General Competition FAQ's

The SCAE UK Championships are the only competitions recognised by the industry, and the only ones that offer the chance of becoming the next World Champion. The events are not just about winning, they are about learning, networking, and meeting people who all share a passion for great coffee. Whether you think you your palette is second to none, you’ve discovered the secret to perfect latte art, or you just want to find out what makes a great barista you should be getting involved!

We Need You!

Frequently Asked Questions
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Need an answer to a crucial question about any of the competitions? Just drop us an email and we'll aim to get back to you in 24 hours. We've got a whole bank of past entrants to answer your burning questions, or have a read through our FAQ's – the answer may already be there!

Why should you enter the SCAE Championships?

Entering the championships can be a nerve wracking experience, and for café owners, often expensive with the cost of equipment and time off for their competing baristas, so why should you enter?

Firstly, for the barista there is no better way to learn new and improved skills. Gwilym Davies, our current UK and World Champion commented on just how much he learnt through his training towards the finals, and that’s after years of experience working with coffee.

Although the baristas compete against each other the atmosphere at any competition is always friendly and helpful as baristas share tips and points of view. Secondly the baristas join a community of fellow professionals. Many continue to keep in touch and share advice well after the competition has finished.

For the café, the first advantage is improved quality of drinks. Many cafes that have had a long history of entering their baristas into the competition have reaped the benefit of increased business through loyal customers coming back for quality drinks. Cafes such as Relish in Cornwall, Leonis in Malton, and The Bottle Kiln in Derbyshire, all run by past finalists, have all got great reputations for their high standards and the sales to match!

This year SCAE UK will be encouraging cafes to make the most of entering, providing posters to print off to inform customers that they have entered and that they take their coffee seriously. We also encourage cafes to contact their local press and get as much exposure for their involvement in the competition as possible.

Finally, cafes that encourage the skills of their baristas tend to keep their staff longer and attract the best applicants for new positions – quality attracts quality!

If I don’t understand something in the rules who can I ask?

Through this site you will be able to contact one of our judges or committee members, all of whom are well versed competition rules. We cannot tell you what to put in your drinks, what patterns to pour, or what coffees to taste, but we can help you find resources to help you do all of this.

Can I bring my Mum to the events?

Of course you can, and your Nan, and your colleagues, and your boss! It’s great to have supporters to cheer you along, or soothe your nerves if you are feeling anxious.

Can I talk to the judges?

Yes and no. You need to talk to then judges if it is required for the competition and forms part of your presentation. However, the judges will not enter into any conversation with you (not because they are mean, but because they are not allowed to!). If you need to ask a question during your set, you can only address it to the Head judge. You are also forbidden from communicating to anyone in the audience (e.g. can you run and get my jug...)

Why are their regional heats for the Barista Championship but only one for the other SCAE UK competitions?

UKBC has been held for the past 8 years in the UK and has picked up quite a following – along with the kudos for the winner of being the UK Barista Champion, and possibly the next WBC! This is the XX year for the Latte Art Championship, XX for the Coffee In Good Spirits, and Cupping, and only the 2nd for the Ibrik Championship – so we tend to have less entrants, and can fit them all in on one day. We hope the numbers will increase and we will start holding regional heats!

Can I enter more than one competition?

Of course! If you are entering the South West heat, all the other competitions are being held in the same venue so you may as well!

Do bear in mind how much of your time you need to allocate to each competition, and whether entering more than one would be too much, and possibly have a negative effect overall.

Please note you are only allowed to enter one heat of the UKBC.

When do I find out my scores and how to improve for next time if necessary?

Following each competition you have the opportunity to sit down with one of the judges and run through your scores in detail. This will give you pointers on where you can improve your score for the next time should you choose to return.

We will have a running score board on the SCAE UK site for the heats of the UKBC, so you can see where you are ranking overall as the heats progress.

Can I bring my own grinder?

Yes. Grinders are provided but we know sometimes people like to stick to what they know. You will be able to take it onto the stage with you.

What about milk?

Our Platinum sponsor, Arla, provides Cravendale milk which many baristas prefer, but you are of course welcome to bring your own. We wouldn’t want Daisy to be upset...

Where can I find recipes for my signature drink?

You need to develop your own drink for the competition. Copying someone else’s is a bad idea – we want to see that you have the skills to develop your own, and understand your blend enough to know what will work well with it. Also, the judges may have tasted the copied one before! If you do need some inspiration you can look online. There are also a few books on the subject that may be useful:

What if I can’t make my competition?

From time to time the unexpected happens at the last minute for all of us. As soon as you know you are not going to be able to make the competition contact Paul Meikle Janney at paul@scaeuk.com. The sooner you can let us know the better, as there are often waiting lists for the UKBC heats, so someone else can take your spot. We will do our best to squeeze you in elsewhere but sadly cannot guarantee this.

What if I am not very good at performing in public?

This isn’t unusual! Many people find it difficult to speak in public, let alone make great coffee! Make sure you practice in front of other people in the run up to your event.

Think about what you want to say (if you need to for your competition)

Think about things that could go wrong, and how you would deal with it on stage. They are all open to the public and this year we expect more of an audience then ever.

Just remember, everyone, from the judges, to the committee member, yours friends & family are all there to support you and wish you well.

Enjoy yourself and learn from the experience – all far more important than winning!

What if I don’t want to enter any of the competitions but would like to be involved?

That’s fine too! All of the events are a great change to meet lots of people who share a passion for coffee. They are all run by volunteers so we always need help. Visit the volunteering section of this site for more details. If you are not sure what you want to help with, or it’s a bit last minute, just rock up on the day, ask for Helen and she’ll find something for you to help with!

How can I get in touch with other coffee enthusiasts and get help with the competitions?

If you’re new to the industry and competitions the level of passion and knowledge can be mind blowing! The UK has an ever growing population of coffeegeeks (no offence!) who love nothing more than meeting other coffee heads, sharing advise and talking about their coffee experiences! Join the UK Barista Championship Facebook group, start following the blogs, or email us and we can put you in touch with some like minded people in your area. Just putting espresso in your search engine should give you enough options for the next 20 years!

Should I get specialist training?

It’s up to you! It’s not always necessary and you should consider the cost. Ask people you already know, like your boss, colleagues, and who you get your coffee or machines from. If you still feel you want more help just do a search for your nearest trainer. Or drop us a line and we can give you some options in your area.

Nothing beats understanding the rules. Everything you need to know is within these documents, which you can download from each competitions page. Study these, and if you are unclear ask for help! We know that entrants learn a huge deal by talking to, and watching, other baristas at the competitions so even if you don’t win it’s a great experience and we are sure you’ll be hooked!

It is going to cost me a lot of money?

That’s up to you! For some of the competitions you need to set a table and you will need kit for this. But, don’t feel the more it costs that better you will score. The judges are for the main part scoring you, and your coffee skills. Look at the percentage given on the score sheets for things like table set up – they are coffee competitions! You can buy very nice kit for not much money, just keep it all clean and shiny and you’re on your way!

I have a specific competition question, where will I find the answer?

We have FAQ's for each competition on the site, these are linked below - please have a look through these and if your question has not been answered you can send us a message using the form on the competition page or our email address info@scaeuk.com



If I don’t understand something in the rules who can I ask?

Simply email info@scaeuk.com and one of the committee members will get back to you with an answer as soon as possible.