SRC: You be the Judge

BE PART OF CANADIAN COFFEE HISTORY.

Welcome to the inaugural Canadian Stronghold Roasting Championship! We’re launching this national competition with a unique hybrid format: a professional judges panel combined with a People's Choice evaluation, putting real power into the hands of the coffee community to help decide who takes home the trophy—all while supporting a great cause.

At this stage of the competition, the original 15 competitors have been whittled down to five finalists by our fearless, discerning panel of impartial judges. These five roasters are vying for the title of Canadian Stronghold Roasting Champion, having pushed the Stronghold S2 to its absolute limits to craft their ultimate competition profiles. Now, the coffee is served blind, and YOU step into the judge's chair inside Middle Earth at Eight Ounce Coffee HQ.

☕ WHAT YOUR $15 TICKET UNLOCKS:

• The Blind Flight: Take your seat at the official table for a side-by-side tasting flight of all 5 competition coffees, brewed fresh and served in generous 2.5 oz pours (no tiny thimbles here!).
• Behind-The-Roast Telemetry: Get exclusive access to the roast profiles, heat curves, and cupping notes for each competition batch.
• 1 Physical Voting Token: Cast your official vote directly into your top pick's ballot box.
• Charity Impact: $10 of your ticket goes straight to the Veterans Transition Network.
• Intimate VIP Access: Capped strictly at 15–18 seats per session to ensure zero crowding, personal space at the cupping table, and direct access to event facilitators.

❤️ DRINK GREAT COFFEE, SUPPORT CANADIAN VETERANS

Your ticket does more than just crown a champion—it gives back. For every $15 ticket sold, $10 goes directly to the Veterans Transition Network, a Canadian charity dedicated to helping veterans transition smoothly into civilian life through mental health support, career development, and community programs.

⚡ CHOOSE YOUR WAVE & LOCK IN YOUR SEAT

• Rule Note: Strictly 1 session per person allowed to maintain voting integrity. Duplicate purchases will be refunded.

Click below to secure your 1-hour judging session before seats sell out:

• 🎟️ Session 1 (Morning Wave): 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Strictly 15 seats available)
• 🎟️ Session 2 (Afternoon Wave): 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Strictly 18 seats available)

Please arrive 10 minutes before your session time. Tastings begin promptly on the hour to guarantee fresh, optimal brewing temperatures.

⚖️ HOW THE JUDGING & WEIGHTING WORKS

We believe a true champion needs to win over both technical experts and everyday coffee lovers. Here is how the final score breaks down:

• 70% — Official Technical Panel: Certified sensory judges score each roast on precision, balance, acidity, and technical execution.
• 30% — Public Voting (That’s You!): Every ticket holder gets 1 physical Voting Token. Public votes are tallied, weighted, and account for a massive 30% of the competitor's total championship score.

Your vote directly moves the needle and could flip the leaderboard to decide who wins it all!

The roast profiles are locked. The coffee is prepped. Now... YOU BE THE JUDGE.