Thank you for celebrating our 4‑Year Anniversary with us! It wouldn’t be a true celebration of our foundation without a coffee competition.

Official Rules

Below you will find the official rules, structure, scoring system, safety details, and participation conditions for our Sensory Coffee Contest.

1. EVENT OVERVIEW

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• Open to coffee professionals and enthusiasts of all skill levels. 

• Contest takes place at our specialty coffee shop on the announced date and time. 

• All participants must register in advance and pay the entry fee. 

• A minimum of 20 paid participants is required for the competition to run. 

  - If fewer than 20 participants register, the event will be CANCELLED. 

  - All participation fees will be refunded in full. 

2. ENTRY, CHECK-IN & GENERAL BEHAVIOR

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• Participants must check in at least 20 minutes before the contest starts. 

• Late arrivals may not be allowed to join the round currently in progress. 

• No communication or sharing answers between contestants is allowed during ANY round. 

• Phones, smart watches, and notes must be put away during tasting rounds. 

3. COMPETITION FORMAT – 4 ELIMINATION ROUNDS

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ROUND 1 – AROMA IDENTIFICATION

• 15 aroma vials will be presented. 

• Contestants must write the aroma name for each numbered vial. 

• Scoring:

  - Exact match  → 1 point 

   - Incorrect → 0 points 

• Approximately the TOP 15 contestants advance. 

• If several contestants tie at the cutoff score, ALL tied contestants advance. 

ROUND 2 – BASIC TASTES (SWEET, SOUR, SALTY, BITTER + DECOY)

• Contestants will taste a number of coded water solutions. 

• They must correctly identify sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and the decoy. 

• Scoring:

  - Correct identification → 1 point 

  - Incorrect → 0 points 

• Approximately the TOP 9 advance. 

• Ties at the cutoff → all tied contestants advance.

ROUND 3 – IDENTIFY THE BREW METHOD

• One single-origin coffee is brewed using 3 different methods: 

  - V60 

  - French Press 

  - AeroPress 

• Contestants taste 3 coded cups and match each to its brew method. 

• Scoring: 

  - Correct match → 1 point (maximum 3 points) 

• ONLY the TOP 3 contestants advance to the Final Round. 

• If more than 3 contestants tie with the same top score: 

  - A sudden‑death triangulation tiebreaker is used ONLY for the tied contestants. 

ROUND 4 – FINAL ROUND: TRIANGULATION CHALLENGE

• Finalists are given 2–3 triangle sets. 

• Each set contains 3 cups: 2 identical, 1 different. 

• Contestants must identify the odd cup. 

• Scoring:

  - Correct triangle → 1 point 

• The contestant with the MOST correct is the WINNER. 

• TIME is used ONLY as a tiebreaker (faster total time wins). 

• If still tied → a sudden‑death triangle determines the champion.

4. SCORING, VERIFICATION & TRANSPARENCY

• All answer sheets are collected immediately at the end of each round. 

• Two staff members enter and verify scores in the official scoring system. 

• Ranks and eliminations are determined strictly by the rules stated here. 

• Contestants may view their OWN answer sheets after the event. 

• Staff decisions are final.

5. PRIZES

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• Grand Prize: LA MARZOCCO LINEA MICRA ESPRESSO MACHINE

In collaboration with La Marzocco by equipme

6. SAFETY, ALLERGEN & CONSENT INFORMATION

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• Some tasting samples may contain:

  - organic acids (citric, malic) 

  - salts 

  - sugars 

  - bittering agents (such as quinine) 

• Amounts used are low and designed for sensory training. 

• Participants with allergies, sensitivities, or health concerns may opt out of any tasting. 

• Rinse water and spit cups will be provided. 

• All participants accept full responsibility for their participation.

7. CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

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The Event takes place on a fixed date and time.

By registering, you acknowledge and accept that the fee is non-refundable under all circumstances, including but not limited to:

• personal schedule conflicts,
• travel issues,
• illness or injury,
• inability to attend for any reason.

The fee is used for organizational costs and cannot be returned once paid.

• If fewer than 20 participants are registered:

  - The contest will be canceled. 

  - All entry fees will be refunded in FULL. 

• If the event must be stopped due to emergency reasons, refunds may be issued depending on contest progress.

THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING OUR 4‑YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH US!