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 β 10g (14g β 20g double shot)
Brew ratio: 1 / 1.5 β 1 / 2.5 Shot time: 20 β 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 Tasterβs 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