People from next door

World champion reveals the secret of good coffee

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Christian A. Pichler)

Martin Wölfl makes the best filter coffee in the world - he beat 41 competitors at the World Brewers Cup. He reveals to "Krone" what makes good coffee.

"Krone": Mr. Wölfl, how do you become world coffee champion?
Martin Wölfl: You need the best coffee, of course, preferably a completely new one, whether it's the growing region or the roast. My world champion coffee is made from coffee cherries from Alto Jaramillo in Colombia. The beans were transported to Panama overnight, disinfected, cooled and then fermented twice. The cherries are then dried at a low temperature in filtered air for 33 days. There were only three kilos of them in total. But the water, the filter paper and the cups also play a role.

How do you prepare for an event like this?
I hired a trainer from Germany and trained hard for about six months, including preparing for the presentation. You need an innovative concept and take acting lessons. We had our own tables made in our Wildkaffee store (7th, Hermanngasse 21), which can be adjusted in height to recreate the stage.

(Bild: Christian A.Pichler)

That sounds like a science in itself.
Yes, you have to be fully sensory on the day of the competition. The World Championships took place in Chicago, you have to be aware of the different air pressure. I didn't eat onions, peppers, meat or garlic, because during the presentation you have to describe the flavor compositions to the jury.

So every detail counts?
You can compare coffee making at this level to top-class sport, such as Formula 1. Anyone can drive a car, but the racing drivers pay attention to every detail. We do the same. The participants from Asian countries, for example, arrive with huge teams, including masseurs.

(Bild: Christian A.Pichler)

You have also won without a masseur.
Yes, although I wanted to stop last year. I only came second last at the World Championships. But then I thought to myself that I'd trained and invested too much to finish second last. So I carried on.

The filter coffee you brew can hardly be compared to that of your grandparents. What do you have to look out for?
Filter coffee is much better than its reputation. It's important to me to make Austrians aware of this again. The most important thing is the bean, good, freshly ground coffee. But also the mixing ratio - one gram of coffee to 16 milliliters of water. And don't bring it to the boil, but heat it to 93 degrees.

What do you think of coffee capsules?
It has opened many doors for producers, which is good. However, coffee should always be freshly ground, so they are inferior in terms of quality.

And how do you prefer to drink your coffee?
Filter coffee, black.