圖：livestream

　　DailyCoffeNews2015年3月27日報道：世界咖啡師錦標賽(WBC-World Barista Championship)主辦方WCE宣佈，2016年在愛爾蘭都柏林的比賽將有重大變化。這些變化主要包括以下三項，另外兩項變化將在今年4月9～12號在美國西雅圖舉行的SCAA年會期間宣佈。

　　這三項變化是：

　　1. 比賽用咖啡機將改爲由生產商 Victoria Arduino提供的的Black Eagle” espresso咖啡機，如下圖：

　　2. 咖啡磨將是由生產商 Mahlkönig提供的K30 Vario，並且禁止參賽者自帶咖啡磨 ：

　　在都柏林WBC2016總決賽上，Mahlkonig公司將在提供30臺K30 Vario咖啡磨供選手使用。

　　3. 卡布奇諾(Cappuccino)改爲牛奶咖啡：

　　過去的比賽中一直要求選手製作三道飲品：Espresso，Cappuccino和 Signature coffee(創意咖啡)，其中對Cappuccino的要求是：單份(single shot)的Espresso咖啡和打發牛奶混合，奶泡的厚度不低於一釐米，容器的容量在150～180毫升之間。但是，從2016年起，Milk coffee (牛奶咖啡)將取代Cappuccino，要求也更爲靈活：一個單份的Espresso和打發牛奶混合成的熱飲，容器的大小在30~240毫升之間，咖啡和牛奶的比例由選手自己決定。

　　今年((2015年)在西雅圖的比賽將是卡布奇諾(Cappuccino)最後一次亮相。

　　WCE稱，制定用磨並禁止選自帶咖啡磨是爲了比賽平臺更爲公正，使比賽的關注點回到原創精神。WCE注意到，比賽讓選手投入大量的時間、精力、金錢，但每個選手的經濟實力、獲得資源的能力不同。

　　說到此，編譯者想到：基於同樣的原因，是否也應該指定一款統一的比賽用豆並禁止選手自帶咖啡豆?因爲有的選手唾手可得世界著名優質咖啡豆，而有的選手千辛萬苦也見不到好一些的精品豆;有的選手可以御用世界著名烘焙師，而有的選手從未見過烘焙機。

　　世界咖啡師錦標賽(WBC)2016年的總決賽將在愛爾蘭的都柏林進行。

　　​

　　圖：Sprudge

　　考慮考國內讀者有時候無法打開原文鏈接，現將原英文報道附後，有興趣的朋友看看原文：

　　Major changes are coming to the World Barista Championship format beginning in 2016, including a single grinder limitation, a new espresso machine model and a new “milk drink course” that replaces the 15-year-old “cappuccino” component. World Coffee Events, the Dublin-based group that produces the WBC, says it plans to announce two additional big changes for next year’s competition during the upcoming world championship in Seattle.

　　“While we’ve made small changes to the competition format over the years (remember the mandated sugar bowls?), it’s time we introduced more changes — bigger changes,” the group announced today, adding, “changes that bring the focus of the competition back to its innovative roots.”

　　The equipment changes involve partnerships with Victoria Arduino, which will provide its “Black Eagle” espresso machine, and Mahlkönig, which will provide K30 Vario grinders. The decision to disallow competitors to bring their own grinders for competition use reflects what WCE describes as “an effort to level the playing field and bring the focus of the competition back to its original ethos.”

　　“WCE recognizes that many competitors — as well as the team of people supporting them — incur a large cost in preparing for the competition in time, energy, and competition supplies,” the WCE announced. “With 50+ sanctioned national bodies spanning the globe, WCE also recognizes that not all competitors have the same resources at their disposal.”

　　As part of the sponsorship deal, Mahlkönig will be providing some 30 grinders for the WBC, as well as “supporting” national competitions leading up to the WBC, which next year takes place in Dublin.

　　This year’s WBC in Seattle will also be the swan song of the competition’s cappuccino, which is being replaced by the more broadly defined “milk drink.”

　　“As new specialty coffee culture emerges, and social media and the internet make the world smaller, we now know that there is more than one way to serve incredible milk and coffee drinks,” WCE announced.

　　The cappuccino drink has traditionally been one of three drink types required in the competition, along with an espresso and a signature drink. The cappuccino requirements currently include a single shot of espresso and textured milk and foam, with a minimum foam depth of 1 cm, served in a 150 to 180 ml cup. The new milk drink requirements are far more flexible, calling for a hot beverage made from a single shot of espresso and milk, served in a 30 to 240 mL cup.

　　“The changes we’re announcing represent exciting steps towards a new WBC,” Stephen

　　Morrissey, chair of the WBC Competition Working Group and 2008 World Barista Champion said. “Our community has always been highly invested in the future of the competition, so we want to be entirely transparent about why these changes are being made.” (---- By Daily Coffee News)

　　WorldCoffeeEvent的報道見一下鏈接：
        http://www.worldcoffeeevents.org/evolving-the-wbc-2016/

　　來源：黃偉精品咖啡烘焙博客
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_692bf2b70102vtpy.html