How To Taste Espresso Like A WBC Judge | COFFEE BREAK!
About this episode
This episode teaches listeners how to taste espresso using the World Barista Championship sensory framework.
Tasting espresso is one of the most important skills in coffee, but it is also one of the least clearly taught. In this episode, we break down how espresso is evaluated using the World Barista Championship sensory framework. Ben Bicknell, World Barista Championship judge and Q Grader Instructor, explains how to assess sweetness, acidity, bitterness, flavour, body, texture, finish and balance, while separating personal preference from actual quality. Then we put the framework into practice by tasting four very different coffees and scoring them in real time. A practical episode for baristas, roasters, competitors, café owners and coffee drinkers who want to taste espresso with more structure, clarity and confidence. Because “I like it” is a preference. Knowing why it works is a skill. CHAPTERS 00:00 — Learning How To Taste Espresso 03:27 — Why Espresso Tasting Matters 09:01 — Quality vs Preference 13:07 — Building A Shared Coffee Language 20:21 — The WBC Espresso Scoresheet 24:16 — Flavour Notes vs Accuracy 28:28 — Body, Texture And Finish 30:44 — How Espresso Gets Scored 37:55 — Ben’s Espresso Tasting Framework 39:28 — Tasting Coffee One 47:53 — Tasting Coffee Two 54:06 — Tasting…
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