EXTRACTION & BREWING

Espresso is a method of preparation that takes finely ground coffee, compacts it into a portafilter and forces hot water through it under pressure to make a concentrated coffee beverage

• Sensory attributes are used to describe coffee

• There may be regional variations to espresso and cappuccino parameters used in the SCA exams:

• Dose: within 7g – 10g (14g – 20g double shot)

• Brew ratio: 1 / 1.5 – 1 / 2.5 Shot time: 20 – 30 seconds

• Recognizes the key defining parameters of an espresso used within SCA examinations

• Tastes and describes attributes, such as aroma, body and flavor, of an espresso Chooses appropriate terms to describe flavor from the SCA Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel

• Demonstrates awareness of regional variations in parameters

• There are five interdependent elements to brewing espresso: The bean / The barista / The machine / The grinder / The water

• Lists the five inter-dependent elements to brewing espresso