What is the Cup of Excellence Competition?

What is the Cup of Excellence Competition

Coffee is the mainstay for people around the world. Consumer love for the powerful beans is undying and this has led to many companies popping up. Coffee farmers are diligently working to provide the world with the best cup of java possible.

With that being said, Coffee Farmers are always looking to improve their product and the way it’s grown. Over the years the process of identifying the best quality of coffee has blossomed into a friendly competition.

This competition was created to determine who has the most excellent cup. This event is world renown and deeply respected. Competitors from all over enter for the chance to deem themselves worthy. The bar is set high and those who reach it are greatly rewarded.  To shop for the best chorreador, click here.

Brief History of COE (Cup of Excellence)      

The first documented competition took place in 1999, in Brazil. It was not initially called the “cup of excellence”, but instead “Best of Brazil”. Each year the competition is set in a different country. This truly gives farmers from all over the world the chance to compete.

Not only do the farmers compete for bragging rights, but moreover, for financial gain for their perfected crafted beans. These are hard-working families providing the world with a wonderful cup of coffee.  

2019 marks the 20th anniversary of this competition that was started by a non profit organization called Alliance for Coffee Excellence. The ACE has made a substantial impact on the Coffee producers around the world and the Cup of Excellence has changed the lives of many coffee farmers.

Who Can Enter the Cup of Excellence Competition?    

Throughout the years, many coffee producing countries have participated. These range from Brazil to Columbia to Peru. All these countries have coffee farmers looking to promote their beans and receive crucial funding. The competition is a means of providing such funds and is considered very exclusive.

Not only are the farmers receiving important funds, but they adopt new methods of their craft. This adoption process ensures that farmers are in the loop of new processes and can strive for the best beans.     

2019 Cup of Excellence Agenda

There are four countries currently slated to compete in the Cup of Excellence this year. As per the Cup of Excellence website, there are potentially eleven countries that could compete. The four countries currently confirmed include Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Burundi.

The process consists of having a jury panel that tastes the coffees in a blind selection. The jurors apply to become such, and the duty is held in high respect. It may seem like a cake job but it is quite demanding. Complete transparency and honesty are expected from each one.

Only the auditors have access to which farms are which when the blind taste occurs. They are responsible for making sure each farm is represented accurately. They are solely responsible for making sure each juror records their experience to the proper farms.     

Process of Judging the COE

The standards of this event are held high and executed very precisely. It is a three-week event. Each cup is analyzed by the judges over 9,000 times and the top ten picks about 120 times. This process ensures that accuracy in taste is met. It shows that without a doubt, the winner is chosen fairly.

The coffees are judged by their acidic levels and overall tastes. They also consider the means of harvesting and processing. As stated before, the competition serves as a means to improve farmers processes overall. It is a learning experience for the farmers and their families.        

The Cup of Excellence is a competition for serious coffee farmers. It has been and will continue to be the coffee contest of a lifetime. This year’s COE will return to its original location, Brazil.