South Australian Mahalia Coffee has taken out one of the top awards at the 2024 Royal Adelaide Coffee Show. Based in the state’s south-east town, Robe, Mahalia Coffee was awarded the Champion Espresso Trophy for their Sumatra Blue Bianca Specialty Coffee.
One of Australia’s largest coffee roasters, Di Bella Coffee, took home two of the major awards – the Fleurieu Milk Company Trophy for Champion Latte for their DK Black Donut King and Champion Piccolo for their Australian Single Origin – as well as two silver and nine bronze medals.
Independent roaster Jasper Coffee took home the Cafetto Trophy for Champion Organic Coffee for the second year running, this time with their Juliet blend, while Champion Plunger Coffee Trophy was won by O’GaBee Coffee Roastery from Brisbane.
Judge Adam Hills said the strength of this year’s entrants was an excellent representation of the quality of Australian coffee roasters.
“Some truly exceptional coffees came across our table and gave us all a chance to reflect on the standard our industry holds itself to,” Adam said.
“After the success of the inaugural Royal Adelaide Coffee Awards last year and the high standard of coffees exhibited, I anticipated this year’s incarnation was going to be of an even higher standard again, and I was not disappointed.
“The popularity of events like the Royal Adelaide Coffee Show and the quality of the coffee exhibited gave us all a sense of pride in knowing the industry we all love and care for is in safe hands,” Hills said.
The Royal Adelaide Coffee Show is open to coffee roasters of Australia working with both domestic or imported green beans and includes classes for Espresso, Piccolo, Latte and Plunger Coffee. Medals are awarded in four individual classes, and trophies are presented for Champion Espresso, Latte, Plunger Coffee, Piccolo, and Organic Coffee.
Exhibits are judged in a blind tasting from both a technical and consumer appreciation perspective, taking into consideration the appearance, aroma, taste, and body.
A gold medal will be awarded to exhibits that score 95 points and over, a silver medal to exhibits that score 90 to 94.9 points and a bronze medal to exhibits that score 85 to 89.9 points. A trophy is awarded to the exhibit with the highest points.
Now in its second year, The Royal Adelaide Coffee Show is operated by the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
The Society runs some of the most prestigious food and beverage awards in Australia, including the Royal Adelaide Wine Show, Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards, the Royal Australian Spirit Awards and South Australian Dairy Awards.
