TRAINING LAB

Coffee Courses

Intro to Coffee

Course Format
This course is available both in-person and online. For remote participation, you’ll need reliable internet access and a laptop or tablet.

What You’ll Learn
This course gives a general overview of the specialty coffee supply chain and explores topics such as history and cultivation, variables that affect coffee quality, basics of sensory analysis, fundamentals of roasting, factors of coffee freshness, and principles of brewing. Learners will also discuss the importance of water quality, equipment cleanliness, and maintenance. In person courses include a live cupping and demonstration.

Prerequisites 
None

Course Fees
$250 — includes instruction (in-person or online), coffee supplies, course materials (digital or print).

Assessment
No practical exam is required. A written exam will be delivered via email. You’ll have 21 days to complete it, with two attempts allowed. A passing score is 60%.

Barista Skills Foundation

Course Format
This course is available both in-person and online. For remote participation, you’ll need reliable internet access and a laptop or tablet. Espresso equipment is optional.

What You’ll Learn

  • Coffee Beans
  • Workspace Management
  • Espresso Process
  • Extraction & Brewing
  • Sensory Skills
  • Milk
  • Espresso Menu
  • Cleaning & Safety
  • Water Quality
  • Customer Service

Prerequisites 
None

Course Fees
$400 — includes instruction (in-person or online), coffee supplies, course materials (digital or print).

Assessment
No practical exam is required. A written exam will be delivered via email. You’ll have 21 days to complete it, with two attempts allowed. A passing score is 60%.

Barista Skills Intermediate

Course Format
This course is available both in-person and online. For remote participation, you’ll need reliable internet access and a laptop or tablet. Espresso equipment is optional.

What You’ll Learn
Builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Foundation course. It is ideal for someone who has barista skills experience and wants to explore how to improve coffee quality and prepare for more complex job functions found in the barista profession.

Prerequisites 
None required, 6 months of cafe experience or Barista Skills Foundation recommended.

Course Fees
$600 — includes instruction (in-person or online), coffee supplies, course materials (digital or print).

Assessment
A written exam tests Intermediate course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability in terms of grinder calibration, espresso extraction analysis, latte art skills and drinks construction.

Barista Skills Professional

Course Format
This course is available both in-person and online. For remote participation, you’ll need reliable internet access and a laptop or tablet. Espresso equipment is required.

What You’ll Learn
Builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the foundation and intermediate courses. The Barista Skills Professional course is designed to test advanced skills and detailed knowledge of the science behind processes used by a professional barista (for example, a barista with 12 months or more of work experience). Successful candidates will have explored and demonstrated the advanced skills typically expected of a head barista.

In particular, participants will learn a sophisticated tasting methodology and descriptive explanation of coffee flavors; gain a detailed understanding of drink ingredients and the techniques available to maximize the quality of the drinks made, understand how to manage the skills of others to produce quality drinks, demonstrate an understanding of how to develop brew recipes and a systematic method of structuring beverage menus, and finally be able to consistently apply the highest standard of latte art and milk steaming techniques.

Prerequisites 
Barista Skills Intermediate and 1 year experience working in a cafe or coffee environment.

Course Fees
$1000 — includes instruction (in-person or online), coffee supplies, course materials (digital or print).

Assessment
A written exam tests Professional course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability in terms of grinder calibration, espresso extraction analysis, latte art skills and drinks construction.

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