By Tim Krynauw
“Time!” rings out from the judges’ side of the table.
The stress, excitement, nerves, and expectations are all palpable in those few seconds before the barista kicks off their set.
Time! - and we’re off…
Competitive baristas plan and practice for weeks, sometimes months, leading up to competition. In truth, many never switch off their competition radar - it’s always on. Tasting new coffees, experimenting with latte art, designing signature drinks - it all feeds into the craft.
The planning, spending, practicing, tasting, traveling, and speech writing all come to a climax in that 15-minute set where the barista presents their very best to the judges.
Behind the judges’ table, hovering just behind the barista and the machine, are the sensory and technical judges - trying to stay out of the way but still see everything - overseen by the watchful eye of the head judge.
They are silent sentinels: looking, listening, smiling, nodding on occasion. They catch every scrap of information - verbal, visual, even subconscious - while offering nothing back but eye contact and, hopefully, a reassuring smile.
From the outside, the process seems simple. Judges greet the barista, make their notes, taste the coffees, and then shuffle quietly back to the deliberation room. What’s not seen is the hours of training and dedication they volunteer before and during a competition weekend.
It begins the day before with judges’ training. A full day spent learning how to stand, when to write, where to look, how to taste, and - most importantly - how to interpret the rules fairly. How to give feedback without coaching. How to stay unbiased. And that’s just the morning of theory.
Then comes the practical. Sensory judges practice evaluating espresso, milk drinks, and signature beverages. What makes a good espresso? What’s average? What’s poor? How do alternate milks affect flavour and texture? How does temperature shift the cup profile?
For technical judges, the details run even deeper. What does 0.3 grams of spilled coffee look like? What does 20ml of leftover milk look like? How many times did the barista spin their tamp? Tap the portafilter? The list is endless.
On competition day, the judges prepare their score sheets, note barista names, and run calibration. The head judge leads the team through sample coffees, ensuring everyone’s aligned on scoring before the first set begins.
Then it’s “go” time. Judges must catch every word the barista says - without writing until they pause. They taste, evaluate, and score under pressure, often with barely enough time to get it all down. The barista may say “X,” but the judge might also taste “Y” and “Z.” Every box on the score sheet must be filled before leaving the stage. Thankfully, the off-stage “scribe” helps capture notes when the pace gets overwhelming.
After the set, the real work begins. The head judge guides the discussion: if scores vary, is it calibration, or was there an issue? Technical judges often provide the missing link: “What was the shot time on the second extraction?” “Did they tamp straight?” “Was there a machine issue?” “Did the shot miss the Paragon ball?” Every score must be justified with clear, rule-based comments. Notes, notes, and more notes.
The final hurdle is the debrief. Competitors want to know where they gained or lost points. This feedback is essential for growth, but judges must walk a fine line: offering clarity without coaching, keeping it grounded in the rules and not personal opinion. Easier said than done.
At the end of a long competition weekend, the judges help crown a new set of champions to represent their provinces and their country on the world stage. Their work provides competitors with a strong foundation for what to expect at Worlds and edges South Africa closer to breaking that semi-final barrier.
Judges give their time, patience, experience—and often their sanity—for the sake of the industry and its baristas. They sacrifice weekends and take leave from work to be part of the competition machine. Without them, formal barista competitions simply wouldn’t be possible.
Thank you, judges.
“Time!”
Photo credit: thecoffeemagazine & Arnelle Booysen
