THE DISCIPLINES
THE CUPPING
The Cupping tests the barista’s ability to understand taste profiles in a highly-competitive time-pressed battle.
Each competitor is presented with six coffees set in a particular order. The competitors have three minutes to taste and memorise the order in which those coffees are placed on the table. The coffee bowls are then shuffled randomly and competitors have two minutes to taste and return the coffee bowls back to their original order.
THE BREWING
Chemex, AeroPress, Kalita or V60 - which coffee do you choose to match?
Baristas are tested on their grinding skills as well as their ability to select the right coffee to match a randomly selected hand brewing method to maximise taste. The baristas select one of the six coffees tasted in The Cupping round to brew. Judges will make a call based on the correlation between choice of coffee and brewing method, their presentation and the taste of their coffee.
THE LATTE ART
The Latte Art tests the barista’s mastery of milk, challenging them to create specific patterns in plant based/dairy milk-based drinks against the clock.
The judge will roll a dice three times, determining three different coffee patterns that competitors have to replicate and present to the judges.
The presented coffees will be judged on visual appearance of the pattern, milk quality and contrast.
THE ORDER
A real world test. Baristas are challenged to deliver an order of 10 espresso-based drinks, common to a quality café menu.
Baristas will be presented with an order docket, which they will be challenged to produce in nine minutes or less. The competitors will be judged on their technical skill, professionalism and time.
THE SIGNATURE DRINK
Baristas will need to replicate and present the same Signature Drink as per their online submission video.
A signature drink is a coffee based mixed beverage consisting of three or more ingredients, as long as they are safe and legal to use.
The competitors will present three identical drinks to the judges and will be judged on taste, creativity, consistency and presentation.