WBC Judges Certification in Guatemala
This has already been an exciting year for the World Barista Championship, and definitely one of the most important new developments are the remotely held, brand-new, Judges Certification Workshops. I was thrilled to be a part of the very first one, in Guatemala City, Guatemala on November 3 & 4 (yes, I voted absentee!).
The concept of the Judges Certification workshop centers around the idea that judges who are highly educated in the competition rules, skilled at tasting, and above all, calibrated with one another and in sync with the competition's standards, will be best positioned to judge in a way that is accurate and fair. Furthermore, this intensive (really, really intensive, seriously) training is very valuable to an individual's professional development and is a meaningful step in their careers.
The Certification itself starts with a lengthy and difficult written test. Other exercises include technical and sensory evaluations (there are more calibrations coming up so I don't want to be too specific) including full 15-minute performances from top baristas. This was my role at this Certification and will be at the upcoming Cert in Long Beach, to ensure the two baristas were clear on their objectives and consistent between one another, as well as ensure the baristas at this Cert will be calibrated with the Long Beach Cert. I was fortunate to have Ana Luica, champion from Honduras, and Lily, Champion from El Salvador as the baristas for this workshop. They are both excellent baristas and having them at this workshop contributed to the success in a big way. They accepted gracefully the challenge of creating and delivering a signature drink on the fly- these are drinks that competitors take weeks or months to develop and to do so in an afternoon is not easy. Of course, Espresso Laranja, the greatest signature drink of all time, came to the rescue once again!
As a former competitor, this workshop and other new developments with WBC, USBC, and the USBC Regionals have particular meaning. Competitors prepare for months, agonizing over each detail, working over and over again with the coffee, all the while balancing the usual demands of their jobs. Success in the competition is a lot of work- although totally worth it- and these competitors deserve excellence from judges. After having competed and pouring my heart and soul into competition, doing whatever I can to help judges be able to fairly and accurately identify the next champion is something I am super passionate about. This workshop is evidence of WBC moving in a positive direction IMHO and I'm so happy to be a part of it.
Many thanks to Cindy, Brent, Roukiat, and Jose for all of your hard work during this workshop. Thank you to the volunteers of the WBC Board for making it happen! See you in Long Beach!
-Ellie
The concept of the Judges Certification workshop centers around the idea that judges who are highly educated in the competition rules, skilled at tasting, and above all, calibrated with one another and in sync with the competition's standards, will be best positioned to judge in a way that is accurate and fair. Furthermore, this intensive (really, really intensive, seriously) training is very valuable to an individual's professional development and is a meaningful step in their careers.
The Certification itself starts with a lengthy and difficult written test. Other exercises include technical and sensory evaluations (there are more calibrations coming up so I don't want to be too specific) including full 15-minute performances from top baristas. This was my role at this Certification and will be at the upcoming Cert in Long Beach, to ensure the two baristas were clear on their objectives and consistent between one another, as well as ensure the baristas at this Cert will be calibrated with the Long Beach Cert. I was fortunate to have Ana Luica, champion from Honduras, and Lily, Champion from El Salvador as the baristas for this workshop. They are both excellent baristas and having them at this workshop contributed to the success in a big way. They accepted gracefully the challenge of creating and delivering a signature drink on the fly- these are drinks that competitors take weeks or months to develop and to do so in an afternoon is not easy. Of course, Espresso Laranja, the greatest signature drink of all time, came to the rescue once again!
As a former competitor, this workshop and other new developments with WBC, USBC, and the USBC Regionals have particular meaning. Competitors prepare for months, agonizing over each detail, working over and over again with the coffee, all the while balancing the usual demands of their jobs. Success in the competition is a lot of work- although totally worth it- and these competitors deserve excellence from judges. After having competed and pouring my heart and soul into competition, doing whatever I can to help judges be able to fairly and accurately identify the next champion is something I am super passionate about. This workshop is evidence of WBC moving in a positive direction IMHO and I'm so happy to be a part of it.
Many thanks to Cindy, Brent, Roukiat, and Jose for all of your hard work during this workshop. Thank you to the volunteers of the WBC Board for making it happen! See you in Long Beach!
-Ellie