Champion's Choice: Carlos Escobar, 2025 Colombian Brewer's Cup Champion
Last month Carlos Escobar, founder of Differente Coffee, won the 2025 Colombian Brewer’s Cup championship. Carlos previously won the 2021 Australian Brewer’s Cup championship and finished 4th at the World Brewer’s Cup championship that same year.
This time around, we proudly supported Carlos with APAX LAB for his brewing water and he shares with us why the mineral concentrates have had a pivotal role in his success.
Why did you choose APAX LAB to make your water for the competition?
In one word: SIMPLICITY. We've experimented with water for quite some time, but the process has always been complex, time-consuming, and difficult to replicate consistently. APAX LAB solves this problem by providing the precise minor adjustments every competitor seeks, allowing us to refine subtle aspects of the cup without jeopardising the hard work completed in previous tests.
I used a Sidra Natural with Thermoshock from Finca Las Flores for the coffee. It had an incredible red fruit profile and intense acidity that required careful management. I was able to achieve the perfect cup balance using APAX LAB.
In what ways did the mineral concentrates help you win the competition?
From the first round to the finals, changes in coffee or roast selections are inevitable. The ability to exactly replicate the water used the previous day and make small adjustments to either recreate the profile or enhance it has never been easier. APAX LAB provides replicability and consistency during the most stressful parts of the competition — the dialling process right before it's time to compete!
What is your favourite APAX LAB profile?
I love JAMM because it effortlessly balances acidity while enhancing sweetness. It enables me to grind coarsely, achieving fantastic texture and flavour clarity, and compensates for this with added body.
Finally, what was your winning water recipe with APAX LAB?
My water recipe was:
135ppm water - 1L of water
TONIK [1] - 0.5g
JAMM [2] - 2.5g
LYLAC [3] - 1.5g