REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
- All competitors need to live and work in the Netherlands for at least a year.
- Only 2 competitors per company or Franchise.
- The competition fee is €40 for two bags of coffee plus food. The fee is non-refundable.
- All competitors get a bag of competition coffee to practice with (upon payment of registration fee.)
- Competitors will receive a second bag of competition coffee at the start of the event.
COMPETITION FORMAT
- The competition is a multi-round, elimination tournament.
- In each round, four competitors brew simultaneously.
- Competitors have 5 minutes to prepare, brew, and present their coffee.
- Competitors may weigh and select their coffee before going on stage.
- Coffee MUST be ground on stage within the 5 minute time slot.
- You have to show the number of grams to the MC, before you start with your 5 minutes time slot.
- Water can be heated in your 3min PREP time.
- When the 5 minutes are up, coffees are presented in identical vessels to a panel of three judges.
- Judges blindly evaluate each coffee and privately select their favorite.
- On the count of three, all judges simultaneously point to their preferred coffee.
- The winner progresses to the next round.
RULES
- Coffee must be brewed with a genuine AeroPress.
- No other brewer may be used in the drink preparation
- All three parts of the AeroPress brewer must be used; the chamber, the plunger, and the filter cap. Aftermarket or non-genuine parts are not allowed.
- Whole beans with a maximum of 18 grams and water are the only two ingredients that may be used.
- All types of filters are allowed, but the filter must not replace the filter cap itself (see rule 2). Competitors are welcome to bring their own grinder, kettle, scales, water, or any other equipment they wish to use.
- All competitors must use the championship coffee provided by Keen.
- Competitors must present a minimum of 150ml of brewed coffee to the judges, in a cupping bowl provided.
- Coffees not presented within the 5 minute time limit will not be evaluated.
- Failure to comply with any of the above rules will result in disqualification.
JUDGING
- Each round is judged blind using the cupping technique of spoon, slurp, and spit.
- Competitor’s names will be marked on the underside of the cups where they are completely hidden from the judges.
- There is no scoresheet or formal judging criteria. Judges are simply answering: “Which cup would I want to drink to the last drop?!”
- Judges will make their decision privately. They will not discuss the coffees beforehand with their fellow judges.
- On the count of three, all judges will point simultaneously, confidently, and definitively at their favourite cup.
- In the event of all three judges pointing at different cups, a predetermined ‘Head Judge’ will taste the coffees, and break the tie. This decision is final.
- After judging, the MC will lift the winning cup, revealing the name of the round winner, while simultaneously shaming the losers.