Houston!

Welcome to the sign up page for the Houston Cup Taster’s Preliminary - the Space City Tasters Competition!

Space City Taster Official Poster Designed By Alex Row @arowe.agogo

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

Competitor, Volunteer and Donation Registration Form

Event Schedule:

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Friday, September 27

9:15am - 11:00am Warehouse Tour at Dupuy - RSVP Eventbrite

7:00pm - 9:00pm Opening Party at Cleo Roasting Company (Cavo West U Location) - RSVP Eventbrite coming soon

Saturday, September 28

9:00am - 1:00 pm

Competition Day at InterAmerican Coffee - RSVP Eventbrite

Competition starts at 9am.

Competitor Check - in at 8am.

Volunteers Check in at 7am

Email questions to : events@htxcoffeecollective.com

7:00pm - 10:00 pm. Closing Party at Katz Coffee

SPONSORSHIP NEWS

A HUGE thank you to Boomtown Coffee for Sponsoring a $700 Stipend for the Houston Cup Tasters Preliminary Champion to cover their travel and lodging expenses at the Qualifing Competition!

About The United States Coffee Champs Cup Tasters Preliminaries:

Fast and fun, the Cup Tasters Prelims challenges competitors to test their sensory skills by discerning taste differences in a “triangulation.” Tasters receive 5 sets of three cups where two cups are identical and one is different. Competitors are challenged to taste, smell, recall, and choose the unique cup in each triangulation.

The person with the most correct answers in the shortest amount of time wins!

This sounds fun! but how is this different from other community cupping events?

Well, this is definitely something special! The Cup Tasters Preliminary is the perfect place for first-time competitors to gain experience and get involved in coffee competitions!

How So?

A first of its kind in Houston, the preliminary event offers a platform for coffee people from the industry and community alike, to participate in:

a low-cost competition
an opportunity to advance to the United States Coffee Championship Qualifiers 2020!
no need to prepare routines, no suitcases full of props or kettles, just bring your sensory skills!

The 3 winners will advance to participate at the U.S.C.C. Qualifiers in early 2020, to compete against competitors across the country with the opportunity to qualify for the 2020 National Cup Tasters Championships.

Do I need to bring all my coffee stuff and build routines for this competition?

No, you don’t! Come compete to find out where you stand with your sensory skills! Just bring yourself, your cupping spoon, and maybe a couple of friends to cheer you on!

Sensory skills is something we utilize daily - we taste the food and drinks we consume - and like physical exercise - an acute sensory skill is something you can develop through time.

What is the competition like?

As for the competition itself, there will be 5 minutes stage time for each competitor. Tasters receive 5 sets of three cups where two cups are identical and one is different. Within that 5 minutes allotted time, pick out the cup that tastes different than the other two. The competitor with the most number of correct cups within the shortest time wins!

Competitors who wish to compete should read the Rules and Regulations prior to registration.

I am traveling to Houston for this event - do you have recommendations for lodging?

In order to make this event as inclusive and welcoming as possible, Houston Coffee Collective will assist competitors visiting Houston find a place to stay for the weekend. Our team is dedicated to making your preparations for Houston: Space City Tasters, and arrival to our city as smooth and seamless as possible! For any questions about finding a place to stay, please contact our Hospitality Coordinator Joshua Chipley for more information.

Tickets and Sign Up

That sounds like a lot of fun! How do I sign up, and is there a fee?

It sure is! On top of that, we will have a series of community event at different locations. Sign up on our Eventbrite page - check out the competition info and opportunity to volunteer, links for donation, or to purchase an official T-shirt (available Aug 1st to purchase). If you are traveling to Houston, we will have information sent out to you with a list of fun places to visit.

Yes - there is a $15 fee to compete, but it’s free to attend. This is also a family-friendly event which means it will be a safe space for all and you can also bring your little ones along.

Eventbrite page for competitors, volunteers, and general public

We are interested to attend as a group - do we need to purchase multiple tickets?

Yes - one ticket is good for one person only. Please sign up individually.

Donation

I’m interested in donating my resources or/and money for this event!

Yes! We are accepting donations. You can support by simply purchasing an Official Houston Cup Tasters Tee Shirt for $25 on our Eventbrite page, or use the Donation button to add a donation amount to your ticket.

Volunteering

If you are interested in donating your time, make some new friends and just wear that super limited edition volunteer T-shirt - please sign up as a volunteer! We will need:

photographers
videographers
stage runners
competition timer
social media manager from August - End of September (experience required)
and more hands and brains and feet for all the work we are doing!

Please sign up on our Eventbrite page, and choose “VOLUNTEER” tickets.

I am interested in hosting events around competition period

Our shop is interested in hosting a special event during the competition period. What do I need to do?

Competition period is from Sept 27th to 29th. If your business is interested in hosting workshops or events between 27th -29th September, reach to our Extracurricular Activities Coordinator Vivian Nguyen to get connected!