In March 2016, anyone who could brew a cup of coffee with an AeroPress, water and coffee was invited to the Al Fahidi District in Dubai to give it a go.
That was the first UAE AeroPress Championship. Tomorrow it is the tenth, with 252 competitors from all seven emiratesand according to Garfield Kerr, CEO of Mokha 1450 CEO, far more applications than there was room for.
Ten editions felt like the right time to look back at who has held the trophy. Fun fact: amongst them was one had picked up an AeroPress only two weeks before the nationals. Any guesses?
How it started and grew
The World AeroPress Championship began in Oslo in 2008, at Tim Wendelboe's coffee bar, with three competitors, a small prize and cake at the end. By the 2025 season it had grown to 230 regional and national events across 70 countries, with more than 6,500 competitors.
Mokha 1450 organized the first national championship in 2016. The rules were simple: open it to anyone, give everyone the same device, and see who brews the best cup. The winner would be flown to the World AeroPress Championship in Ireland that June. Garfield Kerr said the team was very excited to organize the UAE's first national AeroPress competition.
The first big step came in 2018, when regional rounds ran in every emirate for the first time. Starting in Ajman, covering all the Emirates and ending with the finals at Mokha 1450 on Palm Jumeirah.
In 2019, DMCC Coffee Centre hosted the preliminary rounds of the fourth edition, and more than 700 people came to watch the event over two days. The finals for this year took place at the new Raw Coffee Company facility. DMCC hosted again in 2022 and has hosted every edition since, including this one.
The fifth edition went ahead in September 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, with safety protocols in place. In 2022, more than 430 people competed, and Tim Williams, the creator of the World AeroPress Championship, attended for the first time.
Garfield Kerr describes the championship as the largest coffee competition in the world by number of competitors, and Ahmed Bin Sulayem, DMCC Executive Chairman and CEO called the tenth edition a milestone to celebrate together.
A theme for every year
Source: UAE AeroPress Championship
Since 2023, each edition has had a theme of its own, and the themes show where the championship has been heading. The theme for 2023 was Artificial Intelligence where DMCC Gaming Centre ran unique activations alongside the competition.
The 2024 theme, Pressing Boundaries, was built on the idea that "pressure creates diamonds, great coffee, and champions". In 2025 the championship looked at the UAE's own coffee heritage. DMCC said the theme paid tribute to the country's identity as both a global trading nation and a centre of cultural hospitality, where traditional Arabic qahwa and third wave coffee coexist. Garfield Kerr described coffee as "a cultural cornerstone" in the UAE, with households keeping closely guarded qahwa recipes that are passed down through generations.
This year: United and Strong
The tenth edition's theme celebrates the UAE's diverse and growing coffee community and the way coffee brings people, cultures and communities together.
The line-up shows the theme in practice: 252 competitors from all seven emirates, 36 from each, with the top three from every emirate going through to a final of 21. Neil Golez, last year's champion, told Qahwa World that the UAE's coffee community brings together people from all over the world, each with their own traditions, ideas and methods, and that this mix creates energy where collaboration and creativity thrive.
Stories behind the trophies
Here is every champion of the UAE AeroPress Championship, from the first edition to the tenth.
Grant Studer, 2016
Grant won the inaugural championship, held in the Al Fahidi District, and became the first UAE AeroPress champion.
Kathryn "Theng" Santiago, 2017
From Valenzuela City, Theng represented Chemex Lab and had earlier experience at Yamanote Atelier. She won the second edition and represented the UAE at the World AeroPress Championship in Seoul.
Her motto: "When you dream all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it."
Earven Air Marabiles, 2018
Originally from the Philippines and working in Dubai with Emirati Coffee, Earven took gold at the 2018 final. It was his first competition of its kind.
He told Best Coffee that "our boss always encourages us to participate in such competitions,” to build confidence and sharpen their skills. He had worked in a well known coffee shop in the Philippines, and a specialty café in Dubai made him fall in love with the craft.
He chose a Comandante grinder and liked the AeroPress because he could play with different parameters. He then flew to Sydney to represent the UAE at the World AeroPress Championship.
Ruan Zhumazhanov, 2019
Ruan won the fourth edition but visa complications meant he could not travel to London for the world final, so Sara Alkhoori, who had won the Abu Dhabi regional round, represented the UAE.
Barista Magazine reported that she travelled at short notice, had no time to practise, and still reached the preliminary finals.
Mohamed Alameeri, 2021
The first Emirati to win this championship, and today the founder and head roaster of Palate Coffee Roastery.
He started brewing coffee at home because he could not find the same quality brewed in coffee shops.
In a Qahwa World interview, he said winning made him proud to show that Emiratis can compete and win, and left him with a duty to share what he knows.
The win lifted his confidence and led to training courses, workshops and work with government entities, and he became the first Emirati AeroPress ambassador, through Coffee Desk.
His advice: "Keep learning, stay humble, and share your knowledge."
Waqar Alhammadi, 2022
Another Emirati whose coffee journey began at home during the pandemic with a V60, Waqar was introduced to the AeroPress only two weeks before the national championship and still won, among more than 430 competitors.
She was placed in the top nine at The 2022 World AeroPress Championship, and she now owns Relam Roastery and judges coffee competitions.
Her advice: "Believe in yourself, trust your abilities, and your passion."
Alexander Bernardo, 2023
Alex currently works at Toga Coffee overlooking Operations and won the seventh edition at DMCC.
In a Qahwa World interview he said he was "very shocked, speechless, and extremely nervous in front of the audience" when his name was called, and that he was thankful the title came from his own hard work.
Sonam Sherpa, 2024
Sonam won the eighth edition in August 2024. Competing has been part of his life since childhood, from poetry and football to coffee, and the win followed a fourth place at the 2023 UAE National Barista Championship and titles at the 2023 Marriott Latte Art Championship and the 2020 Costa Coffee Barista Championship.
His career has moved from barista to green coffee buyer, and he is helping build a coffee community in Darjeeling.
In Qahwa World's interview, he called the final moment "swift, thrilling, and incredible", and said his first recipe was ready from day one, which gave him courage and confidence.
Sonam and Puja, co-founders of The Chronicle, worked on several recipes, tested three with the competition coffee, and settled on water at 85 ppm after several trials.
Neil Golez, 2025
Neil won the ninth edition last year. He is a seasoned AeroPress competitor taking gold and silver in previous competitions.
In an interview, he said his love of coffee started in college, when a first taste of an Ethiopian washed coffee changed how he saw it. On winning and losing alike, he says "the learning itself is already a victory".
He credits the Al Ain coffee community for the support behind the win, and sees a link between Arabic coffee and the AeroPress, because both honor the bean, the craft and the people behind every cup.
There was no championship in 2020, which is why ten editions stretch across eleven years. The 10th edition winner is expected to be crowned on the 14th of November, so stay tuned when the announcement is made on my Instagram channel.
Get ready
The regional rounds will take place on the 12th of November, 144 competitors from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain will competecompete. On the 13th of November, 108 competitors from Dubai, Ajman and Fujairah will compete
The tenth national finale is on Saturday, 14th of November, at DMCC Almas Tower, with 21 finalists: the top three from each emirate. Competition starts at 6pm and it is free and open to the public.
The tenth champion is yet to be crowned. The winner earns the UAE's place at the World AeroPress Championship in Mexico City on 6th of December 2026.
If you are thinking about competing next year, my guide is here: UAE AeroPress Championship: Your Guide to Competing.
Ten years on, it is still the same contest. Everyone gets the same device and the same coffee, and the best cup wins. What keeps getting better is the spirit around it. One evening in Al Fahidi has become 252 brewers from all seven emirates, and enthusiasm for it is stronger than ever. Come to Almas Tower tomorrow at 6pm and see it for yourself.
