WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

[redzone121]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

its total BS from what I heard. A lot will be said post wbc...there are a lot of upset people in the industry...that is for sure.

Having competed internationally on several occassions myself "you can cry all you like the results dont change "

Chris

[Epic76]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

"you can cry all you like the results dont change "

Too true. But you can cause a refinement in judging criteria in the next comp!

[pie_in_ear]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

Apparently he needed to show more passion....what a crock

Yeah thats what I heard.... and yeah, same reply.

Hey, I got that comment on my scorecards at the Qld Barista Comp, also had "was too relaxed"

[flynnaus]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

"you can cry all you like the results dont change "

Too true.But you can cause a refinement in judging criteria in the next comp!

How do you set criteria for something as subjective as level of enthusiasm?

Do judges provide a score on presentation style? If so, do they moderate the scores by measures such as ignoring the highest and lowest and averaging the remaining scores?

[mwatt]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

How do you set criteria for something as subjective as level of enthusiasm?

Do judges provide a score on presentation style? If so, do they moderate the scores by measures such as ignoring the highest and lowest and averaging the remaining scores?

Hmm, very briefly, but there are a few areas it could come under on the Sensory Judges scoring:
Presentation: Professionalism/Dedication/Passion (/6)
And under the Judges Total Impression score (/6 x4)

As for moderating ... its Tech 1 + T2 + Sensory 1 + S2 + S3 + S4 - Overtime = Total/870

Any score of 0 or 6 needs the head judge to sign off on it.

The rules and regs are pretty easy to find on the WBC website if you want to have a look.

[flynnaus]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

How do you set criteria for something as subjective as level of enthusiasm?

That was a somewhat rhetorical question.

The rules and regs are pretty easy to find on the WBC website if you want to have a look.

Thanks Michelle

I didnt want to go to that level as I am far from involved. Just curious about how subjectiveness is catered for.

[grumpygeek]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

There was an interview with Gwilym Davies on radio national on Tuesday morning. Was a very good interview. He said he took a few risks in his presentation. Asked each of the judges to select a coffee flavour and made them a cup with that flavour highlighted on top of his signature base. I guess it came off for him.

They then asked him to give his store a free plug, but he said he just worked at a coffee stall in one of the big London markets. He also remarked at the irony of someone from the UK winning the crown - not well known for their coffee brewing. He said about 60% of his customers were Aussies looking for a decent place to get a good cup.

[Andy]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

Just curious about how subjectiveness is catered for

...tis judged by humans!

Until we have a machine scoring comps then these sorts of issues will always be around. I think its just part of the "fun" of competition.

As long as the WBC takes all the feedback "on board" and tries to improve the playing field at each event then it will always get better/fairer.

I also noticed a bias in Engilsh speaking countries making the final and think it might be part of the same issue. If you didnt speak Spanish or Italian how could you mark someone down for lack of enthusiasm? The inverse is that speaking english certainly made it easier to "sell" your coffee to the judges. Confidence and lack of enthusiasm can appear to be pretty similar.

Anyway, from what I heard the coffee from the winner was AMAZING which is why it carried enough points to overcome the time penalty.

I would have loved to try it!

[Andy]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground


(snap Grumpygeek, we posted together)

Ill have a look for the interview on the ABC website.

[flynnaus]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

Just curious about how subjectiveness is catered for

...tis judged by humans!

Until we have a machine scoring comps then these sorts of issues will always be around. I think its just part of the "fun" of competition.

Exactly. I hope the unsuccessful competitirs learned a lot and enjoyed themselves.

Makes you wonder how a machine would judge it tho :-/

Ill have a look for the interview on the ABC website.

Here you go: Gwilym Davies on radio national

He is described as the worlds best coffee maker rather than World champion barista.
The "Worlds best coffee maker" is anyone who prepares that special coffee on a certain day or time that makes you feel good to be alive

[Andy]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

News just to hand...

Big congrats to Rob Forsyth.

I didnt see this stand else I would have had a crack at the cupping too!

=== Press Release ===

Kaapi Royale Coffee Announces 2009 Challenge Results

ATLANTA, GA (April 22, 2009) – Rob Forsyth of Forsyth Coffee (Australia), Allen Leibowitz of Zingermans Coffee Company (USA) and Geoff Watts of Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea (USA) are the winners of the 2009 Kaapi Royale Challenge.

All three gentlemen were able to correctly identify the species of 3 coffee samples as either Robusta or Arabica in a blind cupping held on Friday, April 17th concurrent with the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) annual exposition in Atlanta.

Winners will receive invitations to join Kaapi Royale in India for a 4- day guided farm tour of Karnatakas Chikmagalur coffee growing region during the 2010 harvest season this December. Accommodations, meals and ground transportation between Bangalore and Chikmagalur will be provided.

"We were excited by the enthusiasm shown by all of our participants,"
said Nishant Gurjer, Managing Partner of Kaapi Royale Coffee. "We were additionally very interested by the overall results of our blind cupping, which showed that only 1 in 6 experienced cuppers could correctly distinguish our high quality Indian Robusta from a comparably high quality Arabica coffee. We believe that industry this will go far to help dispel the myth that all Robustas are inferior to other species."

The next Kaapi Royale Challenge will be held in May 2010 at the 22nd annual SCAA conference in Anaheim, California.

[Andy]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

More news to hand...

Mountain Top scores 81 in the coffee of the year growers comp.
Well done to Andrew and the team in Nimbin.

=========


SCAA Awards Coffee of the Year to
C.I. Virmax Colombia S.A. of Colombia
LONG BEACH, Calif. U.S.A. (April 21, 2009) --- If youre a lover of specialty coffee, why not drink the worlds best? At the Specialty Coffee Association of Americas (SCAA) 21st Annual Exposition, C.I. Virmax Colombia S.A. of Colombia took the title of Coffee of the Year. The winner beat out more than 100 international coffee producers, by winning SCAAs 2009 Roasters Guild Coffee of the Year Competition. SCAA is the worlds largest coffee trade association.
During the competition, expert SCAA cuppers evaluated and ranked the worlds finest specialty coffees. More than 30 experienced judges selected the winning coffee by cupping, or thoroughly evaluating the scent and taste of each coffee sample. The judges specifically assessed six distinct attributes of the coffee samples, including: fragrance, aroma, taste, flavor, aftertaste and body.
Cupping is a systematic method of evaluating the aroma and taste of coffee and is used by growers, buyers and roasters to evaluate the quality and flavor profile of coffee.
To properly gauge the taste of the hot beverage, the judges slurped and swirled a soupspoon-sized portion evenly over their palate, then spit out the sample without swallowing. By saturating as many sensory nerves as possible, SCAA cupping participants are better able to evaluate each of the coffee samples.

2009 Coffee of the Year results:
SCORE COUNTRY COMPANY REGION
88.66 Colombia C.I. Virmax Colombia S.A. Los Naranjos (San Agustin, Huila)
87.69 Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Boquete
87.03 Ethiopia Ninety Plus Coffee Yigrachaffe
85.78 Colombia C.I. Racafe & CIA S.C.A. Huila
85.72 Kenya Royal Coffee - NY Aberdare Ranges
85.59 Guatemala El Injerto, S.A. Highland Huehue
85.08 Hawaii Kau Farm and Ranch Company,LLC District of Kau on the Big Island if Hawaii
85 Colombia C.I. Virmax Colombia S.A. La Piramide (inza Cauca)
84.89 El Salvador Exportadora El Volcan S.A. de C.V. Apaneca/Iiamatepec Mountain Range
84.86 Guatemala San Diego Buena Vista Acatenango
83.5 Taiwan Genn Shang Ind. Co. Ltd. Alishan Lot A
81.22 Austrailia MTC Group Northen N.S.W (Nimbin)

[flynnaus]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

83.5 Taiwan Genn Shang Ind. Co. Ltd. Alishan Lot A

Now theres a region I was surpirised to see, let alone almost making the top 10 of the world.
Is it actually a Taiwan estate or is it simply a Taiwanese company with its estates in other regions?

[Ronin]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground

There is an article on Thai coffee in issue 17 of Cafe Culture mag.
www.doichaangcoffee.com is apparently good, not tasted it myself tho.

Not supprised about MTC Group. I enjoyed their Peaberry.

[Andy]

Re: WBC Altanta 2009 - On the ground


I drank Doi Chaang at SCAA and its good, we are "in talks" at the moment to see if we can get some over here later in the year.