How to choose your espresso competition beans?

In 2007, we discuss which is better to use SO (single estate coffee,single origin) or Blend coffee? People have changed to how to choose or configure espresso to use beans to get high scores, which is actually a sign of the maturity of barista and roaster, especially after Copenhagen in 2008 and Atlanta, which just ended in 2009, the number of espresso beans you can refer to has become more diverse.

This article has two parts, which should be published in the barista competition area, but it is still about espresso beans, so it is published here first, first of all, it is about SO.

Contestants should use single beans or formula beans, this is purely a multiple choice question! Contestants should use bean ends depending on the following conditions:

(1) how much do you know about bean sex? Can you show the flavor characteristics of bean style?

(2) what is the stability of baking? Including raw bean conditions, baking stability and performance, ripening period, etc.

(3) Competition planning: is an espresso bean used to make three kinds of drinks, or is it planned separately according to different drinks? (that is, two kinds of competition beans)

First, let's take a look at the competition rules of WBC. In particular, sensory scores have accounted for a very high proportion since 2008. There are four major points in the evaluation of espresso, which are:

(1) Color of crema: The color of crema should be hazelnut, dark brown and/or reddish.

(2) Consistency and persistence of crema.

(3) Taste balance: a harmonious balance between sweetness, acidity and bitterness.

(4) Tactile balance:full bodied, round and smooth.

In Taste balance, espresso must have a well-balanced and coordinated flavor in sweet, sour and bitter tastes, and a smooth and round oral touch in tactile balance, so that it can get at least 3.5 points in espresso.

The JCC Technical Committee of WBC has noticed the trend of barista using single origin since 2006. The evaluation training camp in Tokyo since 2007 and the Copenhagen training camp in 2008 have all asked us to pay special attention to: barista may use single origin coffee And the coffee may lack one of the three attribute (sour, bitter, sweet) In other words, we have to compare the characteristics and sources of the manor beans described by the contestants with the taste of espresso. It can be seen that the judges and technical committee actually have a deep understanding of SO espresso and have great tolerance, but the basic taste balance, attractive, brilliant degree, these conditions for getting high marks have not changed! Don't get me wrong, that means the judges can drink very sour or strong taste, so it is risky to use a single manor, such as Yirgacheffe or Panama Geisha, to get a high score as espresso!

Any espresso that lacks sweetness, is too irritating and tastes monotonous, especially similar to acetic acid and salty acid, will score very low or even zero.

Single producing area or single manor bean, at first glance, seems to have a higher fault tolerance rate and better preparation, but the cup performance still determines the score, so the contestant and your competition team should really have the ability to identify the flavor of espresso. Some single manor beans can be used to make two kinds of drinks (dual-use), as well as espresso and Cabo. As for whether they can also be used as creative drinks, it depends on the theme and taste of the creativity.

[note the limitations of SO]

(1) what's the taste of making kapok? When you pick SO to make a great espresso, is she suitable to be a bean for Cabo? Is it too milky?

(2) stability. Pay attention to the flavor changes during ripening. Is sweet zone sufficient for barista? Will it be difficult to adjust? how is crema doing? Some SO are excellent in taste, but the crema is too thin, so the score on touch is not high, which is important to study and negotiate with the bean baker many times and try to bake, and then test the flavor.

The article comes from Joe Hsu's Barista Guild of Taiwan post: http://www.baristaguildoftaiwan.org/index.php/topic,389.0.html