2024 US COFFEE ROASTING CHAMPIONSHIP

The US Roasting championship started back in 2009 as a way for roasters from across the nation to compete and showcase their skillset. Since then, the competition has grown and evolved to what it is today! Our competitors have come from across the nation to compete to take home the title. These talented competitors will be judged based on the following:

• Roasts coffee to exemplary quality.
• Can articulate the taste experience offered by the coffees they roasted.
• Delivers an exceptional overall coffee experience.
• Demonstrates knowledge of green coffee.
• Exhibits insight and understanding of roasting theories.

The competition will be a 3-stage event that can be broken down into the following:

• Evaluation of the quality of green coffee (coffee grading).
• Roast profile development that best brings out the characteristics and flavors of the competition coffee.
• Ultimate cup quality of the coffees roasted.

Here’s how to compete for the US Roaster Championship:

Preliminaries (Optional) 1. Preliminaries are great for first time competitors that want to experience and gain knowledge on the competition. 2. The Top 3 competitors from each of the Preliminaries will be awarded a reserved spot at the US Coffee Champ Qualifying Competitions. Qualifiers (Mandatory) 1. Historically held in 2 cities however for the 2024 competition year, it will only be held in Houston, TX. 2. The Qualifiers are the gateway to the Championships. 3. The single highest scoring competitor from Qualifiers will be given free registration to the United States Roasters Championship. United States Roaster Championships 1. Will be held during the SCA Expo in Chicago, IL on April 12-14, 2024

• World Coffee Roasting Championship

1. Winner of the United States Roaster Championships will be eligible to compete at the World Coffee Roasting Championship. 2. June 27-29, 2024: Bella Center, Copenhagen. One unique thing to note about the US Roaster Championship is that roasters only need to roast one single origin vs. at the World Coffee Championship where they must roast a Single Origin and a Blend.

World Coffee Roasting Championships:

• June 27-29, 2024: Bella Center, Copenhagen

US Roaster Championship:

• April 12-14, 2024: Chicago, IL

Qualifying Competitions:

• Jan 16-19: The Power Center, Houston, TX

US Roaster Qualifier Competition Rules and Regulations:

Participation:

• The Qualifying Competitions are open to the 32 competitors who register

1. The top 3 competitors from each of the Preliminaries will be awarded a reserved spot at one of the US Coffee Champs Qualifying Competition 2. Remaining spots will be available for open Registration and Lottery

• The single highest scoring competitor from the Qualifying Competition will be given free registration to the United States Roasters Championship
• All competitors and judges are required to attend 1 online learning session in order to participate at the Qualifying Competitions
• In the event of 2 Qualifiers, competitors may only compete once in each competition within the season at the Qualifying level
• Competitors and judges must be at least 18 years of age at the time of competing
• Competitors must hold a valid US passport, US Green Card, or have 24 months of documented employment or scholastic curriculum in the USA

Competitor Registration and Fees

• Registration links for Qualifying Competitions can be found at uscoffeechampionships.org or requested from the National Competition Coordinator (uscompetitions@sca.coffee).
• All registrations are non-refundable and non-transferable

Competition Summary:

• Pre-Roasting – lab practice, green evaluation, sample roasting, open cupping, and roast plan
• Production Roasting
• Production Roast Evaluation
• On-Stage Q&A

Scoring:

• Competitors total score will be calculated by adding the Roast Plan scoresheet total(s) to the Production Cupping scores from each sensory judge, and then by subtracting any penalities/li>
• Scores shall be rounded to the nearest hundredths-place
• Tie scores:

1. If there is a tie between two or more competitors, the competitor with the higher total Single Origin Production Cupping score will be ranked higher. 2. If there is still a tie, the competitor with the higher Single Origin Roast Plan Scoresheet will be ranked higher. 3. If there is still a tie, the competitor with the higher Accuracy of Coffee .Descriptors Total on the Production Cupping Score Sheet will be ranked higher. Debriefing:

• Following the awards ceremony, competitors will have an opportunity to review their scoresheets with judges on-site in accordance with the announced schedule.
• Competitors are allowed to keep their original score sheets only if the scorekeeper and national competition coordinator have scanned the scoresheets.
• Please be aware that your score sheets may be made public after the completion of the Qualifying Competitions.

Click here to read more about the US Roaster Qualifier Competition Rules and Regulations

2024 Roaster Preliminary Competitions:

• Aug 25-27: Blendin Coffee Club, Houston, TX
• Sept 29-Oct 1: The Roasterie, Kansas City, MO

US Roaster Preliminaries Rules and Regulations:

Participation:

• Each preliminary will be open to up to 12 competitors with registration on a first-come, first-served basis, and is created by the Preliminaries Host
• Top 3 competitors from each of the Preliminaries will be awarded a reserved spot at one of the US Coffee Champs qualifying competitions

1. Competitors that do not place in the top 3 may register for a qualifying competition via the open registration spots. 2. Qualifying competitions dates/locations are TBD.

• Competitors may compete at as many of the preliminaries as they wish however they will only be awarded 1 spot at the qualifying competitions.
• All competitors and judges are required to attend 1 online learning session in order to participate at the preliminaries.
• Competitors and judges must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the Roaster Preliminaries.
• Competitors must hold a valid US passport, US Green Card, or have 24 months of documented employment or scholastic curriculum in the USA.

Competitors Registration and Fees

• Registration and fees will be determined by and paid to each US Coffee Champs Preliminaries Host

1. The fee will be a minimum of $10 and a maximum of $40 per competitors, per competition Competition Area:

• The Preliminaries consist of 3 components: Cup-To-Profile Presentations, Judges Cupping, and Audience Service

Scoring:

• In order to calculate the Roast Evaluation, the scores for each of the eight components are to be summed (with the scores of sweetness and balance being doubled).
• The competitors total roast evaluation score will be tabulated by adding the total of the 3 scoresheets, 1 from each judge, and dividing the total by 3.
• The maximum possible roast evaluation score per judge is one hundred (100).
• Scores shall be rounded to the nearest hundredths-place.
• Tie breaking: If there is a tie between 2 or more competitors, the procedure to determine placement will be the following:

1. The competitor with the higher sum of Cup-To-Profile Presentation scores will be ranked higher. 2. If a tie still exists, the competitor with the higher sum of the Balance scores will be ranked higher<. 3. If a tie still exists, the competitor with the higher sum of Sweetness scores will be ranked higher Debriefing:

• Following the awards ceremony, the competitors will have an opportunity to review their scoresheets with the judges on-site in accordance to the announced schedule

1. Competitors are allowed to keep their original scoresheets only if the scorekeeper and host have scanned the scoresheets Click here to read more about the US Roaster Preliminaries Rules and Regulations Current 2023 US Coffee Roaster Champion:

• Andrew Coe

Previous US Roaster Coffee Roasting Champions:

• 2022 – Nick Berardi
• 2019 – Shelby Williamson
• 2018 – Ian Picco
• 2017 – Mark Michaelson
• 2016 – Tony Querio
• 2015 – Brandon Despain
• 2014 – Andrew Bowman
• 2013 – Caitlin McCarthy-Garcia
• 2012 – Steve Souphanthong
• 2011 – Dusty Ellison
• 2010 – Andy Sprenger
• 2009 – David Pohl