Voting closed for 17th Sprudgie Awards after weeklong poll

Voting for the 17th annual Sprudgie Awards, presented by Pacific Barista Series, closed at 11:59 PM PST on January 11, 2026. The weeklong voting window ran from January 5 through January 11 and drew votes across categories that span the specialty-coffee field, from Notable Roaster to Outstanding Achievement.

The Sprudgie Awards are a community-driven snapshot of the year in specialty coffee, and this cycle focused attention on the people and places that shaped 2025. Categories covered independent cafes, roasters, barista figures, events, and broader contributions to the cup-to-community ecosystem. By design, the awards give cafes, roasters, and events a moment of wider visibility, helpful for customer recognition, booking opportunities, and local press attention.

Presented by Pacific Barista Series, the awards structure encourages both local patrons and industry professionals to weigh in. For readers who participated, their ballots were a direct way to support favorite shops and producers; for those who didn’t, the results will still offer a useful map of who and what the community has been paying attention to. Beyond trophies, Sprudgie recognition can boost a small business’s foot traffic and broaden a roaster’s wholesale reach, particularly when winners leverage the visibility with promotions, collaborations, or expanded distribution.

Now that voting has closed, the community will shift toward watching for the winners and spotlight features. Expect the usual post-vote outcomes: increased social media chatter, local celebrations at winning cafes, and potential booking or speaking requests for recognized individuals and events. If you backed a favourite, keep following their channels for winner announcements and ways to celebrate locally. If you missed voting, there are still practical actions to support the sector, buy beans from small roasters, drop into neighborhood cafes, or book your team for cupping and training sessions.

The Sprudgie Awards remain a crowd-sourced gauge of what the specialty scene values, and their short, intense voting window tends to reward businesses and people with active local followings and strong community ties. The takeaway? Use the results as both recognition and action points: congratulate winners, visit nominated cafes, and keep supporting the independent roasters and baristas who keep specialty coffee lively. Our two cents? A little publicity goes a long way, so pour your support into the places you love and help them pull a bigger shot in 2026.