February 12-14, 2026
Chamara Vajra, Bengaluru
Roasting Throwdown
GB Roasters x Harley Estate presents India's First Roasting Throwdown! A competition where participants show expertise in roasting coffee and making the best roasted coffee. Sponsored by GB Roasters & Harley Estate, supported by SCAI.
Date
February 12-14, 2026
Time
10:00 AM onwards (Day 1 - Roasting), Day 2 - Elimination Cupping, Day 3 - Finals Cupping
Venue
SCAI Lounge
Competition Overview
GB Roasters x Harley Estate presents India's first-ever Roasting Throwdown at IICF 2026! Day 1 features the live roasting round where each participant gets 5 minutes of preparation time and 20 minutes to submit 100 grams of roasted coffee. On Day 2, all roasts are blind cupped in an elimination round, with top participants progressing to the finals. Day 3 is the final cupping round to crown the Roasting Throwdown Champion 2026, along with 1st and 2nd Runner-up. Green coffee is sponsored by Harley Estate.
Requirements & Rules
Entry Requirements
- Must be available at the SCAI Lounge stage on 12th Feb 2026 at 10:00 AM
- Participants will be randomly assigned a roasting schedule
- Must arrive at the assigned time — absence leads to elimination
- IICF passes will be issued to all registered participants before the event
Competition Rules
- One round of coffee roasting: 5 minutes prep time + 20 minutes to submit 100g of roasted coffee
- Participants can roast a maximum of two roasts and submit 100g in labelled bags
- Green coffee (sponsored by Harley Estate) provided; density and moisture details announced before the event
- Blind cupping evaluation — each coffee is coded so judges don't know whose it is
- Cupping method: 1:18 coffee-to-water ratio, 200ml cupping bowl, water at 92°C–96°C
- 2–3 judges blind cup groups of 2/3 roasts; on a count of three, judges simultaneously point to their choice
- Day 2 elimination: top roasts advance to Day 3 finals
- Day 3 finals: cupping to determine Champion, 1st and 2nd Runner-up
Judging Criteria
- 1Blind cupping by a panel of 2–3 expert judges (30 points)
- 2Judges simultaneously select the best cup from each group (25 points)
- 3Jury Operations Lead (JOL) decides in case of a split verdict (25 points)
- 4Wild card entry for odd participants advancing to finals (20 points)
Ready to Compete?
Register now to secure your spot in the Roasting Throwdown. Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your skills and compete with the best!