At APAX LAB, we love celebrating baristas and brewers who push coffee forward through curiosity, discipline, and intention. This month, we’re proud to welcome Wernels Aguilar, the newly crowned Honduras AeroPress Champion, to the Hall of Fame.
Wernels’ approach reflects what AeroPress competition is all about: creativity, precision, and making every variable count. From thoughtful brewing mechanics to a highly intentional water recipe using APAX LAB, his winning performance showed how small details can create a truly memorable cup.
We sat down with Wernels to learn more about his journey, his recipe, and how water helped power his win.
1. Tell us more about the AeroPress Championship. What makes this competition special to you and why did you decide to compete this year?
The AeroPress National Championship in Honduras is a competition that truly celebrates creativity and precision in equal measure. What makes it special is that there's no single "right" answer. Every competitor brings their own approach to the same brewing method, and that diversity of ideas is what makes it exciting.
I decided to compete this year because I felt I had grown enough in my understanding of extraction and water chemistry to put together something intentional and complete. It felt like the right moment to test everything I'd been working on.
2. Water quality is crucial in brewing. How did it impact your approach to the competition?
Water was probably the most deliberate variable in my entire routine. I've always known that water affects flavour, but it wasn't until I started working with mineral concentrates that I truly understood how much control you can have over the final cup.
For this competition, I designed my water specifically to complement the coffee's natural characteristics: enhancing sweetness and clarity without masking anything. Getting the water right gave me confidence in every other step of the process.
3. How did you first hear about APAX LAB, and what made you choose our products to craft your competition water?
I first came across APAX LAB through the World Brewing Championships; seeing the brand behind so many top-level champions made me really curious.
As I started researching water for coffee more seriously, APAX LAB kept coming up as a trusted reference. What ultimately convinced me was the philosophy behind the product: it's not just about adjusting numbers, it's about having a precise condiment that lets you actively shape the clarity, sweetness, and balance of every cup.
For a competition setting, that's exactly what you need.
4. In what ways did the mineral concentrates help you achieve the best expression of your coffee and contribute to your win?
They allowed me to build my water intentionally rather than leaving anything to chance.
Each concentrate played a very clear role in the cup:
LYLAC refined the texture and extended the finish, giving it elegance and a long clean aftertaste.
JAMM added roundness and accentuated the sweetness and creamy mouthfeel.
TONIK brought that crisp, juicy brightness that gave the coffee life and clarity.
Together they created a balanced cup where the Honduran Parainema could express itself at its very best.
5. Which APAX LAB profile is your favourite, and why?
If I had to choose one, I'd go with LYLAC. There's something very special about what it does to the texture and the finish, that silky feeling and long, clean aftertaste it leaves behind is hard to achieve any other way.
But honestly, the magic is in the combination. LYLAC, JAMM and TONIK complement each other perfectly: each one contributes something different, and when you balance them well, the result is a cup that feels complete in every sense.
6. What coffee did you choose for your competition routine, and why was it the perfect fit for your approach?
I used a Honduran coffee, most likely a Parainema variety.
I chose it because Parainema tends to have a distinctive profile: structured, with good clarity and a natural sweetness that holds up well under different brewing variables.
I wanted a coffee that would respond well to my water recipe and reward precision, and this one delivered exactly that. It also felt meaningful to compete with a Honduran coffee on Honduran soil.
7. What was your winning water recipe with APAX LAB, and how did it influence the final cup?
I worked with 500 mL of base water, adding:
- 14 drops of LYLAC
- 5 drops of JAMM
- 2 drops of TONIK
This reached approximately 100 ppm.
LYLAC gave the cup its silky texture and extended finish. JAMM brought body and lingering sweetness. TONIK was the final touch that opened up acidity while adding brightness and clarity.
On the brewing side:
- 20 g coffee
- Comandante at 24 clicks
- 100 mL in 15 seconds
- 10 seconds agitation
- 1 minute 40 second draw-down
- Diluted with 85 mL at 94°C
The water crafted with APAX LAB was the thread that tied everything together. Without it, the recipe wouldn't have had the same result.
8. What is your motto or favourite quote when it comes to coffee competitions?
"Control what you can, trust what you've prepared."
Competitions have a lot of moving parts and it's easy to get caught up in anxiety. What keeps me grounded is knowing I've been intentional about every variable, including the water.
When you've done the work, you can focus on the moment.
9. For those new to crafting their own water for filter coffee, what advice would you give them?
First, understand that water isn't just the vehicle, it's an active part of the flavour.
Different minerals do very different things in the cup: some open up acidity and add brightness, others bring body and sweetness, others refine texture and finish.
Once you understand those roles, everything becomes much more intuitive.
My practical advice: start simple, brew the same coffee with different profiles, and trust your palate.
APAX LAB is a great entry point because it lets you experiment with precision without needing deep knowledge of chemistry: it works like a condiment, and that makes it very accessible from day one.
Final Thoughts
Wernels’ win is another reminder that great coffee is built through intention. From choosing a local Parainema coffee to fine-tuning every drop of water, his routine showed that excellence often comes from mastering the smallest variables.
Congratulations again to Wernels Aguilar, Honduras AeroPress Champion. We’re proud to have APAX LAB as part of your journey.
