Bregenzer Barista shines: Manuel wins the Coffee Championship 2024

<p> <strong> Bregenzer Barista shines: Manuel wins the Coffee Championship 2024 </strong> </p>

Coffee enjoyment has a new superstar in Vorarlberg: Manuel Kopper-Zisser from Bregenz has demonstrated his skills in Wels at this year's “Coffee Barista Championship 2024”. The 25-year-old Barista, who works in the "lust bar", was able to secure one of the first places in a top-class competitive environment, which is the highlight of his previous career.

Originally, Manuel comes from Bad Erlach in Lower Austria. Before he started the Bregenzer "Lust Bar" about seven months ago, he already gained valuable experience in the Trevo coffee roaster in Bezau and in the Café Deli in Mellau. There he developed his skills, which now benefited him in the prestigious competition, in which the best baristas in Austria compete against each other.

The key to victory

In the competition, Manuel impressed especially in the "Coffee in Good Spirits" category. The jury praised his talent: "Your creativity and your skills blew us at coffee cocktails," it said after the assessment. Despite a certain nervousness and the fact that he had to compete against the incumbent state champion, the victory was a big surprise for him because he had not expected this success.

The young Barista took part in a barista competition for the sixth time. He took his first steps in this world at the age of 18 when he took second place in 2019. In 2020 he became state champion in his category, at that time he was even the youngest in this discipline. After a year of break, he now returned, ready for the challenge. "Preparation means drinking a lot of coffee and working on new creations. I work closely with roasters to get the best out of the beans," he explains.

The winner cocktail "Liquid Germsknödel"

Manuel's winner cocktail, called "Liquid Germ dumplings", is based on a childhood memory and combines different flavors that are familiar to him. "I wanted to reproduce the aromas of my childhood," he explains. The cocktail consists of a special type of coffee with plum and milk chocolate notes, enriched with an poppy butter syrup. This combination draws inspiration from the popular Austrian dessert, the germ dumplings, and thus presents a nostalgic journey through the taste.

His certificate for first place will receive a place of honor in the "Lust Bar" in the future, while the trophy will be shipped to Bezau to appreciate the collaboration with Trevo. With his triumph in Wels, Manuel also qualified for the 2025 Barista World Cup in Geneva, which is an exciting way for him to represent Austria internationally.

As an additional incentive, Manuel's winning cocktail is recorded in the winter map of the "Lust Bar", so that coffee lovers and curious guests have the opportunity to try his masterpiece himself. "I look forward to inspiring people with my creations," says Manuel confidently. If you want to experience the master barista in action, you will soon have the opportunity.