Are you allowed to use scales to weigh your doses in world barista competitions?

December 29th, 2012, 11:42 pm

I guess the subject line says it all, but I've been reading about Scottie Callaghan's scraping tools for dosing, and am left scratching my head as to why anybody would resort to those when a scale would do maybe even better...unless the rules of competition prohibited it.

Further, I've got to think that even tools like that are developed by double-checking with a set of scales.

Or are these competitions judged by speed or "style" or a combination of both that might penalize weighing?

-Peter

#2: Post by **Spitz.me** » December 30th, 2012, 12:28 am

Well, from what I remember, the whole idea of these 'barista tools' is to always dose the same way. For instance, never change how you manipulate the grinds in the basket. The idea behind the tools is to dose the basket consistently. The scale can only help you be consistent with dose weight, but you can still get channeling, for example.

#3: Post by **Zaneus** » December 30th, 2012, 6:42 am

You're allowed to weigh your dose. You rarely see it because it takes time and when you're a barista at that calibre you can dose pretty damn consistently on your own. I see a lot of baristas using scales in their prep time to dial in the shot.

December 30th, 2012, 11:29 am

Thanks David. There was a second component to my question down at the bottom of my post. I asked if WBC competitions are judged with elements of speed: where a scale might be bad strategy, as well as style: where also a scale might be considered bad form?

IOW, are speed and style also judged and not just taste of the shot? From what David has said, I tend to think speed is part of the scoring because he mentioned that scales are rarely used in competition because "it takes time".

-Peter

#5: Post by **yakster** » December 30th, 2012, 2:26 pm

The WBC 2013 rules state that there is a 15 minute time limit for the competition. One point is deducted per second over 15 minutes up to a limit of 60 points (one minute) if the competitor goes over time and competitors who go over 16 minutes are disqualified. There is no penalty or incentive to finish the competition in less than 15 minutes.

#6: Post by **da gino** » December 30th, 2012, 3:17 pm

I don't know if it is officially judged, but most WBC competitors do seem to work very hard on style - in particular one thing I've always noticed is that they are like the great athletes who make it look like they aren't even trying when they are being incredibly precise.

#7: Post by **another_jim** » December 30th, 2012, 4:30 pm

Weighing the dose will not affect your taste judges scoring; but there are a few points at stake from the technical judges given for "understanding the grinder." I do not know if this could be a problem (it never came up when I was judging); but you should email the USBC or WBC cor a clarification.

If you do, please post their response; I would be curious. There has always been an argument about how close the Barista Competitions should stay to the experience of working in a cafe. Recently, it has gotten very far away from that; but who knows?