https://goldenbean.awardsplatform.com/
Golden Bean bills itself as the world’s largest coffee roasting competition, judging roasted coffee rather than brewing or barista technique. Roasters submit coffees for blind judging across three categories, and results are awarded on a medal system rather than a single winner-take-all ranking.
Golden Bean is organized in independent regional editions rather than a single global event. As of 2026 these are Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, and Southeast Asia), The Americas, and East Asia. Any roaster who earns at least a silver or gold medal at a regional edition qualifies for the annual Golden Bean World Series, where medalists from all regions compete head to head.
The Competition
Every entrant submits coffees for three judging categories: Espresso, Filter, and Milk. Volunteer judges, including qualified industry professionals and members of the public, cup and score entries blind. Medals are awarded by percentile rather than head-to-head placement: roughly the top 20% of entries earn Bronze, the top 5% Silver, and the top 1% Gold. An Overall Champion is then named from the combined scores across all three categories. Large chains and independent roasters are judged in separate divisions.
Regional editions run on their own annual calendars. Medalists advance to the Golden Bean World Series, hosted in a different region each year, where the strongest roasters from every regional edition compete for the title of Overall World Champion.
Categories
- Espresso
- Filter
- Milk
Past Winners
2026 World Series
2026 Latitude Coffee Roasters, North Lakes, Brisbane, Australia (Overall Champion)
2026 Regional Editions
Australasia: 2026 Sam Shi, Espresso Club, Springwood, Brisbane, Australia (Overall Champion; no consumer shop found)
Australasia: 2026 White Horse Coffee, Sydney, Australia (Elite Category Gold)
2025 Regional Editions
The Americas: 2025 Goshen Coffee Roasters, Edwardsville, Illinois, USA (Overall Champion)