
– OUR GREEN COFFEE COURSE –
Our Green Coffee course is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), giving you a worldwide recognised qualification in the coffee industry.
The Scottish Barista Academy is the only barista academy in Scotland. With brand new purpose built premises and state of the art equipment, we’ll give you our dedicated attention in small classes, perfectly designed to ensure you get the most out of your course.
Jim Watson, with over 20 years experience in the industry, will take you into the world of green coffee and teach you that roasting coffee requires all your senses. Jim will take you through the key concepts in green coffee from growing the plant through to green coffee portfolio management. Jim’s a fully qualified SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) and City & Guilds trainer. His passion about coffee (and all things coffee related) shines through, and he will share this passion with you to ensure that you have the best training and experience possible.
Each year 7 million tons of green coffee beans are produced worldwide, most of which are handpicked.
The Scottish Barista Academy’s Green Coffee course covers all elements of green coffee, from the basics of growing the seed and cultivation, harvesting, shipping and storage, to arrival at the roaster, through to coffee botany and farm management, including coffee grading, the effects of the environment, and even futures markets.
You can study the Scottish Barista Academy’s Green Coffee Course at three levels:
- SCA Green Coffee Course – Foundation: gives you a great insight into the world of green coffee and is ideal if you are new to the coffee industry
- SCA Green Coffee Course – Intermediate: if you are already working in the industry and would like to build on your knowledge.
- SCA Green Coffee Course – Professional: if already have significant experience working in the green coffee industry, you’d like to develop specialist knowledge.
As our Green Coffee course is supported by an industry recognised qualification, they will help you continue on your chosen career path and are a great addition to your CV.
Click on the drop downs below to find out more:
FOUNDATION
Scottish Barista Academy Green Coffee Foundation
Course Duration: 1 Day – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Points Gained: 5
£395 with SCA Certificate
The SCA Green Coffee Foundation course is an introductory course that covers the core elements of green coffee and will give you an excellent grounding in the basics of green coffee.
By the end of the course, you will have a broad insight into the fundamental concepts of green coffee from growing the seed through to cultivation, picking, harvesting, shipping and storage, right up to arriving at a roaster.
A recent BBC study found that there has been a 31% increase in the number of coffee shops in the UK over the last 5 years.
So, take the option of SCA Certification to advance yourself in a fast growing in-demand worldwide career and industry.
Successful students in this course will gain 5 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Is the SCA Green Coffee Foundation course for you?
This course is ideal for you if:
- you are new to the coffee industry
- you would like an introduction to green coffee
It is also suitable if you are in, or want to be in, any of these careers:
- Roasting Quality Manager
- Coffee Importer
- Coffee Bean Roaster
- Trainee Barista
- Coffee Distributor
You will learn about:
- Growing the seed
- Cultivation
- Picking
- Harvesting
- Shipping
- Storage
- Arrival at the roaster
Pre-requisites:
There are no pre-requisites for this course. Just bring your enthusiasm and love of coffee!
On The Day:
- As with all our courses, we provide lunch. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements
- Dress casually
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- By Train: The nearest railway station to the Scottish Barista Academy is Livingston North. If you are arriving by train, please let us know the day before the course, and we will organise a pick up from the station.
- By Plane: We’ll pick you up from Edinburgh airport; just let us know your flight times.
- By Car: Parking is available at our premises EH54 6TW
Take the first step towards your new career in the coffee industry and choose your course from the dates below.
Contact us to find out more about our barista training courses; we’d love to hear from you!

TESTIMONIALS
”Thank you for your terrific support for the Blue Fax Tea Room over the years of its operation. We have greatly benefited from your careful training and outstanding products.
Roy and Lorraine have run this successful business for 4 years. We had hoped it would continue under new ownership but this has not been possible. We will be retiring later this month and as such, our last full day of trading will be on Sunday 25th February 2018 from 10am – 4pm. If we are able to find that elusive buyer in the near future, we will be strongly recommending that they reactivate your services for their business.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our time in running this business and wish you and your customers all the very best for the future.
Roy & Lorraine Davey
Blue Flax Tea Room
Green Coffee Foundation
Additional information
Choose a date | 5th September |
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INTERMEDIATE
Scottish Barista Academy Green Coffee Intermediate
Course Duration: 2 Days – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Points Gained: 10
£985 with SCA Certificate
The SCA Green Coffee Intermediate course builds on the knowledge gained in the SCA Green Coffee Foundation course and looks at green coffee in more detail.
This course provides you with a deeper insight into green coffee and the core skills required for working with green coffee on a daily basis.
Successful students in this course will gain their SCA Green Coffee Intermediate Certification and 10 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Is the SCA Green Coffee Intermediate course for you?
This course is ideal for you if:
- you have attended the SCA Green Coffee Foundation course
- you are already working with green coffee
- you have a firm knowledge of the basic skills
On this course, we cover:
- The principles of coffee growing and processing
- An introduction to green coffee grading
- The effects of altitude and environment on cup quality
- Futures markets
- Coffee defects
- Methods of decaffeination
Certification:
The course will give you all the key knowledge to help you gain your SCA Green Coffee Intermediate Certification.
The certification consists of four short practical tests and a written exam, consisting of 25 questions with a minimum pass mark of 70%.
When you have successfully passed, you will gain your SCA Green Coffee Intermediate Certification and will be awarded 10 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Pre-requisites:
- You must have obtained SCA Green Coffee Foundation or SCA Sensory certification.
- Optionally, you will have also obtained the SCA Introduction to Coffee certification.
On The Day:
- As with all our courses, we provide lunch. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements
- Dress casually
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- By Train: The nearest railway station to the Scottish Barista Academy is Livingston North. If you are arriving by train, please let us know the day before the course, and we will organise a pick up from the station.
- By Plane: We’ll pick you up from Edinburgh airport; just let us know your flight times.
- By Car: Parking is available at our premises EH54 6TW
Take the first step towards your new career in the coffee industry and choose your course from the dates below.
Contact us to find out more about our barista training courses; we’d love to hear from you!

TESTIMONIALS
“We have worked with Jim Watson on numerous Barista Employability courses run in partnership with Job Centre Plus. These courses have been fundamental in providing individuals with key skills to assist them in gaining employment in the Barista/Hospitality industry.
Jim has a great rapport with the trainees and makes the course interesting and fun! Jim in extremely knowledgeable and give the individuals a solid foundation in which to start their barista career.”
Jacky Carstairs
Lever Training Ltd
Green Coffee Intermediate
Additional information
Date | 6/7th September |
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PROFESSIONAL
Scottish Barista Academy Green Coffee Prodessional
Course Duration: 2.5 to 3 Days – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Points Gained: 25
£1255 with SCA Certificate
The SCA Green Coffee Professional course builds on the knowledge gained in the SCA Green Coffee Intermediate course and prepares you for a managerial position in the green coffee industry.
This Professional level course will take place over 3 – 4 full days where you will learn how to identify the key aspects of coffee botany and farm management.
The Scottish Barista Academy is Scotland’s only barista academy, and we run 4 professional courses every year.
Each course is run by our highly experienced and SCA Certified trainer, giving you dedicated support in our classroom, specifically designed for our range of courses.
We will provide you with extensive information regarding the financial and commercial mechanics that apply to the specialty coffee industry, including national and global systems.
Successful students in this course will gain their SCA Green Coffee Professional Certification and 25 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Is the SCA Green Coffee Professional course for you?
This course is ideal for you if:
- you already have significant experience working in the green coffee industry
- you have obtained your SCA Green Coffee Intermediate certificate
- you would like to develop specialist knowledge and skills at a high level
On this course, you will learn to:
- Identify key aspects of coffee botany and farm management
- Understand the different stages of specialty coffee processing
- Identify a range of cup defects found globally in coffee
- Construct and manage a green coffee portfolio in terms of volume, cost and time regarding the changing market price of Robusta and Arabica coffees
- Calculate the cost of green coffee production and apply this to contract negotiations
- Identify coffees based on quality and volume parameters
- Assess suppliers ability to meet criteria outlined in third party accreditation systems
Certification:
The certification consists of four practical exams and a written exam. The written exam consists of 35 questions with a minimum pass mark of 80%.
When you have successfully passed, you will receive your well-earned SCA Green Coffee Professional Certification. You will also be awarded 25 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Pre-requisites:
- You must already hold the SCA Green Coffee Intermediate certification
- Optionally, you will also have the SCA Sensory or SCA Roasting certification
On The Day:
- As with all our courses, we provide lunch. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements
- Dress casually
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- By Train: The nearest railway station to the Scottish Barista Academy is Livingston North. If you are arriving by train, please let us know the day before the course, and we will organise a pick up from the station.
- By Plane: We’ll pick you up from Edinburgh airport; just let us know your flight times.
- By Car: Parking is available at our premises EH54 6TW
Take the first step towards advancing your career in the coffee industry and choose your course from the dates below.
Contact us to find out more about our barista training courses; we’d love to hear from you!

TESTIMONIALS
“I had never drunk coffee prior to enquiring about a course at the Scottish Barista School but I was looking to open up my own Coffee House in Edinburgh so needed to develop my skills in the art of coffee making. From the first phone call with Jim I was blown away by his passion for his trade. Very quickly Jim opened my eyes up to the world of coffee and I completed two foundation courses at the school.
Jim’s passion is unerring and his ability to impart his knowledge and develop the complex skills required to brew and serve coffee is exceptional. Not only has he taught me the specialist courses but he has offered continued support throughout my coffee journey, always on hand to offer guidance and advice in order to develop me as a barista. Furthermore, the coffee he produces is out of this world and I wouldn’t be the success, and have achieved my 5-star reviews if it wasn’t for him!”
Nick Keenan
My Front Room