LATTE ART WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IS DOOMED
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- Опубликовано: 13 янв 2024
- Woke up on Jan 11th to a surprising new announcement form the SCA /WCC. And Boy did this cause an up stir. Now you get to enjoy the juicy controversy for 4 more years!
This is a HOT TAKE and I would love to know what you think below in the (NOT SILENCED) comments.
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It’s a really surprising sponsorship, especially when you unpack it a little more. These are usually chosen through blind bids. For Thermoplan to get it then it meant that their bid was higher than the second highest machine sponsor AND the highest grinder sponsor combined. So that means that it was worth a lot to them or (perhaps more likely) it wasn’t worth that much to anyone else. San Remo and Macap were (I think) the previous sponsors and if that didn’t turn into machine sales and brand value then they may not bid again. The WBC is the big deal and has historically taken the air out of the room for the brands sponsoring the other competitions. Which I guess does tie into your point about latte art folks and feeling undervalued by the industry.
With the WBC there were quite strict technical requirements for machines to be able to bid but I don’t know the requirements for other competitions. Those requirements would typically have kept super automatics out of the running, but maybe they are more open for other competitions.
Nonetheless, it all feels weird and confusing and the online sentiment about it (and the relative lack of interest in it) makes me a little sad.
can't wait for Hames Joffman to provide us actually useful insight over this imposter.
Wisely said.
Was just on a call this morning with a friend and competitor, chatting about this topic prior to release and the whole point circled back to “being the sponsor is a big deal AND a big financial risk”.
Like you said if there no ROI then why continue to to invest :/. That speaks to a bigger conversation about how the world views coffee as well.
@@EmileeBryant a comment from Papa Hoffmann himself, that's a big deal 👏🏼
It looks like there was a change to the rules in 2024. Looking at the 2024 WLAC Summary of Rule Changes, it looks like section 4.1.2 used to read:
"Competitors must use the espresso machine supplied for by the official WLAC espresso machine sponsor. The WLAC-provided espresso machine has a fixed technical configuration and cannot be altered by the competitors. The espresso machine will be calibrated to the following specifications: the temperature will be set between 90.5-96 degrees Celsius (195-205 degrees Fahrenheit), and the pump pressure set between 8.5 and 9.5 bars (atmospheres)."
For the 2024 rules, the following text was inserted after the first sentence:
"The espresso machine can be a semi-automatic machine or a fully-automatic machine. In the case of a fully-automatic espresso machine, a non-automated steam wand (either
integrated in the fully-automatic espresso machine or separate) will be the only method allowed for preparing the milk."
Similar changes were made to section 4.2 regarding grinders.
It's possible semi-automatic and fully-automatic machines were implicitly allowed before, and are only now being explicitly written into the rules, but it's curious that this text is being added at the same time as we're seeing these machines in competition for the first time.
@@crwperThanks for pointing these changes out. That's super interesting. Competitors can't use the automatics to steam the milk. And are you also saying they can't use the integrated grinder?
Incredible face placement.
Here I am wondering if you should consider copyrighting “steam Lance” as your new term for what really cranks your steam knobs.
The Steam Lance, the hero no one deserves.
Will the Steam Lance sing ditties as it works? Might be worth it if so.
@@skateboarderzzzz lance taught me how to steam for sure . steam lance is appropriate
It's like having the world painting championships using solely paint-by-numbers books.
I feel like using those machines for a prestigious competition like this is a straight up insult to not only the competition but also for the competitors and the craft itself.
Exactly. But I will move forward with an open mind and heck maybe this does add accessibility to groups that would normally only have super autos… but still. Feels icky for the wrong reasons
@@EmileeBryantNot to mention that the complete lack of communication by the SCA to its members leading up to this decision is adding I insult to injury.
There are amazing super auto machines that can bring such great benefit to shops. But using them for equipment in comps.... I hope they don't
If this is the machine that’s going to be used in the competition then the only real option is to boycott the SCA and the competition.
I'm waiting for someone to announce that they're boycotting the competition. This is the worst decision I've ever seen from the coffee industry.
You are definitely not over reacting in my opinion. Putting a fully automatic machine in a compation that all about craft sounds like a crazy idea.
Big fan of your channel by the way😊
Totally agree. I was in Napa recently and refused to get coffee at a shop We had frequented because they replaced their beautiful machines and real baristas with 4 super automatic machines. It was at Bouchon’s. Sad.
good for you, stand up for your principles
I used to work at a place I really hated, and one of the reasons was that people who did latte art found themselves always put down in some way by the ones that honestly just couldn't do latte art themselves. And yeah, it's a garnish, it's extra. But also, it's an indication of proper timing with microfoam. The priority always seemed to be speed over precision, and so neither was ultimately achieved. The timing that makes latte art is also what makes the espresso and the steamed milk pour blend into the flavors that people associate with good lattes.
It seems to me that the push is to make things move as fast as they possibly can, which is always going to be a problem if the emphasis is on quality. But capitalism doesn't care, so the super speedy people that make shit for drinks get promoted, and the ones that care about craft are accused of slowing things down. If this wasn't such a prevalent problem in coffee shops this would be my career.
as. a home brewer, latte art is a craft. No one hates on the bricklayer that takes extra time to organize the brick color or perfect the morters edge, same with a good espresso pull
We should take over SCA and converted the them into Scumbag Coffee Association :))) Thanks for the video and the insight, Emilee 🙂
"drop the s" is a crazy way to end this video! The implications of this move really have me dumbfounded
what does the S stand for in this case?
@@bermchasin”specialty” as in “specialty coffee association” (“SCA”)
Love your passion. Keep posting.
The photo of Lance Hedrick on the steam lance made my weekend. 😊
Fantastic video. The information, the commentary, the editing... just... fantastic.
Love the guy. We go way back and used to lance battle Lance near the high school dance.
Thank you so much! ♥
@@EmileeBryant in pants ????
"This is craft competition"
Thank you Emilee 🥺
Steam Lance is actually just the literal translation of the german word (Dampflanze)
So they are also just lazy translators.
Great comment. Here I am thinking they wanted the have the machines duel on horse back 🐎
Nah. They named it after me
Well damn. Guess I gotta listen to the experts. 🫡 @@LanceHedrick
@@LanceHedrickI think so too 😂. The question is whether you take that as an insult or a compliment 😁
I totally agree with your perspective on this. Thank you for giving this more publicity.
Starbucks would gladly lose money to hurt an industry they don't like, just sayin'
Starbucks isn't losing money for having Thermoplan AG partner with the SCA. They [Thermoplan AG] still have their exclusive partnership with Starbucks over the Mastrena and the Mastrena 2. Although, your point still remains.
That isn’t the point, more that they like see this competition being undermined. Starbucks hate speciality coffee
How would this competition hurt them? They dgaf about latte art. Why would they?
Wow. A lucid and well communicated commentary. Thank you.
Ok, im actually with this new trend. Id like them to add that espresso printing machine as well. Everyone will be able to participate in this competition. It's all about who can find a funnier picture on Google to print. Hell yeah, equality! 🤗
Yeah I share your distaste for the sponsorship decision, but your underlying message is shit.
Nope, you're not over reacting Emilee. I wholeheartedlt agree.
Thank you Emilee.
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 fantastic video! The intro had me 😂, then it never let up. Yeah these machines do not inspire hope for the future
Thanks for speaking out!
I am 100% with you!
Very well said!
From Florida!
There can be an argument that the competition is for Latte Art and that if everyone has the same coffee to start with it removes variables and allows people to be judged just on their art. There are other competitions for coffee brewing.
Why would you remove variables? The coffee is the canvas, which influences the end product. Which means two things: You strip out part of the skill, but you also take away artistic freedom. Artists might use these variables!
The 2026 barista champion goes to NOT A BARISTA robot 🤖 big sponsors have more financial contributions than poor baristas
Nailed it Emilee
Thanks for this ❤
I didn’t know any of this was a thing. Not surprising. I’m so intrigued!
Love your videos ❤!
Thank you!!! 😊
"Let's take half the skill out this competition. That will surely make it more fun"
Bravo for speaking out Emilee. If I see an automatic machine in a coffee shop I keep walking… I really enjoy watching the whole artistic process of pulling the shot and the latte art. To me it means the barista is taking extra care to craft my drink , something I really appreciate.
Thanks!
Maybe I'm just too out of the loop for this but if it makes everything BUT the latte art automatically, then the latte art can still be done manually just like you would with another machine right? Can someone explain why you can't make latte art as well with this machine from a technical perspective?
it's not that you can't throw latte art with the machine's milk. you can, but that's not what latte art competition is about, it's not about just throwing good latte art, just like being a good barista competitor isn't just about making the best tasting coffee. it's a big part of it, but it's not the whole thing. Also, as someone that would've considered joining my local SCA competition for latte art I am no longer interested, because making the milk and getting the perfect texture is a skill in itself and one that makes being good at latte art a much deeper competition than this would.
Good points. Well (and entertainingly) spoken. We shall see.
It's the best ad for the company. Their machines being used at the competition level. I can see lot of money behind it. It sucks though. The attention should be on the craft, not the automation.
Thanks for telling us such news from the coffee world. I, personally, would like to see more of such content in the future.
Great video and great line about ordering while chained to phone.
The only "reasonable" explanation I think I could understand is that them picking a superautomatic is an attempt at some kinda standardization or level playing field for latte art? Everyone competing with the same output, as pulled away from an individual's espresso prep/pull skills as possible, so it becomes simply a test of latte art rather than it hinging on shot quality as well? But I feel like if this was the case it would be at the top in bold as a motivation for the change...
I've been a master barista for Marks and Spencer's Cafe in the UK for nearly 14 years now, two years ago they changed the shape of the coffee mugs from lovely bowl-shaped designs to straight-sided ones. Then, last year they changed their traditional Faema coffee machines for WMF automatic coffee makers in many of their cafes. It was a very sad day for us latte art lovers and it took the fun out of coffee-making for us for a long time. 18 months later and we still miss grinding, tamping and steaming the milk but we manage to still do our latte art when we get time between the mad rushes of customers. xx
I think something that is also worth pointing out is that the SCA does have a certification for coffee machine based on some strict criteria and Thermoplan does not have any machine certified.
Well said ❤
thanks for speaking up
The practical question is, will competitors do anything about it, ie boycott? Or at least do something to hurt the org financially? What would that even be? If not, unfortunately money is mightier than words. 😕
Ahhhh. Someone is getting rich off of this. When you said Starbucks it all started to make sense. I’m sure Starbucks will own the competition in a few years and they will make the claim that the machine is to level the playing field and give everyone the same blank canvas. It’s like the NASCAR of coffee competitions.
@EmileeBryant Thank you for spreading awareness. ❤
Short version is Big Coffee found a backdoor into specialty coffee., 4 years is disgraceful. Two years into owning a decent machine I will gladly concede that latte art is by far the most challenging aspect of making coffee.
Throwing Lance Hedrick's face on the steam lance absolutely sent me XD
Love your sentiments about latte art's place in the industry, I think about those things often. I've never met a great latte artist who wasn't on top of the rest of their craft. If anything I'd say the opposite is true, folks with the attitude "I only care about making it taste good" are less likely to be well rounded as a barista. Where is the merit in dismissing presentation in craft coffee? There are many cafes and baristas that show It's very possible to make coffee taste good AND look good with great service.
I couldn't agree with you more Emilee. The "ART" is the whole process, from grind to the presentation.
This news had made me loose respect for The SCA. Shutting down comments is a really poor thing to do. The SCA should distance themselves big time from Starbucks.
Starbucks is, and has been, a big contributor to the SCA for many years now.
Its like entering a paint competition with chat gpt ai generated images
You just don't
exactly what I was thinking
Non Profit SCA would get Profits from the Machine Provider.
Lately I’ve realized that non-profit in general is just a facade
watched this video as I made my first latte with an espresso machine and foamer and stuff. It was super fun and I’ve always just enjoyed coffee in general. Even though I’m just hearing about this competition now, it does feel very silly to have a machine that automates everything because, like you said, where’s the craft??
Black Eagle and anything LM is just a joy to work with
I don't know the latte art world (I am terrible at it on my BBE) but empathize with your plight. I don't like games going on in the background. Especially when it appears like a money grab.
Hmm, next up: World Barista comp is being sponsored by Nespresso.
3:00 - wow, that hit different this year.
Hi Emilee...great vid...sub'd. BTW, I'm planning to retire my old lever machine and am in the market for the best espresso machine with E61 GH...any recommendations?
I have never been able to do latte art but I would have to imagine that you develop your steam technique and your pouring technique alongside one another and there are probably subtleties in the quality of the way you steam that might work best with how you pour.
right on!
Em, as my mother has told me numerous times when I was young...follow the $$$. It affects everything in our culture, COVID, electric cars, alphabet soup, DEI and now COFFEE!!!
I saw a SIC (standard issue cat) in the background at 21s. We demand the Cat Tax!!! 😻
Negates the hard work baristas put into our craft & into these comps. Such an unfair, greedy decision. WCC will surely see a decline in latte art submissions/registration.
Surely a decline of a certain type of competitors, but perhaps and most likely an increase of another one. I love grinding by hand and pulling my espressos on a manual lever machine, but since I suck at latte art, I wouldn't mind having some 🤖 help with it. There must be excellent latte artists out there that suck at pulling their shots. The main stage (WBC) remains pristine.
Would've even been interesting to see Nanofoamer Pro, Meticulous Milk or heck, even Breville's auto-milk steaming machines at the world stage.
Great that you're bringing attention to latte art competitors feeling undervalued. This change will not help that matter.
Wow, I am really suprised by this. I am still a latte art beginner trying to get a swan down consistenly, but from my experience the milk foam thickness has a huge impact on the pourability. I am not sure whether modern machines can do as a good of a job as a trained barista. If the milk is too thick, I cannot get a nice flow speed and despite a wiggle movement the layers might end up as one blob. So on a world champion ship level... I think steaming the milk might almost be equally important as the patterns. I mean, maybe one cannot pour some patterns with the pre-made foam and this might stronlgy reduce the artistic opportunities. If I am wrong on that, feel free to correct me :)
As you practice more and more, you'll get the hang of it and see the impact of texture on pattern. Proper steaming is arguable more important than pattern because it is the chicken and the egg. Don't have proper texture? Can't get great pours. But modern machines are designed with texturing in mind - surprisingly enough, you can get very good texture from a super-auto like the Eversys.
@@onocoffee But is there a thing like a generally good texture, or are you going for different textures depending on your pattern of choice? I am wondering whether automatic machines can vary the foam consistency
@@d0nnerknispel64 I've only worked a little bit with the Eversys system and found it to produce very nice quality milk. A lot of that has to do with the operator. While I do believe the Eversys will auto-froth your milk, there is a way to do it manually - and in those situations it performed well enough.
My own latte art skills are not as advanced as Emilee's or the national champions who compete in the worlds, so while I understand foaming technique and teach it to our baristas, I don't hone my skills to those levels to know for sure if there are different techniques to help with different pouring patterns.
@@onocoffee Thank you!
I'm in a group from various baristas across Colombia, and they got into such a fight cause of that, 2 people were trying to defend the decision, and they started to attack with personal things, like with the mistakes in previous competitions, or their positions in the respective café.
Later they sent a picture of a very famous soap across the country as a sponsor cause soap, water, steam wand we know. so it was hilarious
On why it’s called a “steam lance”: Thermoplan is a Swiss company and in German (and Swiss German) the steam wand is called “Dampflanze” (kinda pronounced like Dumph-lun-suh) so my best guess is that it’s a mistranslation of the German word lol
If further digitization and automation is the way the industry is going, and it bears out that coffee can become more consistent and better in the process, I’m not inherently opposed to this, even though I prefer the beautiful more manual machines of the past. What I am opposed to is the clear tie-in with Starbucks, which makes this move reek of corporate favoritism, and is a slap in the face for independent coffee shops and roasters around the world.
Duuuuuude SCA just lost all credibility with this one. Big no from me.
is there some nice (budget?) espresso machine like Gaggia Classic but with thermoblock instead of boiler?
That is obscene. Someone _must_ have got a greased palm. Have a look see who just upgraded their car at SCA
3:58 this is my favorite coincidence in food: that it just so happens that milk steamed to facilitate latte art also happens to taste the best.
this is like if in rubiks cube competitions you were just allowed to stick it in one of them robots that solves it fast
Sure taste matters most. But you don't here anyone saying that "plating" isnt important to quality meal. It isnt required but it certainly enhances the experience.
Great latte art paired with a well pulled espresso is my jam.
YES! You are on the vibe exactly. I actually cut a clip of me saying EXACTLY that same sentence but edited for time.
You literally would be so less appeased by a meal if it was slip in a plate, regardless of taste. They work in unison for a psychological effect.
0:02 Ouch 😂
I was curious how long it would take my feed to send me videos on this 😊
This looks suspiciously like someone got a big sack of money...allegedly
I wanna get ahead of the eagle eye viewers. I call it thermo plus and Typo (thermoplus) in the title sequence. It' thermoplan 🤣 I literally couldn't remember it and i Black out when I ramble.
Sounds like a standard sports practice - standardise the equipment, minimise the number of variables so that only the skills make a difference… and yeah, benefit one producer as you do it. 😅
I am sure that the Thermoplan is an excellent machine otherwise Starbucks would not have put it in all their locations... but is designed for ease of use for people who do not have practice in making espresso drinks.
I would compare this to a baking competition where all the chefs had to use a Betty Crocker cake mix for their cakes. Yes, the cakes would be "good", but it's no longer art and can never be the best it can possibly be
What are the criteria for companies to place a bid ? Surely there are requirements and criteria inorder to become the machine supplier for specialized competitions such as latte art .
I dont think its cheesy at all. When I was a Barista I would love that 1-2 min interaction with the customers while you made them there drink, it gives the job purpose instead of mindlessly pouring shots and making pretty designs, and gives you the feedback needed to know if your performing your craft properly. Now that I'm not a barista I still look forward to what I call 'Barista time' as part of the whole experience. I can make usually better coffee at home with my set up, but I still go and seek out coffee shops for the coffee house experience, which is not something you get from a depressed 'Barista' pressing a button, walking away from there auto frother and serving you a cappuccino like product.
This might be a chance to analyse deeper this kind of competitions. I think Thermoplan does not install a Lance in every machine. Probably just a couple
He’s so busy! Couldn’t imagine lance to be everywhere at once!
We all know there's only one Lance.
NOT THE STEAM LANCE HEDRICK LMAO
It just clearly shows what the SCA is really about, and that's making money for the SCA and the people who profit off it. Coffee is secondary, or teriary, or ,,
I think you should gather as much people as possible in these 4 years and really make a voice.
so true. but maybe a few more people now realize what the SCA is about.
Big agree. I'm upset about this one. It just adds to the incredible challenge that has already existed in the latte art space and frankly sets the WLAC up for even more failure in attracting the largest specialty coffee market on the planet. America has essentially no interest in participating in the WLAC because it doesn't represent our culture of latte art. It just so happens that our culture of latte art sells a whole lot of espresso machines too. So, instead of adjusting the WLAC to open up a larger market of espresso machines, like the US, they just further cemented how irrelevant the WLAC is to American coffee culture.
LAWCO remains king for now. Coffee Fest lives to see another 4 years.
honestly, if you keep a mastrena clean, you can get latte art out of it--the biggest thing is that it will normally automatically shut off at 150F
you can set it into manual mode, though, so the only automatic thing is grind and pull, which does kinda take away from puck prep and whatnot
The M2's--the new machines--are honestly even better at pulling decent shots and good milk, but that may be partially because they're new and freshly calibrated
@@PixPMusic Yup, I can get latte art on the mastrena 2 100% consistently. The removal of the puck prep is annoying but yeah the complaints about the steam wand aren't very warranted
There were already a plethora of reasons to drop the S from SCA and this just confirms it.
Not overreaction at all. Good Latte Art makes a good coffee even great. It’s part of a complex product presentation. It’s the same thought as why not everyone wants a plain black car. I’m a home coffee maker with an auto machine and it works for me. I go out expecting much more when I have a coffee. When I visited the USA I was appalled by the quality of the bulk of the coffees available. Only where there was a barista with a manual machine could I find a decent cup of coffee. If I want auto coffee I’ll go to a gas station as you call them. And I don’t do that either.
Automation has it’s place but a competition isn’t the place. Bob from Australia.
Silly question since I'm not familiar with the machine, but does the steaming function similar to the newer Breville/Sage machines where you just put the pitcher down and the wand does all of the work? And do you get time to practice with the machine because when else would you get access to it? Tin foil hat time: maybe this is how they plan to sell to machines. Make it so the only way for serious competitors to gain experience with the steam lance is to either A) work for SB or B) buy one yourself.
Preach
So weird. Half of the art in latte art is steaming the milk properly, and some designs (hollow heart) need thinner micro foam than others. Are the judges just going to hand the competitors generic pitchers with generic steamed milk?
Or, if you can control the frothing, will competitors need to purchase this thing to learn how to use it? That would give an unfair advantage to deep pockets.
I wonder if the SCA put out the bid, a fully auto machine won it, the SCA was blindsided, and the lawyers said that they were stuck with it, due to the language in the bidding contract and anti non-competition laws. The SCA might hate the selection, but they don’t want to admit the mistake or slag their new sponsor. Oops!
Next is the Barista competition with only Nespresso machines and pods. Mark my word 😂
I’m not a competitor, but I agree with and understand your reaction. It’s very disappointing.
😂😂 good for you!
Nah they don't just "Steam the milk", you still have to have good technique. The only automatic part about the milk steaming is the temperature control / shutoff
I thought this was a joke tbh.
But there really is, a 'world championships for Latte art' ............
Lol there is a world championship for any and every talent a person can have.
Yo-yo championships/ frisbee / every single card strategy game that’s out there has one.
@@EmileeBryant I was kind-of surprised, I have not heard of this in my 54 years of living on this earth.
Fair play though, each to their own, and if enough people want to be competitive at anything, then good for them.
Peace..
cool commentary.. this is a dreadful move by any organisation purporting to further the case for expertly "crafted" coffee... however I don't see how this will help Thermoplug in their quest for world domination. Will any of the baristas in the competition start buying this machine? I doubt it... Will any current user of a carefully selected coffee system (after hours of research and years of looking for ways to improve) suddenly start buying a bean to cup machine like this? I doubt it.. it certainly won't be me. I can see Thermoplug maybe getting some part of the bean to cup market, in the commercial world but I don't see this as a threat to the artisanal industry that has grown up around the concept of NOT turning out a standardised computer controlled product. Maybe next time the SCA will accept a bid from Nespresso..