Meet Sandro Roth. To the global coffee community, he is the celebrated 2024 World Coffee in Good Spirits Vice Champion and a two-time Swiss Champion. But before he was crafting award-winning coffee cocktails, Sandro was honing his eye for detail as an industrial designer, working with precision-focused giants like Siemens and Schneider.
This unique duality, the engineer's demand for function, and the artist's pursuit of flavor—define his approach to coffee. For a professional who invests in professional-grade espresso equipment at home, the bar for equipment is incredibly high. That is why we sat down with Sandro to understand how he bridges the gap between the competition stage and the great outdoors, and why the OutIn portable espresso machine has become an essential part of his travel kit.
The Designer's Eye: Where Philosophy Meets Function
Sandro's journey into the world of high-end coffee and spirits wasn't accidental; it was a design project. During the quiet days of the pandemic, he embarked on a "100-Day Project" inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai (a reason for being). His goal? To design 100 cocktail recipes in 100 days.
For Sandro, the line between designing a physical product and crafting a beverage is non-existent.
"There is one of my favorite designers, Massimo Vignelli. He once said if you can design one thing, you can design everything. And I think that's completely true. You can design a cocktail, or you can design a product."
This philosophy explains his affinity for OutIn. As an industrial designer, he scrutinizes the build quality, the user interface, and the aesthetics of his tools. The OutIn Fino electric grinder and Nano espresso machine aren't just utilities to him; they are well-designed objects that respect the ritual of coffee making, allowing him to maintain his "Ikigai" even when he steps away from his workbench.
Breaking the Skepticism: Performance Beyond the Café
When you are used to brewing on a top-tier commercial espresso machine, portable gear often feels like a compromise. Sandro admits that his initial reaction to the OutIn Nano was one of professional skepticism.
"To be completely honest, I didn't think it was going to make a good coffee," Sandro reveals. "I tried so many gadgets for coffee... I was like, yeah, that's probably one of these again."
However, the turning point came through rigorous testing. Sandro didn't just use it for a quick caffeine fix; he pushed the machine's limits:
- Recipe Testing: He experimented with various cocktails and brew ratios.
- Stage Performance: He actually used the OutIn Nano on stage in Geneva while training with a colleague from Hong Kong.
- Competition Coffee: They brewed high-stakes competition beans through the portable device, and the results "worked pretty well."
While his home setup allows for minute pressure profiling and tuning, the OutIn Nano offers something his commercial machine cannot: freedom. It provides a high-quality extraction that satisfies a World Vice Champion, without being tethered to a kitchen counter.
Coffee, Cocktails & Connection: The Ultimate Travel Coffee Kit
Sandro's expertise in "Coffee in Good Spirits" involves complex flavor pairings—like his journey to pair coffee with tomato, which eventually evolved into a sweet red pepper combination through relentless iteration. But the end goal of these complex recipes is simple: connection.
Previously, traveling meant hauling a heavy espresso machine in the trunk of his car, a habit that often drew confused looks. "Now I can just bring that OutIn, and it's perfect. Actually, I bring it everywhere," he says.
For Sandro, the OutIn Portable Coffee Products is a storytelling device. It allows him to:
- Brew on the Spot: Meeting someone new? He can open his travel kit and brew a fresh espresso instantly.
- Share the Experience: "If I don't like the people around it, I don't want to support the product. It's easier to share stories and to bring them around if you like the people."
- Democratize Quality: While competition cocktails are usually only tasted by judges, portable gear allows him to serve these creations to regular people in everyday settings.
What's Next? Bringing the Stage to You
The beauty of the OutIn ecosystem is that it empowers anyone to brew like a champion. Sandro's mission aligns perfectly with ours: taking the exclusivity out of specialty coffee and making it an enjoyable experience for everyone, whether you are indoors or out.
We are currently working with Sandro to adapt some of his world-class coffee cocktail recipes specifically for OutIn Nano and OutIn Mino. These won't just be drinks; they are designed experiences meant to be shared.
Stay tuned for Sandro's exclusive recipes coming soon to our blog!
Experience Coffee Without Boundaries
Ready to upgrade your outdoor coffee gear? Discover the tools that convinced a World Vice Champion.
