Mr Machelm of Cape Town and Yellow Jacket Coffee is having a banner year in 2025. He has always loved competing, but this is the first time he has become champion! Hear about how it all went down at the SA AeroPress Champs hosted at African School of Coffee in partnership with Origin | Truth | Tribe and Coffee Magazine!
How did you feel in that moment when your name was called as the Champion?!
It was a great feeling, it felt like all my time and dedication towards my craft and industry is starting to pay off.
The WAC format is punchy and fun, and each round is a knock out, which is stressful! Did you keep your recipe the same through all the rounds? Were you tempted to change it during the course of the competition?
Honestly, I was tweaking right up to the last minute - testing, adjusting.
Then, just before stepping on stage, I completely flipped the recipe I’d been working on. Total gamble to be honest but somehow, it clicked. It was risky, but it paid off that last second switch got me to the final. Fun fact, I actually went a gram lower for the semi finals and finals which helped my recipe so much. The risks I took paid off.
Why is competition important to you personally, and Yellow Jacket, as a team?
For me personally, competition is what keeps things exciting. It challenges me to grow, to refine my skills, and to never settle for “good enough.”
In the coffee world, where detail matters and taste is everything, a little pressure from peers is a great motivator. It’s what pushes me to keep learning and improving, not just as a professional, but as a craftsperson.
For Yellow Jacket as a team, competition is part of our culture. It drives innovation, creativity, and consistency in everything we do - from roasting to brewing and customer experience. We see it as a healthy way to stay inspired and connected to what’s happening in the industry. It’s not about being better than anyone else - it’s about pushing ourselves to reach new standards and deliver coffee that makes people take notice.
In short, competition keeps us hungry, and not just for caffeine.
What are you most looking forward to about going to Seoul, South Korea?
I’m honestly so excited to dive into South Korea’s coffee scene, it’s known for being super innovative and detail-driven, which makes it the perfect backdrop for something like the AeroPress World Championship.
Beyond the competition, I’m looking forward to exploring the culture, the food, the design, café culture, even the convenience store snacks everyone raves about. I feel like I’m going to come back inspired and probably with a suitcase full of souvenirs.
What does a day in the life of Joshua Machelm look like? How do you drink your coffee, how do you spend your time?
Starts with a cortado which is essential. Then I’m roasting coffee, designing labels for our packaging on the occasion.
Afternoons are for packing orders, checking up on wholesale clients and doing a lot of quality control (cupping)
Most days I hit the gym or train for the 2026 Tag Rugby World Cup (pain is progress, right?). Weekends are for friends and family, also as of recently trying to explain to them what the AeroPress competition actually is.
Please can you tell our readers that recipe, so they can try at home?
Of course. If you want to try the panic-inspired miracle recipe at home, here’s what I landed on and yes, it actually worked ‘somehow’!
Method: Inverted
Coffee dose: 17.5g
Water temp: 88°C
Yield: 220ml
Brew time: 2 minutes 30 seconds
Filters: 2 AeroPress Classic filters
Grind size: Medium-coarse (like sand from a beach that charges entry)
Flip, plunge, and pray - that’s the method.
