Think of yourself as a bit of a brewer?

2 drip bags. 10 minutes. One coffee.

Grab a practice pack with 3 competition day drip bags inside, dial in your recipe at home, then rock up on the day and brew. No fancy equipment needed.

Win this round and you’re on your way to the Grand Final, with a Yunnan harvest experience up for grabs.

Think you’ve got what it takes?

Drip Bag: Jairo Arcila - Chiroso Natural

Jairo Arcila is a third-generation coffee grower from Quindío, Colombia and the father of Cofinet co-founders Carlos and Felipe Arcila.

He began his coffee career working as a Mill Manager for Colombia’s second-largest coffee exporter, a role he held for more than 40 years until retiring in 2019. He bought his first farm, Finca La Esmeralda, in 1987, and gradually expanded his land holdings to six farms: Esmeralda, Villarazo, Mazatlán, Santa Monica, Maracay, and Buenos Aires.

With guidance from his sons, Jairo has developed his farms to focus on specialty coffee, improving picking, sorting, and processing techniques and experimenting with exotic varieties.

Chiroso is a coffee variety from the high-altitude region of Urrao, Antioquia, Colombia, where it emerged as a natural mutation. It was traditionally valued by local farmers for its adaptability to cooler climates, high yields, and compact trees.

Its reputation grew internationally after achieving multiple awards in the Cup of Excellence, highlighting its exceptional cup quality. Originally thought to be related to Caturra, genetic studies have instead revealed a connection to Ethiopian landrace varieties, adding an interesting link to coffee’s origins.

Today, Chiroso is prized for combining farmer-friendly traits—high productivity, compact growth and cold tolerance—with complex, high-quality cup profiles, making it increasingly popular in the specialty coffee market.

To enter the competition, competitors must purchase a practice pack either online or in-store. The practice pack includes a competitor introduction and a sticker with a QR code linking to a simple Google Form where they can register their attendance.

Tonight: Cofinet x Striclty Coffee Roaster x MQ Coffee NZ

Cofinet is a specialty coffee importer connecting New Zealand and Australian roasters with high-quality coffees from around the world. Originally focused on Colombian coffee, Cofinet now sources from origins including Brazil, Peru, Ethiopia and Kenya, with an emphasis on quality, traceability and unique flavour profiles. Beyond importing, Cofinet supports roasters through sample selection, cupping, education and tailored coffee solutions, building strong relationships from producers to roasters. @cofi_net

Strictly Coffee Roasters was first established in 1997 in a small location in North Dunedin. Dan and Malina took the reins in March 2020 and have since transformed Strictly into an independently owned roastery, supplying quality coffee to homes, cafés and workplaces across New Zealand. @strictlycoffeenz

MQ Coffee is New Zealand’s leading manufacturer of coffee drip and steep bags, and a Specialty Coffee Association certified provider of coffee training and education . We deliver quality, consistency, and accessible coffee products and education across Aotearoa. @mqcoffeenz

Contact the host of Drip Bag Brewers Championship, presented by Cofinet and Strictly Coffee Roasters