Champion's Choice: Piotr Nowak, 2025 Polish Brewers Cup Winner
Precision, passion, and adaptability—these are the qualities that define exceptional coffee competitors, and Piotr Nowak, the 2025 Polish Brewers Cup Champion, embodies them all. With years of experience across a variety of competition stages, Piotr’s dedication to refining every detail of his routine led him to explore the power of custom water formulation with APAX LAB.
What makes the Brewers Cup special to you?
"I’ve always enjoyed competing and testing myself—and what better way to do that than in my favourite area: filter coffee. What began as a simple idea gradually evolved into something more—a way to constantly improve, learn, and offer the best coffee experience possible.
Over the years, this competition has become more than just a rivalry; it has helped me grow both as a professional and as a person. I’ve taken part in Polish Cup Tasters, Aeropress Championships, latte-art throwdowns, and even coached in Coffee in Good Spirits—but nothing compares to the thrill, growth, and joy of competing in Brewers Cup."
How did water quality influence your approach to the competition?
"Water and coffee have always felt like a ‘chicken or egg’ dilemma—what matters more? I’ve been building my own brewing water for years and quickly realised there is no universal recipe. Water must complement the coffee.
For this competition, I needed something that worked well, fast, and consistently—so I could focus on roasting, brewing, presentation, and sensory descriptors."
How did you first hear about APAX LAB, and what made you choose it?
"A friend told me about a café in Kraków using some sort of seasoning to enhance brewed coffee to suit the customer’s taste—something that really surprised me.
Soon after, another friend introduced me to APAX LAB drops. We scheduled some tests and the experience was intuitive, efficient, and the results spoke for themselves. Choosing APAX was an easy decision."
How did APAX LAB contribute to your success?
"I don’t like being wasteful, so testing dozens of different waters wasn’t appealing. With APAX LAB, we could adjust the water after brewing, allowing us to quickly explore different flavour profiles without wasting beans or time.
The coffee I used had intense acidity—I had aimed to highlight its fruitiness in the roast. Because of this, Tonik wasn’t heavily needed, but Jamm and Lylac really brought out the best of the coffee’s fruity and floral character."
Which APAX LAB profile is your favourite?
"I’m still fairly new to the world of APAX and all its possibilities, but if I had to choose… it’s LYLAC. I love the delicate floral character it enhances, especially in washed coffees."
What coffee did you use, and why was it the right choice?
"My goal was to find a coffee that was intense, complex, and easy to describe with accuracy. The Extended Carbonic Maceration Gesha from Paul Doyle’s Finca Mikava in Colombia was the perfect fit.
The results speak for themselves—I placed 1st, and Piotr Skarżyński, who also used a Mikava lot, placed 3rd. That says a lot about the quality and consistency of the coffee."
What was your winning water recipe using APAX LAB?
"For 880ml of distilled water, I used:
- 14 drops of JAMM
- 7 drops of LYLAC
- 1 drop of TONIK
This recipe enhanced the sweetness of red fruits and provided a rich black tea-like base, layered with brown spice complexity. The acidity was juicy and vibrant, yet balanced and never overpowering. Mission accomplished."
What advice would you give to someone new to crafting brewing water?
"Understand that there’s no single right answer. Explore, experiment, learn—and most of all, enjoy the ride!"