The aroma of fresh grinds filled the air as 60 home enthusiasts and pro baristas gathered at a Jubilee Hills cafe on Sunday to test their brewing limits. What unfolded was less a rigid contest and more a snapshot of a city steadily leaning into the craft of specialty coffee. Though organiser Paul Manoharan kept the initial focus on the craft, the stakes naturally heightened as the Hyderabad chapter of the Indian Aeropress Championship concluded with a thrilling showcase of skill.
When I was in 2nd grade, my father introduced me to coffee, and that’s how I fell in love with the art of coffee making. Each round lasts five minutes, and I also brew at home using the same machine
– Aahid Mohammed Mohiuddin, an 11-year-old participant
From hobby brewers to professional circuitsContestants raced against the clock, fine-tuning their ratios, water temperatures, and plunge times to extract the ultimate cup, turning a simple brewing method into a masterclass of technique. The event drew families, including parents watching their children step into competitive brewing for the first time, underscoring how specialty coffee culture is now spanning generations.
‘Hyderabad has an active coffee community compared to other cities’Paresh Gehi, founder of coffee consulting firm and one of the judges, said the shift towards passion-driven participation is now unmistakable. “Every year I see more home brewers stepping into the spotlight. The emphasis is clearly shifting towards flavour, which makes judging increasingly challenging because everyone is performing at such a high level,” he said. In the audience, 52-year-old coffee enthusiast Prerna Bhattacharya eagerly cheered on her son as he competed for the first time. “He introduce me to specialty coffee; now, our roles have quietly reversed,” she says, adding, “It’s great to see upcoming baristas and coffee enthusiasts get a platform to showcase their skills, exchange notes, and really understand what goes into a world-class brew.”
