Champion's Choice: Allen Chen, 2025 Taiwan Brewers Cup winner

Allen Chen recently took first place in Taiwan's Brewers Cup championship brewing a special process from Ninety Plus Geisha Estate and using APAX LAB to make his water.

Why did you choose APAX LAB to make your water for the competition?

We have tried different brands of concentrated minerals, each with its own pros and cons. After cupping our coffees for the competition and finalising our brewing method, we started experimenting with APAX LAB using various blends. The flexibility of APAX LAB allowed us to create the ideal water profile for this specially processed coffee, enhancing its sweetness and delicacy.

At the beginning of our preparation, we conducted numerous experiments with every detail for the competition, including filter paper, drippers, and, of course, the roast level of the coffee. However, just a week before the competition, we still felt the coffee wasn’t in the best condition to win. APAX LAB helped to improve the mouthfeel by reducing astringency and enhancing sweetness. This contributed significantly to achieving the best possible cup in my experience!

What is your favourite APAX LAB profile?

Initially, since the coffee I used in the competition had high acidity, I thought JAMM [2] would be the best profile to use. However, after adjusting the roasting level, I found that LYLAC [3] improved the mouthfeel more effectively.

Finally, what was your winning water recipe with APAX LAB? And what coffee did you use it with?

My winning water recipe was 1:2:4 / 60ppm. The coffee I used was a special process from Ninety Plus Geisha Estate. Both the water profile and the coffee contributed significantly to achieving a highly balanced cup.

Anything else you would like to add?

Feel free to experiment with different combinations of water profiles and coffees —this is how we enjoy coffee and discover its fascinating complexities!

And everyone is welcome to visit our coffee shop, Peace and Love Cafe, in Yilan, Taiwan!