The Ism 2016 in Cologne (Germany, 31st January – 3rd February) will host seminars by the  International Institute of Coffee Tasters (Iiac) on tasting Italian espresso. Carlo Odello, member of the board and lecturer of the Iiac, will host the seminars twice a day at Caffè Italia, the special area focused on Italian espresso. Caffè Italia is also endorsed by the Italian Espresso National Institute (Inei). The seminar program is available here.

New certification sessions for Italian Espresso and for Espresso Italiano Trainers will take place in Italy from the 19th to the 22nd October 2015, just before the international trade show Host.

The Italian Espresso certification programme is run by the Italian Espresso National Institute (Inei) in cooperation with the International Institute of Coffee Tasters (Iiac). It is made up of two modules (M1 Espresso Italiano Tasting and M2 Espresso Italiano Specialist). The two courses will take place on the 19th and the 20th October and are valid for the Inei’s certification Italian Espresso.

The certification programme for Espresso Italiano Trainers will immediately follow on the 21st and 22nd October. Candidate trainers have to attend two more modules (M3 Senses Brain Sensory Analysis and EIT Espresso Italiano Trainer course). Certified trainers will be entitled to hold the sensory seminar Espresso Italiano Experience on behalf of the Iiac. The content of the seminar includes information on espresso and tasting techniques with the final aim of teaching the students how to assess the quality of Italian coffee. Each student receives a certificate after passing the thoery and tasting exams at the end of the seminar. There are more than 150 Espresso Italiano Trainers in the world.

For more information, please download the PDF or write to carlo.odello@italiantasters.com.

We are pleased to announce that Scae invited the International Institute of Coffee Tasters (Iiac) to hold a seminar about the methodology of tasting Italian espresso at the upcoming World of Coffee in Rimini.

The seminar Espresso Italiano Experience will be held on the 10th June (10–12 AM) in the cupping room by Carlo Odello, member of the board of the Iiac, communications manager for the Inei (Italian Espresso National Institute) and founder of the Ibs (Italian Barista School). He will talk about the scientific tasting method developed to assess the quality of a cup of Italian espresso. Participants will thus learn how to use the Italian Espresso Sensory Map and the tasting sheet developed by the Inei for its certification program for Italian coffee roasters, machines and grinders manufacturers and baristas.

For more information and reserve your seat, please contact Julie Barwick, Scae Education Development Coordinator, at julie@scae.com or visit http://scae.com/news/scae-notices/919-exclusive-first-look-world-of-coffee-workshops.html

International Coffee Tasting 2008 will be the record-setting competition. Actually, more than 140 coffees from all over the world have registered for the biennial competition organised by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters. A sharp increase of the number of coffees compared to the first edition in 2006, during which, for the first time ever, tens of coffees were assessed by commissions made up of judges from the International Institute of Coffee Tasters. «A unique initiative which already in 2006 attracted also the attention of the media – said Odello – The mission of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters is that of promoting a scientific method for coffee tasting. Praising the best products of the sector means also rewarding those who work in a competent manner in order to provide consumers with a truly high quality coffee». Currently, the tasting commissions made up of tasters, both Italians and foreigners, from the Institute are being formed. See you all then on the 30th-31st of October when the international competition will take place in Brescia.

In November 2008, there will be the second edition of International Coffee Tasting, the only one international competition where coffee is tasted according to the scientific rules of sensory analysis. While for wine there are many competitions and they are now part of its history and tradition, in the coffee sector competitions are often focused on the barista and almost never on the product. Coffee Taster is aimed at promoting a competition between the coffees from all over the world as to highlight the degree of pleasure offered by the product that comes from well renowned areas, that is cultivated with all the necessary attention, thoroughly processed, skilfully selected, properly roasted and, when needed, finely blended. It puts emphasis on the most prestigious products and points out to the consumers the best products available on the market, thus stimulating producers to pursue quality in its most modern sense: customer satisfaction. International Coffee Tasting 2008 will be organised, just as the previous edition, by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters with the technical and scientific support of the Taster Study Center. Single origin coffees or blended, in beans, ground or in single dose for espresso, moka or filter will be admitted to the competition. During the 2006 edition, 81 coffees have been evaluated by three commissions of expert tasters. Medals have been awarded based on threshold scores in full compliance with the competitions rules which established that the coffees which could be awarded a prize had to account for maximum 30% of all participants. It was a very tight competition and some products did not win a medal just for a few tenths of a point. There was a very strict selection that awarded prizes only to high-level products. The announcement of the competition and the application form are available at www.coffeetasters.org. For further information please write to info@coffeetasters.org.