Scoring is done by "sensory judges," who rate how the coffees taste, and technical judges, who monitor technique.
You're scored by four sensory judges, who are presented with the coffees you make, and two technical judges, who watch your technique.
The sensory judges sit at a counter, but the technical judges hover close by and do things like get really close to the grinder to watch you fill the portafilter.
And while many have made the argument that the secret Fisa court should employ a technologist to explain technical issues to the less technical judges, the same can be said of the supreme court.
The instant a competitor carried a tray of drinks to the four sensory judges, the technical judges swooped in to examine the "puck" of spent coffee grounds for signs of defects in dosing and tamping.
As they worked, John Sanders, the head judge, and two other technical judges -- including Bronwen Serna, last year's national champion barista -- hovered, evaluating their technique for leveling and tamping the ground coffee.
Technical judges that will narrow down the submissions are Austin Sarner (AppZapper), Jason Harris (ShapeShifter), Martin Ott (SubEthaEdit) and John Casasanta (iClip).
At the patent court, a panel of three technical judges--very experienced former patent examiners--and a judicial member make the decision, as a rule, in the course of a hearing.
