The 2018 World Brewers Cup-winning recipe — hybrid immersion+drip with the GINA Brewer and temperature switching (80°C → 95°C → 80°C). The pioneer of the temperature switch technique.
In June 2018, Emi Fukahori of Switzerland won the World Brewers Cup in Amsterdam. Her presentation was revolutionary — she didn't just win, she invented a new technique that would change specialty coffee: temperature switching mid-brew.
Seven years before George Peng won in 2025 with the same idea — Emi had already done it. And with three different temperatures, not two.
What is the GINA Brewer:
The device Emi chose — GINA Brewer from Goat Story — is a work of art. A combination of V60 cone and Clever Dripper: a dripper with a valve you can open and close. Closed = immersion. Open = filter. Plus: built-in scale base and timer. Released in 2017, still considered premium.
The coffee:
Emi brought a rare unique variety: Laurina — a Bourbon mutation, characterized by low caffeine and sweet fruity flavors. The bean went through semi-anaerobic Carbonic Maceration at Daterra in Brazil. The result: wine-like acidity, rich body, and raspberry/chocolate notes.
The philosophy — 3 temperatures:
Emi argued that temperature should match what you're extracting at each stage:
Stage 1 — immersion at 80°C (50g):
Low temperature in a long immersion (45 seconds) extracts sweetness and delicate acidity without bitterness. The coffee is like 'steeping in tea'.
Stage 2 — drip pour at 95°C (100g more):
Open the valve and switch to filter mode. Now we need high energy to open up the coffee — extract deep aromas and body. 95°C is the accepted score for good extraction.
Stage 3 — finishing at 80°C (70g):
Back to low temperature. Finishing at low temp rinses the cup without extracting more bitterness. It cleans up the flavor.
The competition score:
The judges were stunned. Emi's score was especially high in balance — perfect balance between the three flavor layers. She beat the Tetsu Kasuya champion from 2016 (barely, of course his 4:6 is still in use today).
The impact:
After 2018, temperature switching became a trend in specialty. Every WBrC round since included at least one competitor trying the technique. In 2025, Peng won with a refined version of the same idea — one big temperature change instead of three smaller.
Emi proved that the device isn't everything — the idea is what wins. The GINA was a relatively new device, and she still won. Because the technique was innovative.
This recipe is excellent for those with a GINA or Clever, or even a V60 + manual method to switch kettles. Requires 3 kettles at different temperatures (or thermometer and cooling) — but the result is unique.