Canadian Coffee Of the Year 2026
A consumer-judged specialty coffee competition. Over 200 judges. Fully blind. Roasters across the country competing for the crown.
The Canadian People Pick Canada's Best Coffee.
For too long, coffee competitions have been decided by Q-graders with clipboards. Canadian Coffee of the Year asks a different question: what do real specialty coffee drinkers actually love when they brew it at home?
Over 200 specialty coffee enthusiasts across Canada receive blind-labeled samples, brew them their own way, and rank their top three.
Pick Your Lane
For Roasters
Submit up to three coffees — one per category. Free to enter. Winners receive a physical trophy, digital badge, coordinated press, and featured placement in Stillwater Coffee Club.
Intent to participate: July 15, 2026 — signal which categories you plan to enter.
Coffee Application Deadline: August 15, 2026 — full entry details.
Samples must arrive by: August 28, 2026 — late samples are not eligible.
For Judges
Receive six blind-labeled coffees from Canada's best roasters. Brew, taste, rank. Help crown the coffee Canadians actually love. You keep the coffee.
Applications: opening soon
Judging window: September 1–14, 2026
What Do You Love to Drink?
Every coffee enters one category — a category that matches what its roaster intends it to taste like. Judges are matched to the category that fits their palate.
Berries · Sparkling Wine · Grapefruit
Apple · Honey · Milk Chocolate · Apricot
Dark Chocolate · Roasted Almonds · Molasses
11 Awards, One Great Country
Winners are crowned across category, roaster, and region. More awards, more winners, more stories of Canadian coffee done right.
2026 Timeline
Fully Blind. Consumer Judged.
Every coffee is repackaged into an anonymous container with only a numbered label and generic brew parameters. Judges don't know the roaster, the origin, the varietal, or the processing method. They know what's in the cup.
Judges rank their top three coffees. Each ranking earns a coffee these points:
| Rank | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st choice | 5 |
| 2nd choice | 3 |
| 3rd choice | 1 |
| 4th – 6th | 0 |
The coffee with the highest average score across its tastings wins its category. We use average — not total — so coffees aren't advantaged by receiving more tastings than others.
Conflict of Interest Policy
Stillwater Coffee Club organizes the competition and works with many entering roasters as part of its subscription programme. To mitigate bias: Stillwater staff do not vote. All ballots are anonymized before aggregation. Final scores are published alongside winner announcements so the methodology is independently verifiable.
FAQ
Is this only for coffee experts?
No. This is for specialty coffee enthusiasts — people who regularly brew and drink specialty coffee at home. You don't need certifications.
How much does it cost to enter as a roaster?
Free in year one. Roasters only cover shipping their 1kg sample to us.
Do judges get paid?
No — but judges keep all six coffees they receive. It's a volunteer opportunity to help celebrate Canadian specialty coffee.
How are winners actually chosen?
Each coffee receives at least 15 tastings from different judges. Judges rank their top three. 1st = 5 points, 2nd = 3, 3rd = 1, 4th–6th = 0. The coffee with the highest average score across its tastings wins each category — not the total, so no coffee is advantaged by receiving more tastings than another. Full methodology published with results.
Can a single coffee win multiple awards?
Yes. A coffee that wins its category is automatically in the running for Best Coffee Overall, Best for Filter / Espresso, and regional awards.
Who is behind this?
Canadian Coffee of the Year is organized by Stillwater Coffee Club. See our Conflict of Interest policy above — Stillwater does not vote, and final ballots are anonymized before scoring.
Crown Canada's Best Coffee With Us
Questions? hi@stillwatercoffee.ca
Press? Press Kit · press@stillwatercoffee.ca