The Indianapolis-based espresso professional used a yeast-inoculated SL28 from Colombia to earn the title, advancing to the world competitors in Could.
BY CHRIS RYAN
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Images courtesy of Crew Indy
When Justin Bull got down to compete within the Brewers Cup occasion within the U.S. Espresso Championships in 2023, he needed to characterize not simply Helm Espresso—the roasting firm the place he works as lead roaster—but additionally the tight-knit Indianapolis espresso group.
His preliminary Brewers Cup run was profitable, as he positioned properly sufficient within the qualifier to earn his solution to nationals, the place he positioned ninth on the 2023 U.S. Brewers Cup. In 2024, although, Justin positioned twenty first at qualifiers—one place shy of returning to the nationwide competitors, which means he can be watching from afar.
“That was one of many issues fueling me this 12 months,” Justin says. “I knew I may do higher. I labored diligently on each obligatory service, alongside the espresso and accuracy parts of my open service.”
The additional work paid off for Justin: After inserting sixth at a qualifying occasion to earn his solution to the 2025 U.S. Brewers Cup, which occurred Feb. 20-23 in Durham, N.C., he shined on the massive stage, incomes first place and the title of 2025 U.S. Brewers Cup Champion. He’ll now advance to the World Brewers Cup, happening Could 15-17 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
We talked to Justin about getting ready this 12 months’s routine, his expertise on stage, and rather more.
Chris Ryan: This was your third 12 months competing in Brewers Cup; why did you determine to compete initially, and why have you ever continued to do it?
Justin Bull: I’ve all the time had a aggressive spirit: I ran cross nation, used to compete in karate tournaments, and raced in downhill skateboarding occasions. I began competing as a result of I needed to push myself. I needed to enhance as a barista. I needed to enhance my palate, my capability to dial in, and higher perceive brew higher espresso. Competitors was a method to an finish for that, and one of many few methods to perform that with out going out and getting my Q certification.
I additionally particularly did Brewers Cup as a result of, at Helm, we spend fairly a little bit of our give attention to filter espresso and pourovers, so it suits with our ethos as a store and roaster. It’s the place I get to discover the technical facet of espresso brewing, and my ardour really is for filter expressions of gorgeous coffees.
Are you able to describe your 2025 espresso and why you selected it?
Completely! I used a yeast-inoculated pure SL28 from Edinson Argote in Colombia. I sourced this espresso by means of Juan Diaz of Know The place Espresso. Edinson was a brand new producer to me this 12 months, however instantly the espresso jumped out on the cupping desk: fantastic taste depth, stunning crimson fruit notes, a candy, candy-like presentation, alongside delicate and fleeting purple florals.
The espresso was chosen for a number of causes: The U.S., in my expertise, values that taste depth, and it was a espresso I may hold clear by means of brewing selections and roast decisions. It maintained good taste separation and was a dynamic cup, with complexity and cup profile modifications because the espresso cooled.
What brewing technique did you employ?
For brewing, I used the Hario Change together with Sibarist B3 Hybrid filters. I used a hybrid strategy, selecting to focus on the cup’s vibrant acidity utilizing percolation within the first pour, and following that up with a steep to seize sweetness and supply mouthfeel and stability, and an added filtration stage by permitting the fines to decide on high of the espresso mattress, cleansing up the completed cup.
The B3 filters are my private favourite from Sibarist. They nonetheless draw down shortly—my brew time was 2:25. However, in addition they have extra floor space than the quick filters, permitting for a cleaner presentation and elevated taste readability in my expertise. My brewing selections had been all about greatest highlighting Edison’s processing selections to provide the very best model of this SL28 that I may.
You additionally altered your water to enhance the brew, proper?
Sure, the ultimate variable was water, and I used Apax Lab this 12 months. It’s a dropper-based system that permits me to dial in post-brewing, which means I may re-mineralize every particular person cup making taste selections on the fly, which allowed me to get away from my very numbers-based fashion from years earlier. I used to be in a position to care extra about how the ultimate cup tasted than the exact ppm and ratio of minerals. After I arrived on a remaining mineralization, I simply scaled it to a full kettle.
What was the expertise like for you thru finals? Was the expertise a lot totally different out of your first two forays into competitors?
Finals was a deal with—I had already made the highest six. That was my purpose this 12 months, and something extra was simply an added bonus. We had unimaginable sponsors this 12 months with Weber Workshops and Empirical Water. It’s a pleasure to go up there and do what I get to do each day on the store, dial in fantastic espresso. All the time a bit nerve-wracking, however I practiced and improved immensely from final 12 months. I closed out the present—the final finals routine. I’ll be trustworthy: It was a beautiful day in Durham, and I spent the hour main as much as my routine exterior, clearing my head and ensuring I had taste calls no less than partially memorized.
I’ve to shout out Molly Lumnitzer, Hugo Cano, Jessa Dressel, and Josh Clements, the group of people that helped me do that. We had been ready this 12 months, we had an concept of what we thought may win, and I had a routine and low I believed in. You be taught a lot each single 12 months, so this felt like one other development of all the numerous hours of labor during the last two seasons.
And what was the expertise like to really win?
Profitable is surreal—(throughout) the countdown, you’re up there simply ready, making an attempt to not make eye contact with anybody. A bit of flutter at fourth place, after they known as Josh from Amberson Espresso, additionally in Indianapolis. When it was all the way down to myself and Christian (Bak of Be Vibrant Espresso), you simply needed to stand there and take it in—happy with the individual subsequent to you, happy with your self, and proud to have the ability to showcase a espresso like Edinson’s on stage. The espresso group right here is so genuinely unimaginable, and I simply admire the entire love and assist.
You’ll now characterize the U.S. on the World Brewers Cup in Jakarta in Could. How are you feeling about that thus far?
I will probably be! I’m extraordinarily excited, and I might be remiss to say that I wasn’t initially overwhelmed. However once more, I’ve to present credit score to the unimaginable group I’ve alongside me along with the fantastic group past. We’ve got such a wealthy competitors group, and the outpouring of assist has been so appreciated. To have former champions, rivals, and so many others prepared to assist, their palates, and their data—once more, I’m so extremely grateful and honored to characterize this group on the world stage.
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