The cup that changed everything

I didn't consider myself a coffee person. At all. I neither enjoyed nor understood the appeal of this bitter drink.

Everything changed when I moved to Sweden in my early 20s and became a daily coffee drinker. At first, it was more about fitting in—coffee is deeply rooted in Swedish culture—than actually enjoying it.

I got used to Swedish black coffee—strong, dark, and intensely roasted with a robust bitterness that hits you right away. Soon a large morning mug became my daily companion to power through the day. The caffeine kick helped, and I enjoyed the social aspect of coffee breaks with colleagues. Still, I wasn't in love with the taste.

Nothing changed for ten years. Then I got a new job.

Turns out, my new teammates were serious coffee enthusiasts. They weren't happy with basic office coffee, so they decided to bring in their own brewing equipment. After all, if they could make great coffee at home, why settle for less at work?

Initially, I felt awkward accepting their coffee offers. The beans cost way more than what I was used to, and I worried I couldn't properly appreciate them. They'd describe various tasting notes that went right over my head—to me, it just tasted like "weak" coffee.

Then came the turning point. One day, while waiting for a meeting, a colleague brought in his freshly brewed 500ml batch. As the meeting began, everyone got a cup. That moment is forever locked in my memory. The first sip left me speechless. The combination of sweetness and fruit notes was unlike anything I'd tasted before. The world around me faded away as I focused on each incredible sip. Pure magic.

That life-changing cup? A Wush Wush from the Lord Voldemort farm in Colombia.

With such distinctive names—both the coffee variety and the farm—it was impossible to forget.

After that, I couldn't wait to get to the office for my next amazing coffee experience. I started getting more involved in the brewing process, helping prepare daily cups for the team. We used (and still use) a Clever Dripper, which made learning the basics surprisingly straightforward.

Once I discovered coffee brewing videos on YouTube, I was hooked. I'd go to bed dreaming about tomorrow's cup. The urge to experiment at home led me to buy my own equipment, starting with a Hario Switch—perfect for trying both immersion brewing and V60-style pour-overs.

A year has passed since I got my Hario Switch, and I've collected several other drippers to explore different brewing methods. Now I call myself a coffee person—and yes, a pretty nerdy one at that.