Testing 1, 2, 3

The Sensory Practical Test at Spro.

It's been a year since the people who became the baristas of Spro Hampden started and a new group of recruits is working to join their ranks. Time for a little barista testing to see just how everyone is doing and to ensure their sensory taste skills are still up to scratch.

Borrowing elements from the Q Grader and WBC Judges Certification programs, the new battery of tests pits the baristas (and candidates) against an array of written and sensory tests. A 50 question, multiple choice, fill in the blank and True/False tests starts off the day with coffee triangulation and coffee identification following.

From there, it's back to practical evaluations. Shot pulling, milk steaming, waste monitoring and even latte art design all come into review. For some it may seem tough, but while the tests are designed to be challenging, they should be relatively easy for the workaday barista at Spro who is constantly tasting and evaluating coffee as part of their daily routine.