Top Barista To Brew Up Storm In Stradbally

Wojciech Tysler was a finalist in last year’s World Barista Championship in Milan.

One of the world’s top baristas is set to brew up a storm at Electric Picnic as gourmet coffee is rapidly becoming a must-have for festival goers.

Wojciech Tysler and the Bewley’s team will make quality coffee a headline act as music lovers return to Stradbally for the first time in three years.

“The quality of coffee at festivals in Ireland has always been a mixed bag, but people’s tastes are now more educated and they are demanding better,” said Wojciech, a finalist in last year’s World Barista Championship in Milan.

Tysler is part of the Bewley’s team bringing its Fiesta of Flavour to Electric Picnic – inspired by the flavours of South America and the origin of the coffee beans.

Earlier this year, Bewley’s became the official coffee partner at Electric Picnic after agreeing a new three-year deal with Live Nation, the company behind both festivals.

“Coffee has been the surprise festival hit since people returned to big music gatherings this year and we are going to give people a really great experience at Electric Picnic with a varied range of different recipes and creations,” said the top barista, who moved to Ireland from southern Poland 16 years ago.

The coffee on offer at Electric Picnic is a single-origin Columbian which he described as “a light roast with a very bright and zesty flavour, with hints of lemon and apricot”.

“It is exactly what the new generation of coffee drinkers are wanting now, and ideal for a festival crowd,” he said,

“Coffee drinkers these days know their stuff, and they don’t want a dark roast when they are at a music festival.”

The Bewley’s Bodega will see revellers offered newly-created hot and cold brews as well as the more traditional flat whites, Americanos and lattes.

“It is very exciting because it won’t just be the traditional coffees that we will be offering, we will be pouring more specialist drinks like espresso martinis too,” said the brewing expert, who was named Irish Barista Champion in 2019. 

Electric Picnic will be the second time this summer that Bewley’s has set up an outdoor café at a music festival.

In June, Wojciech and the Bewley’s team caused a stir at Kaleidoscope in Blessington, Co Wicklow, where the Espresso Martini was a popular choice among music lovers.

While the more traditional martini is famously associated with a certain secret agent who liked his shaken not stirred, intrigue also surrounds Bewley’s caffeine version of the cocktail. 

“It is our secret recipe, and we do it in a slightly different way,” said Tysler.

“It’s been a big hit all Summer and I’m sure all our customers at Stradbally will love it too.

“I have been working with coffee ever since I moved to Ireland. 

“My first job was cleaning tables in a restaurant, but I soon found myself fascinated with the patterns baristas were creating on top of the lattes and cappuccinos and I said to myself, ‘OK I’ve got to learn that’.  

“Two months later, I was working on the machines and coffee has been my passion ever since.”

Electric Picnic runs from September 2-4 at Stradbally, Co Laois.