Rusty's Hawaiian at the (Virtual) Hankyu World Fair
Oh, how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything. Two years ago, our very own Rusty Obra Jr. was showing off his skills at the Hankyu World Fair in Osaka, Japan. As the 2015 US AeroPress Champion, he's had plenty of practice cranking out his signature drinks -- and even doubled up on AeroPresses to keep up with hundreds of orders! (See video above.)
Ralph and Rusty remember it as a hectic, yet fun time. A typhoon shut down the fair for an afternoon, but we still kept selling out of coffee and had to keep roasting more on the show floor.
This year, due to the pandemic, the Hankyu team opted for a virtual fair. Instead of serving up AeroPresses, cold brews, and hot drip coffees as quickly as possible, Ralph and Joan sat at home and told the Rusty's Hawaiian story:
The video is viewable only on YouTube, so you can check out the full segment here. (Our story begins at 34:40.)Â