Coffee Competitions: Mi Finquita Geisha in the Italian Barista Championship
The world of barista competitions represents the pinnacle of research in the specialty coffee sector. Recently, our barista Cesare Spinella won 2nd place in the Italian Barista Championship, using a coffee that perfectly embodies the standards required at this level: Mi Finquita Coffee Farm’s Natural Geisha.
Why the choice of coffee is crucial
In competitions of this caliber, coffee is not simply an ingredient, but the heart of a complex sensory evaluation. The judges assess the barista’s ability to extract the bean’s full potential.
Choosing a Geisha grown at high altitude (1650-2000 meters) offers a fundamental technical advantage: the bean’s density and aromatic complexity make it possible to present an exceptionally clean, layered cup. The notes of jasmine, blood orange, and ripe apricot found in this Mi Finquita lot provide that precision sensory expertise needed to achieve high scores on international judges’ score sheets.
How a barista competition is structured (SCA)
The Italian Barista Championship is part of the official SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) circuit and follows the rules of the World Barista Championship. The competition requires a 15-minute performance during which the barista must serve three types of beverages to a panel of expert judges:
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Espresso: it must demonstrate a balance between acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, with impeccable texture.
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Milk Beverage: where the coffee must harmonize with the milk without losing its aromatic identity.
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Signature Drink: an original non-alcoholic creation that must enhance and transform the aromatic profile of the selected coffee through innovative ingredients and techniques.
Mi Finquita: A Competition Coffee
The lot used was selected as Competition Coffee for its exceptional cup clarity. The Geisha variety, known for its elegance, is enhanced here by a natural process that adds body and sweetness without masking the delicate floral notes, making it the ideal choice for a barista who must demonstrate technical mastery and palate sensitivity before a global panel of judges
