WHAT makes a good cup of coffee?

Is it the blend of coffee beans, the temperature and texture of the milk or the skills of the barista?

According to Toowoomba barista Michael Oo of Two Moos Specialty Coffee it is all those things and more.

"A lot of people overlook the coffee that is available in Toowoomba," he said.

"They prefer Brisbane or Melbourne."

It is for that reason that Mr Oo, along with a few other baristas in town, has organised a qualifying round of the World Barista Championships to be staged in Toowoomba.

>> What is the key to a great cup of coffee? Let us know in the comments section below

The competition will be held at Total Coffee, Wylie St on June 1.

"We believe that Toowoomba has a great specialty coffee market and consumers are flamboyantly embracing the current coffee culture," Mr Oo said.

"After all, we do have a great number of cafes, espresso bars and specialty coffee vans.

"I believe that there are some great talents in Toowoomba, working behind espresso machines, pouring some fantastic cuppas with latte art.

"We are also hoping to forge ties in the coffee industry between Toowoomba and other areas of Queensland."

Baristas will be judged according to the World Barista Championship rules.

However, Mr Oo said this shouldn't put off aspiring coffee makers.

"We are hoping for all the great coffee talents from every corner of this town to come and showcase their coffee-making/barista skills," he said.

"It can be people of any age and industry background.

"We just want to see and give these talents a great opportunity to showcase their skills and talents."

Mr Oo will be one of the judges on the day and encourages the public to come along to cheer for their favourite baristas.

Barista championship

•  The competitor has 15 minutes to serve up four sets of cappuccinos, four sets of espresso and four sets of espresso-based signature drinks.
•  There will be four sensory judges at the table judging the taste, texture and visual look of the drinks served to them.
•  Two technical judges who will also be assessing the technical skills of the competitor i.e understanding of grinder, extraction, extraction time, cleanliness etc.
•  Head judge to oversee and assist all the other judges.
•  The baristas will be competing for a spot in the Queensland State Barista Championship which will be held towards the end of this year where the winner of the state championship will earn a spot in the nationals.
•  The 2013 World Barista Championship will be held in Melbourne on May 23 to 26.