Italian Barista Championships

The competition consists in preparing, within a maximum time of 15 minutes, 4 espressos, 4 coffee and milk-based beverages, hot and 4 espresso-based customized non-alcoholic drinks, to be served to a panel of expert judges/tasters. The rules of the competition are the same as those of the WBC (World Barista Championship), a veritable “Barista Olympics”.
The championship is valid for the WBC (World Barista Championship)..

In this type of competition, the competitors must show dexterity and artistic spirit. The participants will have to overcome various stages before the six best competitors reach the final. Here, in a maximum time of 10 minutes they will have to prepare 4 artistic coffee and milk-based beverages, two coffee-based and two milk-based. Different techniques can be used: decoration and “free pour”; two espresso macchiato must also be prepared using the “free pour” technique, with identical design, to be presented to 2 visual judges, 1 technical judge and a head judge. The championship is valid for the WLAC (World Latte Art Championship).

The Coffee in Good Spirits is a fascinating speciality which combines the world of coffee and that of bartending, to create classic or fantasy drinks. In this type of competition, the competitors have 10 minutes to prepare two Irish coffees and two cocktails, hot or cold, made with hot coffee and spirits. The campionship is valid for the WCIGS (World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship).

Preparation method common in the Nordic countries, the United States and Asian countries which is also gaining in popularity in Italy. The coffee will be brewed by the competitors using so-called ‘pourover’ manual methods, i.e., filtration systems whereby the barista pours hot water over the coffee powder which is retained by a filter. The participants, who will prepare three drinks each to be served to 3 sensory judges, will try to not only obtain a good cup of coffee but also prepare it correctly with a solid value to be measured by the judges using a ‘refractometer’. The championship is valid for the WBC (World Brewers Cup).

In this competition the competitors will demonstrate their ability to distinguish the differences in taste between different cups of Specialty Coffee. Using taste and smell, and applying all their attention and expertise, the competitors will have to identify, as quickly as possible, the cup containing a coffee with a different taste within a set consisting of 3 cups. For each round, 8 sets of 3 cups each will be placed on the table. The championship is valid for the WCTC (World Cup Tasters Championship).

The roasting competition, which made its international debut in 2013 in Nice, consists of a packed program lasting three days altogether and based on: classification of green coffee, roasting and tasting of roasted coffee. The technical panel, under the supervision of an international judge, will be required to oversee and award a total score to the competitors at the end of the three days. The championship is valid for the WCRC (World Coffee Roasting Championship).

The competition showcases the preparation of coffee by using the Ibrik, a pot specially designed to prepare a particular type of coffee widely consumed in parts of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The pot, which can be made of metal, brass, copper or ceramic, has a long handle and a rim specially designed for serving coffee. The championship is valid for the WCIC (World Cezve/Ibrik Championship).