South Africa 2024
Entries re-opened.
Entry fee Payment Plans Available.
Roasters, DON'T MISS OUT!
NEW FORMAT: HOW IT WORKS
There is one round in the new format of the competition. Entries open until Friday 13 September 2024. Competition coffee, water & merch will be sent to competitors in October 2024. Judging will take place end of November. Winners announced at Coffee Magazine Awards in Cape Town 7th December 2024.
All Competitors receive the exact same green coffee to roast.
Competitors may roast their competition coffee in their own roaster and on their own coffee roasting equipment.
All coffee will be blind judged by two independent sets of judges – Q graders for the Cupping Coffee scores and Barista Competition judges for the espresso scores.
There are 3 coffees in each competition pack – One extremely high quality specialty coffee exclusively for the cupping challenge as well as two additional coffees for the blending challenge.
As a first for A Shot in the Dark, we will have two judging panels, one for Cupping and one for Espresso Blending.
This year, there will be 3 Winners, one in each of the following categories, with prizes and accolades for each:
Overall Champion, Top Cupping Score and Top Blending Score
Why should you enter?
Get started with
THE BEANS
Receive your specialty coffee beans in your competition pack via courier. We can’t wait to taste your roasts of these beans!
Test your
ROASTING Skills
Roasters are able to experiment with beans in the comfort of their own roastery to achieve the best flavour results.
Earn the title of
2024 CHAMPION
This year we hope to have the biggest field yet competing for the title of A Shot in the Dark South Africa Champion 2024.
OUR Partners
Genio Roasters – Presenting Partner of A Shot in the Dark
Zuka Green Coffee – Green Coffee Sponsor
Covoya Coffee – Green Coffee Sponsor
BWT water + more – Water Filtration Partner
La Cimbali – Espresso Machine Partner
Mahlkönig – Grinder Partner
Lizzard – Apparel Partner
Puq – Equipment Sponsor
EcoTact – Packaging Partner
The Coffee Magazine – Official Hosts and Media Partner
ENTER NOW
Ready to test your roasting skills and compete for the title of A Shot in the Dark South African Champion 2024
Every Roaster that wishes to enter A Shot in the Dark, needs to fill out the online Entry Form below and pay the Entry Fee. Your entry is only confirmed when we have received payment. You can either request an invoice and send us the Proof of Payment or you can pay with a credit or debit card online. Remember that you can sell much of the coffee that comes with your entry pack PLUS you get on free entry to Creative Coffee Week and the Coffee Magazine Awards where the winner will be announced.
Tier 1: R7500 – 10kg Cupping + 2 x 5kg Blending
Tier 2: R10 000 – 20kg Cupping + 2 x 5kg Blending
Tier 3: R12 500 – 30kg Cupping + 2 x 5kg Blending
You can pay off the invoice in instalments of R2500 per month, provided the entire amount is paid by September 2024.
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
What's included in your entry fee?
-
Three tiers:
Cupping Coffee: Speciality (85+) 10kg/20kg/30kg
Espresso Blend Coffee: 5kg x 2 - The competition entry coffee bags
- A Shot in the Dark stickers for retail resale (easily make your entry fee back!)
- Swag!
- Competition water provided by BWT Water + More
- All the important information on judging
- Online Resources and Workshops
- Feedback on your roasting skills from industry professional judges
- You are invited to join in at Creative Coffee Week (One Complimentary Ticket) where we will run Roasting and Blending specific workshops.
- PLUS a ticket to The Coffee Magazine Awards where we will announce the winners!!!
challenge one
CUPPING
Competitors will submit 250g of the high quality specialty coffee used for the cupping challenge, roasted to its best potential and then submitted to the judges via courier with their roasting notes.
challenge two
BLENDING
You will also have to roast and blend the additional two supplied coffees in addition to their original competition coffee. This will be roasted and blended for the best espresso. Standardised espresso recipes will be provided for the competitors to work towards. There will also be an Espresso Judging Panel.
THE JUDGING
The entire competition is blind judged by a panel of Coffee Professionals (Q-graders + Roasters) in a cupping laboratory using the specially formulated A Shot in the Dark judging scoresheets and feedback forms. Each competitor will receive feedback regardless of their final placement.
CONTACT US
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