Kostas Kontodimas of Lamassu Specialty is based in Zurich, Switzerland. The Swiss Coffee Festival took place from November 22-23, 2025. StageOne, Zurich Oerlikon.
The Brewers Cup consists of several steps in the competition. Two major components are the compulsory and open service, meaning each competitor is given an unknown coffee to prepare to their best ability during the compulsory round. This round is not necessarily public and happens in the background during the competition. The open service is where each competitor brings their own coffee to present in front of 3 sensory judges. The score of the compulsory and open service is combined and the highest score calls the winner of the competition.
Due to a compressed time schedule, Kostas chose between Finca Debora Elipse and Janson Geisha /852 NX. Within 3 weeks, Kostas had prepared with first hand tests prior to entering the competition. The remaining part of the article is Kostas' own words from the event. We share this as an inspiration to coffee brewers, recipe preparation, brewing patterns, etc.
"Hello Ivica,
I placed 2nd this year. The competition was incredibly strong, and I’m really proud of my performance and the coffee I served.
Unfortunately, I was forced to use a blend during the semifinals and finals: your coffee together with a Gesha processed by Lost Origin (Castelara lot 125).
As I mentioned, the level was insane this year, and my team found the Deborah to be of medium intensity and not as expressive during the competition days. So we decided to blend it to boost the intensity a bit and make the cup more complex and tropical.
As promised, here is the sensory profile my team recorded during the competition.
Thank you so much. It was a very good competition, and we honestly gave our absolute best. Of course, second place is a significant achievement. You know how it is… When we always aim for the top, it takes a little time to fully appreciate a second place, because the goal is always first. Still, we are very happy with the result.
Your support was truly solid. Everything worked perfectly, and the coffee was fantastic. We just wanted to adjust the profile slightly to bring out a bit more intensity, which always depends on what we expect other competitors to bring in terms of coffee."
We congratulate Kostas and his team on their great achievement.
Blend
9 g Lost Origin (Castelara Lot125)
6 g Elipse Finca Deborah
15 g total
Water
250 ml (ratio 1:16.6)
80 ppm, Third Water minerals
Temperature: 94°C
Water
Comandante C40 grinder, 22 clicks
Grind 20 minutes before brewing
Dripper: Orea Narrow V4 with Sibarist Waves filter and booster
Brewing Pattern
4 pours with 30 seconds in between
1st bloom: 40 ml to release CO₂
3 equal pours of 70 ml each
Total extraction time: 2:10
Blend composition
I used this blend because the Lost Origin coffee brought high intensity and tropical flavors, while the Finca Deborah complemented it with sweetness and fruity complexity.
For the recipe using only Finca Deborah Elipse, I followed the same brewing pattern but used slightly softer water and a temperature of 92°C.
Elipse – Sensory Profile
Aroma:
Medium intensity – raspberry, white flowers, peach
Flavor:
Medium intensity when hot and warm – peach, red berries
Medium to medium-low when cooling – white grapes, clementine
Aftertaste:
Long-lasting, medium intensity, mostly reminding us of citrus fruits
Acidity:
Citric, and malic as it cooled
Sweetness:
We were really impressed by the high sweetness – medium to medium-high during the finals
Mouthfeel:
Silky throughout
Blend with Lost Origin Gesha – Sensory Profile
Aroma:
Medium-high intensity
White flowers (magnolia), pineapple, peach, red berries
Flavor (Medium-high intensity all the way):
Hot: ripe pineapple, mango, peach
Warm: pineapple, passionfruit, plum
Cold: yuzu, blueberries, white grapes, red berries
Aftertaste:
Medium intensity, resembling chamomile and ginger when cold
Acidity:
Medium to high intensity
Bright, juicy citric acidity when hot
Citric and crisp tartaric acidity when cool
Sweetness:
Medium – floral honey, dried tropical fruits when cool
Mouthfeel:
Medium intensity – silky and well-structured throughout
