Official Rules
The Golden Pine Holiday Brew-Off. A community holiday drink contest.
No purchase necessary · Last updated September 9, 2026
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. This is a skill-based contest: entries are judged on creativity and merit, and the winner is determined by public vote among the finalists. Void where prohibited by law.
1. Sponsor
This contest is sponsored and administered by Golden Pine Coffee Roasters ("Golden Pine"), 12470 Black Forest Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80908.
2. Eligibility
- Open to legal residents of the State of Colorado who are 18 years of age or older as of the date of entry.
- Employees, officers, and directors of Golden Pine, and their immediate family members and household members, are not eligible.
- Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
- Entry is free. No purchase, café visit, social media follow, or email subscription is required to enter or to win, and none will improve your chances.
3. Contest period
| Phase | Dates |
|---|---|
| Entries accepted | September 11 – October 2, 2026 |
| Finalists announced | October 3, 2026 |
| Public voting | October 5 – October 19, 2026 |
| Winner announced (live) | Tuesday, October 20, 2026 |
Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on October 2, 2026. Golden Pine's system clock is the official timekeeper for this contest.
4. How to enter
Complete and submit the entry form at gprholidaycoffeecontest.com. You may enter as many times as you wish, and entering more than once does not reduce the chances of any of your entries. Submit each drink idea separately so it can be judged on its own. Entries submitted by automated means, scripts, or bulk methods are void.
5. Entry requirements
Each entry must include a drink name, the flavor ingredients or flavor profile, a short description, and the holiday memory, inspiration, or story behind the drink, along with your name and email address. A photo, sketch, or serving idea is optional, as is a phone number.
By entering, you represent and warrant that your entry is your own original work, that you own or control all rights in it, and that it does not infringe any third party's intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights. Entries that are unlawful, obscene, defamatory, discriminatory, or that promote alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or controlled substances will be disqualified.
6. Judging criteria
Golden Pine will review all eligible entries and score them against the following published criteria:
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Holiday appeal and emotional story | 30% |
| Originality of concept | 25% |
| Flavor balance and drinkability | 25% |
| Feasibility for Golden Pine's craft coffee team | 20% |
7. Finalist selection
Golden Pine will select the five (5) highest-scoring entries as finalists and announce them on October 3, 2026. Judging decisions at the finalist stage are final and binding. Each finalist entry gets published with its drink name and the story behind it, on the voting page and across Golden Pine's channels.
8. Public voting
From October 5 through 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on October 19, 2026, the public may vote for their favorite finalist at gprholidaycoffeecontest.com/vote. One vote per person (email address) per day. A day runs from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Each day you may vote for the same finalist or a different one. Votes are tracked by email address; if more than one vote arrives from the same email address on the same day, only the first counts. Votes cast through automated means, scripts, vote-buying, or multiple accounts belonging to the same person will be discarded, and Golden Pine may disqualify any finalist who solicits fraudulent votes. Voting is free and requires no purchase.
9. Tie-breaking
If two or more finalists receive the same number of valid votes, the tie will be broken by the higher judging score from Section 6. If a tie remains, Golden Pine's ownership will select the winner from the tied entries based on the "Holiday appeal and emotional story" criterion.
10. Prize
One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded, consisting of:
- The winning drink added to the Golden Pine holiday menu and named after the winner.
- The Ultimate Holiday Basket, containing Golden Pine roasted coffee and additional holiday goods.
- Recognition as a Black Forest Barista, including a creator spotlight across Golden Pine's social channels and email list.
Approximate retail value of the prize package: $250 USD. The prize is not transferable and no cash equivalent or substitution is available, except that Golden Pine may substitute a prize element of equal or greater value if an item becomes unavailable. The winner is solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes associated with the prize. If the value of a prize awarded to any individual reaches or exceeds the applicable IRS reporting threshold, Golden Pine may require a completed Form W-9 before the prize is released.
11. Winner notification
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on October 19, 2026. The winner is revealed at a live event on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, where the grand prize is awarded and the winning drink is prepared for the first time. Golden Pine will attempt to reach the winner using the contact details on their entry form before or during that reveal. Attendance is not required to win.
The winner has seven days from the reveal to claim the prize and may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and a liability and publicity release. If the winner cannot be reached, does not respond within that period, is found ineligible, or declines the prize, the prize may be forfeited and awarded to the next-highest vote-getting finalist.
12. Rights and permissions
By entering, you grant Golden Pine a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, adapt, and display your submitted drink concept, drink name, description, and any submitted images for the purpose of operating, promoting, and fulfilling this contest and for subsequent menu and marketing use.
Use of your name and personal story in public marketing is separate and optional. Golden Pine will publicly attribute or feature your story only if you checked the "Feature my story publicly" box on the entry form, or if you later give written permission. Finalists and the winner will be asked to confirm this permission before their entry is published.
13. Drink modification
Golden Pine reserves the right to adjust the winning drink's ingredients, proportions, serving format, or name for reasons of food safety, ingredient sourcing, allergen management, cost, trademark availability, or operational feasibility. Golden Pine will consult the winner before making material changes where practical. The winning drink's availability, duration on the menu, and pricing are at Golden Pine's sole discretion.
14. Ingredients and allergens
Submitted drink ideas must be achievable with commercially available, food-safe, non-alcoholic ingredients. Golden Pine may decline or modify any concept that presents an allergen, sourcing, food-safety, or regulatory concern. Nothing in this contest constitutes a commitment to produce any particular ingredient or formulation.
15. Privacy
Information collected on the entry form is used to administer the contest and to contact you about your entry. Marketing email consent is a separate, optional checkbox and is never a condition of entry or of winning. You may unsubscribe from marketing email at any time. Questions about how your information is used can go to info@goldenpineroasters.com.
16. Disqualification
Golden Pine may disqualify any entrant who tampers with the entry or voting process, violates these Official Rules, acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or submits false information. Golden Pine reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the contest if fraud, technical failure, or any other factor beyond its reasonable control impairs the integrity of the contest.
17. Limitation of liability
By entering, you release Golden Pine and its owners, employees, and agents from any liability for loss, harm, or damage arising out of participation in this contest or acceptance or use of the prize. Golden Pine is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, misdirected, or undeliverable entries, or for technical failures of any kind.
18. Governing law
This contest is governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in El Paso County, Colorado.
19. Platform disclaimer
This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, Facebook, Meta Platforms, Inc., X, or any other social media platform. You are providing your information to Golden Pine, not to any social media platform.
20. Contact
Questions about this contest? Email info@goldenpineroasters.com or write to Golden Pine Coffee Roasters, 12470 Black Forest Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80908. A copy of these Official Rules is available at this page for the duration of the contest.