Jackie Tran: A Passage Through Bạc Xỉu, Brewing Championships, and the Solo Dripper

Coffee started as a sweet and nostalgic experience for Jackie. Growing up, he loved drinking Bạc Xỉu—a Saigon-style coffee with condensed milk. To him, it was a comforting taste of home, almost like a dessert. 

Jackie Tran, founder of Solo dripper | photo by Jackie doc.

But as his curiosity about coffee grew, so did his journey. From exploring latte art to falling in love with black coffee, Jackie pushed himself further—eventually becoming a multi-time Czech Brewers Cup Champion and a finalist on the world stage. His passion didn’t stop at brewing; he went on to design his own coffee dripper, the Solo Dripper, a tool that redefines how coffee is brewed and experienced.

HUDES | Worldwide Digital Magazine for Manual Coffee Brewers

In this conversation with HUDES, Jackie shares his journey from his first encounter with coffee to competing at the highest level, the philosophy behind the Solo Dripper, and his thoughts on how emotions influence the way we experience coffee.

HUDES: Your journey with coffee began with Bạc Xỉu, a sweet, condensed milk-based coffee. Can you tell us about that first experience and how it shaped your love for coffee?

Jackie: Bạc Xỉu was my first coffee memory, and it’s still one of my favorites. It’s almost like a dessert—sweet, creamy, and nostalgic. 

Growing up in Vietnam, coffee wasn’t just a drink; it was part of our culture, something we shared with family and friends. Back then, I didn’t think much about different coffee types or brewing methods—I just knew that coffee made me happy.

As I got older, my curiosity led me to explore coffee beyond Bạc Xỉu. At first, I was fascinated by espresso and latte art. 

But eventually, I started appreciating black coffee, especially Arabica, and that was when everything changed for me. It opened a whole new world of flavors, and I wanted to understand every detail—how coffee is brewed, processed, and even grown.

HUDES: Competing at such a high level takes both skill and confidence. How did you find the motivation to compete, and what was that journey like?

Jackie: Competing is one of the best ways to push yourself. It forces you out of your comfort zone and makes you go deep into self-learning and discipline. 

The first time I competed, I wasn’t confident at all. I kept asking myself, Why am I doing this? What do I want to express? But I kept pushing forward, and over time, I realized that competitions aren’t just about winning—they’re about growth.

It’s a deeply emotional experience. There are moments of doubt, stress, and even disappointment, but in the end, you learn so much about yourself and your craft. Competing helped me refine my skills, gain new perspectives, and ultimately find my own voice in coffee.

HUDES: What was the first dripper you used when you started brewing, and which coffee has left the most lasting impression on you?

Jackie: My first dripper was, of course, the Hario V60—a true classic that everyone in coffee knows. But if I had to choose the most memorable coffee, it would be my competition coffee: a washed Panamanian Geisha from El Pergamino in Volcán. It was pure magic in a cup—complex, elegant, and a perfect expression of nature’s beauty.

HUDES: You designed the Solo Dripper, which has caught the attention of many coffee enthusiasts. What was the inspiration behind it, and how does it work?

Jackie: The idea for the Solo Dripper actually started with a problem. In our cafés in Prague, we were constantly trying to solve consistency issues in brewing. This was in late 2023, and at the time, I didn’t fully understand dripper design. My first attempt failed, and I put the idea on hold.

SOLO dripper by Jackie Tran

Then, after competing in the World Brewers Cup 2024 in Chicago, I gained so much insight and experience. That competition made me rethink everything about extraction and brewing techniques. 

I went back to my original idea, refined it, and created Solo—a flat-bottom dripper designed for both professionals and home brewers.

Unlike most flat-bottom drippers, Solo has a unique curved bottom and a 40-degree angle, which naturally guides water toward the center. This creates a hybrid extraction—somewhere between a conical and flat-bottom brew—resulting in a sweet, balanced cup with a distinct texture. 

It’s simple to use, forgiving, and ideal for anyone who wants great coffee without overcomplicating the process.

But there’s another special aspect of Solo—one version is made from recycled coffee waste. As brewers, we work with coffee every day, and I wanted to create something that gives back to the industry in a sustainable way. 

It doesn’t change the cup profile, but it feels different in your hands, knowing that it’s made from something that would have otherwise been discarded.

HUDES: You’re based in the Czech Republic, where you’ve won multiple national titles. How do you see the coffee culture evolving there?

Jackie: I think the Czech coffee scene is underrated. There are many world-class cafés, and people are becoming more appreciative of high-quality coffee. I’ve seen huge improvements in recent years, and I believe specialty coffee culture will continue to grow.

What I hope for is that people slow down and enjoy coffee more. Stop watching the clock, take a moment, and fully experience each sip. That’s something I’ve learned from my journey—good coffee is not just about the brew method or the beans; it’s also about how we engage with it.

HUDES: If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Jackie: Honest. Dreamer. Hobbyist professional.

HUDES: Lastly, do you believe emotions affect how coffee tastes?

Jackie: Absolutely. I believe our emotions shape the way we experience coffee. When we’re not feeling great, coffee just doesn’t taste the same. And even more importantly, it depends on who we share it with. 

When you’re with someone who understands coffee the same way you do, you can talk about it for hours, and every sip tastes even better.