Drip Aroi to Hold CHONG AROI 2026 Thai Tea-Matcha Championship in Udon Thani
Drip Aroi will host the CHONG AROI 2026 Thai tea and matcha brewing competition on 4-5 December 2026 at Boonthavorn, Udon Thani, with prizes worth over 40,000 baht.
The Drip Aroi team, together with Chokdee CaaFe and Option2 Studio, is preparing to hold the CHONG AROI 2026 competition, part of the 2nd Chong Aroi event within the 4th Udon Coffee Family, on 4-5 December 2026 at Boonthavorn, Udon Thani. The competition aims to find the single best Thai tea and matcha brewer, under the concept TEA BRINGS US TOGETHER. The winner will receive a prize of 10,000 baht along with the CHAMPION TROPHY, plus prizes worth a combined total of over 40,000 baht.
This competition does not only measure the taste of the drinks; contestants are also expected to convey the character of each type of tea, create a balance of flavours, and present a distinctive drinking experience. All competition briefs for each round will be set by the organisers.
Rules and Judging Criteria
The competition format is one-on-one, with 20 minutes given to prepare a drink in each round, which is then served to the judges for blind tasting. The judging panel is made up of café owners in Udon Thani province and individuals who play a role in the beverage industry.
- Taste
- Balance
- Aroma
- Character
- Texture or Body
- Mouthfeel
- Creativity
- Overall
Competition Schedule and Drink Briefs
The first day of competition, 4 December 2026, is the Thai tea round, named The Soul of Thai Tea, which will narrow the field of contestants from 32 to 16 and then to 8 through the Iced Thai Tea Latte brief. The second day, 5 December 2026, is the matcha round, named The Art of Matcha, which will narrow the remaining 8 contestants down to a single champion.
The briefs for the matcha round will vary from round to round, giving contestants the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of matcha through a variety of drinks, ranging from milk-based menus and coconut-based menus to clear menus that focus directly on the character of matcha. Whoever is to win the championship must demonstrate their ability through both the Thai tea and matcha briefs across both days.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Competition dates | 4-5 December 2026 |
| Venue | Boonthavorn, Udon Thani, within the 4th Udon Coffee Family event |
| Winner's prize | 10,000 baht plus the CHAMPION TROPHY |
| Total prize value | Over 40,000 baht |
| Organisers | Drip Aroi, Chokdee CaaFe, Option2 Studio |
| Sponsors | The Udon Thani Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports, TIMEMORE Thailand, and Thai tea and matcha brands supporting equipment and prizes |
This event will be of interest to organisers and café owners wanting to follow Thai tea and matcha drink trends from a new generation of brewers, as well as tourists and hotel staff in the Udon Thani area, who can drop by to experience the atmosphere of the competition alongside the 4th Udon Coffee Family event at the same time.