International Espresso Awards crown one of the best roasters in US & Canada

Key takeaways

• The International Espresso Awards (GCA) recognise the world’s finest roasters and the producers who develop their coffees.
• The US & Canada version was held on 10 & 11 August 2026.
• The general winner is Candy Bloom Espresso from Denver, Colorado, US.
• All Gold, Silver, and Bronze class winners are invited to compete within the 2026 GCA World Championship, held at PRF Mexico on 18 & 19 March 2027.

The US & Canada version of the International Espresso Awards (GCA) occurred on 10 & 11 August 2026. 

Every pattern went by means of a double-blind evaluation by a head choose and at the very least three different judges. Each choose holds a Q grader qualification and has labored at competitions such because the World Barista Championship, Better of Panama, and Cup of Excellence, and an skilled panel interviewed and chosen each earlier than the competitors started.

Judges scored entries utilizing an goal system, giving each roaster suggestions they’ll use to refine their roast profiles.

Learn on to seek out out who received and to study extra concerning the GCA’s upcoming competitions.

Be taught extra concerning the GCA right here.

Awarding excellence in a mature specialty espresso market

The GCA runs its competitions regionally. Roasters of all sizes can enter, from small-batch independents to large-scale nationwide manufacturers, and every submits their most distinctive coffees throughout outlined classes.

“It’s uniquely goal by design, which is extraordinarily priceless within the very subjective world of espresso sensory evaluation,” says Lane Mitchell, supervisor at Artisan Espresso Imports and Advertising and marketing & Enterprise Relationship Growth at Carrboro Espresso Roasters. Lane has over a decade of expertise working in espresso and has served as a choose on the International Espresso Awards, Cup of Excellence, Style of Harvest, and US Espresso Championships.

“The competitors is consumer-oriented,” Lane provides. “It recognises there are lots of kinds of espresso drinkers with various preferences, and the number of coffees it represents is one among its biggest strengths.”

Client consciousness of high quality is rising in mature markets just like the US and Canada. Based on the 2026 Nationwide Espresso Knowledge Traits Specialty Espresso Report, specialty espresso consumption stays at a file excessive within the US, with 47% of American adults having had specialty espresso previously day, surpassing past-day consumption of conventional espresso at 42%. In Canada, in the meantime, 71% of Canadian adults drank espresso previously day, making it the nation’s most consumed beverage.

Roasters from throughout the US, together with California, Washington, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Washington DC, Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Illinois, and Missouri, took half. In Canada, roasters from provinces together with Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick and extra submitted coffees.

“The GCA is a prestigious and internationally well-known and revered competitors,” says Nelicia Miranda-Troup, head roaster at Candy Bloom Espresso, the 2026 GCA US & Canada General Winner. “It’s thrilling to be challenged and work together with different roasters and other people within the trade who perceive what we do and the way we get excellence from the producers to buyer, plus getting suggestions is necessary.”

Breaking down the GCA judging course of

All judging on the International Espresso Awards follows a strict double-blind protocol. Not one of the judges or espresso professionals concerned, together with the Sensory Judges and the barista group getting ready the samples, obtain any figuring out details about the coffees they’re assessing.

In consequence, judges rating each espresso on high quality alone, not on a roastery’s status.

“Popularity, value level, and advertising and marketing are out of the equation completely,” says Mario Idrovo, an Ecuadorian espresso entrepreneur and founding father of the MI Espresso Institute in Miami, Florida, US. Mario has labored within the espresso trade for over a decade and has served as a choose for Taza Dorada, the Ecuador Barista Championship, and different competitions. He was the Head Sensory Choose at GCA US & Canada. 

“We’re judging what’s within the cup, not the story behind it, which is the one method to objectively assess high quality.”

Judging was held at inexperienced espresso importer Copan Commerce in Houston, Texas, US. The judging panel is made up of a Head Choose, an authorized Lead Sensory Choose, licensed Q grader Sensory Judges, a Head Barista, and a barista group. No less than three judges, plus a Head Choose, assessed each pattern.

Earlier than judging begins, every choose attends a one-day calibration session to align on scoring classes and standards. Actual-time check-ins then keep this consistency all through the judging course of.

“One of many issues I lament concerning the espresso trade is how a lot a espresso roaster’s status can form the notion of their high quality,” says Phil Robertson, co-founder of Phil & Sebastian, a 2026 GCA US & Canada Gold Winner. 

“I’m enthusiastic about competitions just like the International Espresso Awards as a result of they permit us, as espresso roasters, to be evaluated extra objectively, decoupled from our status and recognition, and based mostly solely on the standard of the espresso itself.”

Including worth for roasters

Each espresso entered receives written suggestions according to set evaluation protocols. Judges consider entries purely on sensory high quality, giving roasters clear, sensible perception into their roasting kinds and find out how to enhance them.

“The International Espresso Awards is likely one of the few espresso competitions the place roasters obtain actionable suggestions on their submissions that they’ll apply to day-to-day operations to help gross sales,” says Mark Zhou, founding father of MTPak Espresso, a number one international provider of custom-printed espresso packaging and the International Espresso Awards Gold Sponsor.

“As a part of our give attention to distinctive espresso packaging, we choose one roaster at each version of the GCA whose design stands out as essentially the most creative, eye-catching, and forward of the curve.”

Classes at GCA US & Canada

The classes had been Filter, Espresso, Flat White Dairy, and Flat White Plant-Based mostly Milk, plus the Able to Drink (RTD) bonus class. Every class included a number of subcategories, akin to Washed, Gesha, and Mix.

“We’re very excited to be a part of the GCA,” says Justin Morehead, the CEO of Harris Woolf California Almonds, a grower-owned and vertically built-in almond processor and the International Espresso Awards Silver Sponsor.

The group ready all coffees as a client would expertise them in a café, utilizing particular brew parameters and brewing protocols to keep up consistency and guarantee truthful, correct judging.

Harris Woolf Almond Milk 2.0 was used within the Flat White Plant-Based mostly Milk class. “We wished to create an almond milk that hits not solely on style, vitamin, and sustainability, but additionally performance by way of what the espresso trade wants – latte artwork, tight microfoam, and the longevity of milk foam,” Justin says.

Gear Associate Hiroia supplied automated pour over programs. Gear Associate Geva Espresso supplied espresso machines, grinders, automated tampers, and ceramic cups. Water Sponsor Bluewater Group supplied water purification and remineralisation programs.

Every class had its personal separate goal scoring system. All judges used a judging kind to assign a numerical rating throughout a number of standards, together with aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, physique, steadiness, sweetness, and mouthfeel. 

“There isn’t any packaging in entrance of the panel, no emblem, no model identify – solely the cup,” says Alsu Karimova, head roaster at Shavi Espresso Roasters, a 2026 GCA US & Canada Gold Winner. “The judges don’t know who roasted the espresso, so advertising and marketing can’t offer you an higher hand. An excellent outcome means precisely one factor: a world sensory panel scored that cup extremely.”

You will discover detailed details about the judging standards right here. 

The winners of the 2026 International Espresso Awards US & Canada

The winners of the 2026 GCA US & Canada version are:

General winner: Candy Bloom Espresso from Denver, Colorado, US

Class winners:

Listed here are the gold winners of every sub-category (roaster and producer, exporter, or co-operative). Entrants who acquired similar scores in a subcategory each positioned first, making certain truthful outcomes.

Filter

• Gesha – Candy Bloom Espresso and Angel Paz of San Vicente Espresso Exporters in Santa Barbara, Honduras 
• Single origin
• Single origin experimental
• Washed
  • Heirloom Gerse from Camonn Espresso in San Francisco, California, US, and a number of smallholders in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
  • Pink Bourbon from Little Amps Espresso Roasters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US and Jorge Elías Rojas of Finca el Jardín in Tolima, Colombia
  • Gesha from Lima Espresso Roasters in Fort Collins, Colorado, US and Wilder Garcia in Cajamarca, Peru
• Co-fermented
• Pure
  • Candy Bloom Espresso and Angel Paz of San Vicente Espresso Exporters
  • Pure Gesha from Benefit Espresso in San Antonio, Texas, US and Eduar Troyes of El Romerillo in Cajamarca, Peru
  • Guji Dikitu Typica Heirloom from Cafe Kreyol (producer undisclosed)
• Honey – Semi-washed Gesha from Mt Zulu Espresso and Sebastian Velásquez of Finca La Cumparsita in Caldas, Colombia
• Experimental mix – Warmth Waves Summer season Profile (60% washed Colombia Recruitment Lot, 25% pure Ethiopia Banko Gotti, and 15% blended fermentations Colombia Growth Lot) from Upshot Espresso in St. Louis, Missouri, US and a number of producers from Colombia and Ethiopia
• Barrel aged – Bounty of Gaia Caturra from LongStory Espresso in Belleville, Idaho, US and Cumbres in Huila, Colombia
• Mix
  • Central American Fusion from Smelly Cat Coffeehouse & Roastery in Charlotte, North Carolina, US and Finca La Julia in Sabanilla de Alajuela, Costa Rica and a number of rising areas in Guatemala
  • Amor Eterno (80% Pure Veracruz: Bourbon, Typica, Mundo Novo and 20% Washed Chiapas: Bourbon, Catuai, Catimor, Caturra, Pacamara, and Typica) from Talavera Espresso in Magnolia, Texas, US and a number of producers from Ixhuatlan, Veracruz and Chiapas, Mexico
• Decaf
  • Prepared To Die Lychee Peach Decaf from Soul Cafe Espresso Roasters and Finca El Paraíso
  • EA Decaf El Nevado Colombia, Caturra & Castillo from Moxie Espresso Co. in Phoenix, Arizona, US and a number of producers in Tolima, Colombia
• Basic roast profile – Colombia & Caturra from What’s Brewing? in San Antonio, Texas, US and Luisa Lopez of Finca San Antonio in Nariño, Colombia

Espresso

• Single origin – Candy Saved Secret Ethiopia Landrace from Paix Espresso in Richmond, Virginia, US and Habtamu Fekadu Aga in Guji, Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental – Sweet Cloud Morkie 72 Hour Anaerobic Pure Kurume 74158 from Phil & Sebastian Espresso Roasters in Calgary, Canada, and Alo Espresso PLC in Sidama, Ethiopia
• Experimental mix – Cloister Reserve Mix (varied varieties) from Mystic Monk Espresso in Meeteetse, Wyoming, US and varied producers in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Ethiopia
• Co-fermented – Watermelon Castillo & Caturra from Fortunate’s Espresso Roasters and Julio Cesar Madrid Tisnes of Finca Milan in Quindio, Colombia
• Mix
  • Reel to Reel (Castillo, Caturra, Typica, 74110, 74140, 74112, and 74165) from Philly Truthful Commerce Roasters in Reinholds, Pennsylvania, US and Inconexus in Bogotá, Colombia and Abdulwahid Sherif in Limmu Kossa, Ethiopia
  • Rainbow Hopper (Guji Heirloom and Bourbon) from Regalia Espresso in New York Metropolis, New York, US, and a number of producers in Ethiopia and Colombia
• Basic roast profile
  • Finca San Antonio Mix (Colombia & Caturra) from What’s Brewing? and Luisa Lopez of Finca San Antonio
• Decaf

Flat White Dairy

• Single origin – Gesha Candy Bloom Espresso and Angel Paz of San Vicente Espresso Exporters
• Experimental – Careless Whisper Castillo Lychee Peach from Soul Cafe Espresso Roasters and Finca El Paraíso
• Mix – Alchemist 1 (Gesha and Caturron) from Tug Hill Artisan Roasters in Lowville, New York, US and Luisa Maria Lopez of Finca San Antonio in Nariño, Colombia and Diego Gomez of Finca La Floresta in Huila, Colombia
• Basic roast profile
  • Espresso Classico from Mystic Monk Espresso and a number of producers in Brazil and India
  • Sweet Bar (Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Mundo Novo, Garnica, Marsellesa, Cuscatleco, Parainema, Arara, and Obatá) from Sq. One Espresso Roasters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and a number of producers in Coatepec, Mexico and San Miguel, El Salvador
• Co-fermented – Caturra and Pink Bourbon decaf from Upshot Espresso and Sebastian Ramirez of El Placer in Huila, Colombia

Flat White Plant-Based mostly Milk

• Single origin – Chelchele Heirloom from Candy Bloom Espresso and a number of producers from Banko Chelchele washing station in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia 
• Co-fermented – Caturra and Pink Bourbon decaf from Upshot Espresso and Sebastian Ramirez of El Placer
• Mix – Alchemist 1 (Gesha and Caturron) from Tug Hill Artisan Roasters and Luisa Maria Lopez of Finca San Antonio and Diego Gomez of Finca La Floresta
• Basic roast profile
  • Bullet Profile from Reunion Espresso Roasters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and a number of producers at Fazenda Santa Hedwirges in Sul de Minas, Brazil, Empresa Agrícola San Francisco Cotzal in Triangulo Ixil, Guatemala, and Café Orgánico Marcala Sociedad Anónima in Marcala, Honduras
  • Lucem (Mundo Novo, Pink Catuai, Bourbon, IHCAFE 90, and Pacas) from Benefit Espresso and a number of producers from Los Volcanes in Minas Gerais, Brazil and Boncafe in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
• Experimental
  • La Laguna Caturra from MillCross Espresso in Culver Metropolis, California, US and William Mora in Tarrazú, Costa Rica
  • Unicorn Goals (Pink Bourbon, Caturra, and native arabica landraces) from Kissing Rock Espresso in Gold Seashore, Oregon, US and Anna Maria Donneys of Cafe Primitivo in Quindío, Colombia, Palacios Household of Finca La Providencia in Tacuba, El Salvador, and smallholder farmers organised round EDN Ethiopian Espresso in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

MTPak Packaging Award winner: The Boy and The Bear in Los Angeles, California, US

All collaborating roasters acquired detailed suggestions kinds for every pattern submitted. 

“Roasters who worth an unbiased high quality analysis from a extremely certified and internationally calibrated sensory panel, together with skilled suggestions from trade consultants, ought to submit their coffees to the International Espresso Awards,” says Lane.

“Every espresso submitted receives detailed written suggestions that describes the style expertise and might unlock alternatives for high quality enchancment from soil to cup.”

For instance, for a Pure entry within the Filter class, the judges advised extending the Maillard part barely to reinforce sweetness, physique, and general construction. Additionally they really helpful a unique transition into first crack, or elevated airflow towards the tip of the roast, to focus on the floral notes and cut back bitterness.

“Once I was behind the roaster day in and day trip, I wished that form of suggestions,” says Christian Ott, Subject Implementation Supervisor at Tradecraft Espresso & Tea. Christian has served on the judging panel at US Barista Championships and was a Sensory Choose on the GCA US & Canada. “I despatched a espresso I beloved to a contest years in the past. I didn’t place, and all I acquired was a rating. Nothing actionable or tangible.

“Listening to from a extra skilled roaster who may say, ‘Your roast had attribute X; you could possibly do this strategy to carry out Y as an alternative,’ would have been invaluable,” he provides. “As a younger roaster, I craved that form of helpful suggestions in return for submitting a espresso.”

Roasters additionally acquired digital Certificates of Achievement and International Espresso Awards seals in Gold, Silver, and Bronze. These distinctive marks of excellence may be displayed on packaging, advertising and marketing supplies, web sites, social media channels, and menus.

You will discover all of the GCA US & Canada class and subcategory winners right here.

Key takeaways from the GCA US & Canada

Filter espresso has a longstanding historical past within the US and Canada and is vastly common each out and in of the house. Naturally, the Filter class was the most well-liked on the GCA US & Canada, too. The most well-liked Filter subcategories had been Single Origin, Washed, Pure, and Single Origin Experimental.

The highest 5 highest-scoring coffees had been:

• First: Alchemist 1 within the Flat White Plant-Based mostly Mix subcategory
  • The espresso was produced by Luisa Maria Lopez of Finca San Antonio and Diego Gomez of Finca La Floresta and roasted by Tug Hill Artisan Roasters
• Second: Sidra within the Filter Single Origin Experimental subcategory
  • The espresso was produced by Adrian & Nestor Lasso at El Diviso in Huila, Colombia and roasted by Fortunate’s Espresso Roasters
• Third: Candy Saved Secret within the Espresso Single Origin subcategory
  • The espresso was produced by Habtamu Fekadu Aga and roasted by Paix Espresso
• Fourth: Angel Paz Gesha within the Filter Gesha subcategory
  • The espresso was produced by Angel Paz and roasted by Candy Bloom
• Fifth: Watermelon Castillo & Caturra within the Espresso Co-fermented subcategory
  • The espresso was produced by Julio Cesar Madrid Tisnes and roasted by Fortunate’s Espresso Roasters

Upcoming International Espresso Awards editions

The 2026 GCA Europe version will probably be held in October. Judging will happen at Belco in Bordeaux, France. The entry package is right here, and all samples have to be acquired by 21 October 2026.

All Gold, Silver, and Bronze general class winners of the 2026 MENA, Africa, Asia, US & Canada, Latin America, and Europe editions will participate within the 2026 GCA World Championship, which can happen at Producer & Roaster Discussion board (PRF) Mexico on 18 & 19 March 2027.

Throughout the two-day discussion board, the International Espresso Awards & PRF Annual Dinner will probably be held. All profitable roasters and producers from the regional competitions will probably be invited to attend and will probably be formally recognised, together with the newly topped World Champions.

Tickets to the International Espresso Awards & PRF Annual Dinner are open to all PRF attendees and will probably be out there within the coming weeks. It’s also possible to view the data package right here.

The International Espresso Awards & PRF Annual Dinner will present an unique alternative for attendees to community with leaders within the specialty espresso trade from all over the world, together with award-winning roasters and Cup of Excellence-winning producers.

The 2026 GCA would be the greatest version but, that includes extra roasters from all over the world than ever earlier than.

By way of its worldwide competitors circuit, the GCA identifies one of the best roasters throughout areas and pits them towards each other within the World Championship to seek out the World’s Finest Roaster.

Contact [email protected] and the GCA Gross sales and Partnerships Supervisor, Emi Rueda, through WhatsApp right here for extra data.

Apply to compete within the GCA right here.

Photograph credit: Gradual Pour Provide, Flannery Lenz, Candy Bloom Espresso, Cafe Kreyol, Fortunate’s Espresso Roasters, Soul Cafe Espresso Roasters, MillCross Espresso, The Boy and The Bear

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