourite way to brew coffee is a pour over. I find brewing a pour over very relaxing. The pour over coffee method allows for a very robust extraction because the water is pre-heated to the correct temperature, which creates a bold, well extracted coffee, without the cleanup required with some other coffee-making options.

What led you to using the AeroPress?

The AeroPress literally works everywhere and is extremely difficult to break or crack. AeroPress is more travel-ready than almost any other brewer, you can use it on a backpacking trip, you can use it at 30,000 feet on an airplane, you can even use it in space. Yes, I carry an AeroPress everywhere I travel!

Which grinder will you use for the competition and why?

I'll be using a HARIO Mini Mill Grinder. Why? because brewing an AeroPress is all about its simplicity to brew a cup of coffee. You have to enjoy the process. Manually grinding your coffee allows you to appreciate the process of brewing coffee.

How did you get in to the coffee industry?

I went from from being a home brewer to being a coffee consultant and trainer at local cafés and restaurants all over Mumbai, training the local baristas. Post completing my Hospitality Management degree at IHM MUMBAI, I was given a break into this industry by Mr Rahul Leekha and started working with Coffee By Di Bella as a Barista Trainer, where I have been innovating new coffee-based drinks and maintaining the quality of the coffee. I train baristas here and my main aim is to create the next World Barista Champion from India.

What are you most excited about in coffee?

Innovation, creativity, and uniqueness are the exciting parts. I want to change the way we drink coffee in India by making alternative brewing methods like AeroPress and pour over popular here. I feel that the coffee industry in India is growing and now there are more options available for the tea drinking market in India.