Brewlette is a brand-new coffee competition by Counter Culture Coffee where skill meets chance.

This year, we’re launching something entirely new: Brewlette, a hands-on coffee brewing competition that blends skill, passion, camaraderie, and just enough luck to keep things interesting.

Brewlette has a vision of being a fun, high-energy event that removes some of the barriers common to coffee competitions. It’s free to compete and free to attend. Coffee, equipment, and support are provided to competitors, who also have a chance to meet and engage with the judges.

How Brewlette Works

Brewlette starts with 13 competitors and unfolds over two rounds, each designed to test different brewing skills.

Round One: Spin & Brew

All 13 competitors kick things off by spinning the Brewlette Wheel, which randomly assigns a target TDS% (Total Dissolved Solids percentage). From there, brewers have eight minutes to manually brew a coffee that lands as close as possible to their target.

At the end of round one, the eight competitors who hit closest to their assigned TDS advance to the next stage. The remaining five don’t go home empty-handed—there’s a raffle just for them.

Round Two: Head-to-Head

The final eight brewers are entered into a randomly generated elimination bracket and go head-to-head through quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.

A single coffee is selected by coin flip and used for the entire round. Each heat is eight minutes long. A panel of three judges will taste and evaluate the coffee without knowing how it was brewed or who brewed it, keeping the focus on what's in the cup.

When the final brew is poured, one competitor remains. That brewer earns the title of Brewlette Champion. And the crowd goes wild! We predict.

When & Where to Brewlette

Brewlette 2026 will travel with the CoffeeFest circuit, bringing the competition to Counter Culture Training Centers in four cities across the country:

CoffeeFest New York | Saturday, March 7, 2026

Registration FULL, join the waitlist

General Admission

New York Training Center

376 Broome St, New York City, NY 10013

CoffeeFest Chicago | Sunday, June 14, 2026

Registration opens May 14, 2026 at 1pm ET

CoffeeFest Los Angeles | Sunday, August 23, 202

Registration opens July 23, 2026 at 1pm ET

CoffeeFest Dallas-Fort Worth | Monday, October 19, 2026

Registration opens September 19, 2026 at 1pm ET

Registration Details

Registration will be hosted on Eventbrite and open one month before each competition. It’s free to register and compete, but an access code is required to unlock registration. This will be shared on flyers and social media. Registration will operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Coffee

Each Brewlette event will feature two single-origin coffees from Counter Culture’s menu, announced after registration closes.

Every competitor receives:

Two 12oz bags (one of each coffee)
Early access to taste the coffees at Tasting at Ten
Calibration and practice time on competition day

Preparing to Compete

Competitors are welcome to bring their own brewing gear, including brewers, filters, kettles, scales, and dosing tools. All brewing must be manual. Automatic brewers are not permitted.

Sponsored grinder and water will be provided and required for use.

Ahead of the competition, we’ll also host at least one educational session with sponsors to help competitors prepare. These sessions will be recorded and shared.

Competition Day Schedule

Calibration & Breakfast | 9:00–10:30am

Competitors arrive early for calibration, breakfast, and coffee tasting alongside judges and sponsors.

Practice | 10:30am–12:00pm

Open practice time to dial in recipes, taste, and gather feedback.

Reset | 12:00–1:00pm

Gear is staged and practice wraps. Doors open to the public at 12:30pm.

Doors Open | 12:30pm

Spectators are welcome to hang out and watch!

Round One | 1:00–4:15pm

Spin the wheel, brew to target, and find out who advances.

Round Two | 4:20–5:30pm

Head-to-head elimination rounds, ending with the finals.

Awards | 5:00–5:30pm

Trophies for first through third place, plus prizes and swag from sponsors for top competitors.

Throughout the day, emcees will be sharing brewed coffee with audience members, keeping the crowd caffeinated and cheering.

Come Cheer on the Brewers!

Audience participation is encouraged! We hope to see you there with signs, bringing the energy, and cheering on your favorite barista!

Brewlette is about more than winning. It’s about brewing under pressure, learning from each other, and celebrating the many ways great coffee comes to life.

Whether you’re competing or watching from the crowd, we’ll see you on the Brewlette stage.

A massive THANK YOU to our sponsors!

Mahlkönig USA , Third Wave Water, Urnex , Aeropress, Hario USA, Mooala, Slow Pour, DONA Tea, Tip Top Cocktails, Barista Magazine, VST Coffee Tools, Odeko, Sibarist, Bombora Coffee Supplies, Acaia, and more!