Choosing Coffee: Eline Ferket’s Bold Decision to Pursue Her Passion

The journey of a coffee competitor is filled with dedication, learning, and countless hours of practice. Choosing coffee as a career wasn’t the obvious path. 

With a Master’s degree and many opportunities outside the industry, she faced the common pressure to find a "real job." But instead of leaving coffee behind, she made the bold decision to commit.

HUDES | Worldwide Digital Magazine for Manual Coffee Brewers

That choice led her to win the Austrian Brewers Cup 2025 after securing third place the previous year. Now, she’s preparing for the World Brewers Cup 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia. In this conversation, Eline Ferket shares how she found the courage to follow her passion, her competition journey, and her approach to brewing.

Eline Ferket | photo by Eline doc.

HUDES: Could you share how your journey in coffee began? What initially drew you to this industry?

Eline Ferket: I think I got started in coffee the way many people do: I was 16 or 17 years old, loved going to coffee shops, and was intrigued by the magic happening behind the bar. 

I was put on the pour-over bar at a local café because it was considered "easy" compared to teaching a kid how to use an espresso machine. Throughout my time at university, the world of coffee continued to feel very comforting and fun for me, and it was a great way to make friends. It was absolutely not my intention to fall so in love with coffee.

HUDES: Was there a specific moment or experience that made you realize you wanted to pursue coffee at a professional level?

Eline Ferket: I had been working as a barista in various capacities and countries for five years

But when I was completing my Master’s degree at the University of Glasgow, I kept hearing, "Now you need to find a real job." 

I didn’t realize it was an option to just admit that coffee was my real job. At one point, I remember thinking: I really have to enjoy this year because it’ll be my last year working in coffee.

When all your fellow barista colleagues finish their studies and find jobs in other fields, it seems like the thing you're supposed to do. 

But besides being a young adult who was still figuring things out, I was also thankfully quite stubborn. 

After I had to leave Scotland due to Brexit, I decided to apply to every single coffee job I could find in the EU and go all in. That’s when the world truly opened up for me.

HUDES: Looking back, what has been the most defining or memorable moment that shaped your career in coffee?

Eline Ferket: Moving to Vienna for my job as a Technical Support Specialist at Cropster was a major turning point. 

It introduced me to the "behind the scenes" of coffee, which is an incredibly exciting world. I remember my brain exploding every single day during my first three months—it was one of the most intense learning experiences of my life.

This job built my foundation and gave me the confidence to start competing in coffee championships. 

That, in turn, led to so many hidden doors opening. I learned that if I put in the effort, I could dive into something completely new, figure out how it works, and do really well. It’s like when you do a workout, and the next day, muscles hurt that you didn’t even know you had—but in a good way.

HUDES: You won the Austrian Brewers Cup this year after securing third place last year. How did you approach this year’s competition differently?

Eline Ferket: The first time I competed, I tried my best to deliver what I thought was a great competition coffee and a great presentation. But I think that with your first competition, there are things you just don’t fully understand until you go through the process.

I’m very happy I placed third in my first year because I would not have been ready for a world championship at that point. The year between placing third and first was a year where every decision I made revolved around winning Brewers Cup. I took a lot from my debriefing session with the judges—it felt like they really believed in me and that I just needed to fix a few crucial things.

After taking a short break, I revisited my notes and immediately put together a list of everything I needed to change to win next year. I changed my approach to coffee selection and roasting—this is where Danny, my coach and an amazing roaster, played a huge role. I spent much more time getting to know the coffee, experimenting with different roast profiles, water compositions, brewing tools, filters, and serving vessels. It was an intense but rewarding experience.

HUDES: What was your brewing recipe and strategy for this year’s championship? Any particular techniques or innovations you focused on?

Eline Ferket: Would it be bad if I told you I don’t remember my exact recipe? The specific recipe itself isn’t something I keep in my brain because if I brewed that coffee again today, the recipe I used on stage wouldn’t be perfect anymore. Coffee is dynamic, so the recipe has to be dynamic too.

That said, I always use a few key tools. For competition, I love brewing with the OREA V4 dripper, especially with the Fast attachment. 

It speeds up extraction, allows for a finer grind, and creates a really sweet, juicy, and clean cup. 

I also use a Sibarist filter, which accelerates extraction even more.

Another key element was the Melodrip, which I used for my last pour to remove agitation and control body, giving the brew more clarity. Although, I accidentally skipped mentioning it in my presentation, which probably confused my head judge—don’t do this, kids!

But overall, my approach is to listen to what the coffee wants. I react to how it behaves and use everything I know about brewing to make it shine.

HUDES: Competing can be both exciting and stressful. How do you prepare yourself mentally and physically for high-level competitions?

Eline Ferket: The first time I competed, I wasn’t really stressed because I didn’t know what to expect. The second time, there were some expectations from the coffee community that I would win, which added pressure. Support is amazing, but at a certain point, it can turn into pressure.

The way I handle it is by focusing on my training routine—that’s my safe space. I love training and brewing; it calms me. My coach Danny and I also keep things real, which is essential. And, honestly, therapy helps too. My therapist and I go through the things I struggle with, and having someone outside the coffee industry to talk to has been invaluable.

Physically, I know I need to maintain high energy levels. I started running daily, which helps clear my head. I also avoid alcohol while training, try to eat well (though I love pistachio cheesecake, pastries, and fries), and have been lucky enough to avoid getting sick for over a year. Lately, I’ve been exploring breathing, meditation, and visualization exercises as well.

HUDES: Now that you’ve secured a spot in the World Brewers Championship 2025 in Jakarta, how are you preparing for it? Do you have any specific goals or strategies in mind?

Eline Ferket: My preparation for Jakarta is quite similar to how I trained for nationals. I have a great team, a great training space, and strong community support. I now understand what makes a great competition coffee, so I have a clear direction for sourcing.

One thing I want to do differently is to be more creative with my approach. I see the World Championship as an opportunity to contribute something meaningful to the industry. Of course, I still need to score well, but I also want to represent something I care about and use this platform to create awareness about important topics in coffee.

HUDES: You’ve worked with various coffee processing methods—do you have a favorite post-harvest process?

Eline Ferket: I love a good washed coffee! Clean, crisp acidity with beautiful florals—I could drink that all day. It’s also how I first discovered specialty coffee. The Mikava Geisha I used to win nationals was carbonic maceration washed, which enhanced sweetness and fruit notes while preserving its delicate floral qualities.

HUDES: Lastly, what’s the most interesting or unexpected coffee experiment you’ve ever tried?

Eline Ferket: Playing with different water profiles! It blew my mind how the same coffee could taste completely different depending on the water used. It made me realize how crucial water is in brewing high-quality coffee.