– OUR SENSORY COFFEE SKILLS COURSE –
When you drink coffee, you don’t necessarily taste coffee. Our Sensory Coffee Skills Course teaches the ability to discern one taste from another, to be able to describe the sensory information and to perceive how these elements interact. Taste is just one part of the sensory analysis of coffee. With training and practice at the Scottish Barista Academy, you can learn to improve your sensory analysis.
The Scottish Barista Academy is the only barista academy in Scotland. In a beautiful location, our training room is specifically designed to meet the needs of our range of courses. We’ll give you our dedicated attention in small classes, perfectly designed to ensure you master the sensory analysis of coffee in our Scottish Barista Academy Sensory Courses.
Our Speciality Coffee Association Certified trainer, with over 20 years experience in the industry, will take you through the mechanics of formal coffee analysis and teach you how to analyse coffee with all your senses. He will help you develop your sensory skills and give you the knowledge required to have a career in the coffee industry. Our trainer is 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 you have the best training and experience possible.
Our Sensory Coffee Skills Course is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), giving you a worldwide recognised qualification in the coffee industry.
The SCA Sensory Coffee Skills course covers in detail all elements of sensory evaluation from how we perceive taste, cupping sessions, setting up your business, through to becoming a sensory skills leader in the coffee industry.
You can study the Scottish Barista Academy Sensory Skills courses at three levels:
- SCA Sensory Coffee Skills – Foundation: you will learn the essentials of sensory evaluation.
- SCA Sensory Coffee Skills – Intermediate: provides essential sensory skills and for industry professionals who already have some experience.
- SCA Sensory Coffee Skills – Professional: develops your professional skills, and will provide you with the knowledge and sensory skills to become a leader in the industry.
As all our Sensory Skills courses are supported by an industry recognised qualification, they will help you to continue on your chosen career path whether this is as a coffee shop owner or as an experienced sensory skills leader.
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FOUNDATION
Scottish Barista Academy Sensory Skills Foundation
Course Duration: 1 Day – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Points Gained: 5
£395 with SCA Certificate
The SCA Sensory Skills Foundation course is designed to introduce you to the essentials of formal coffee analysis.
By the end of the course, you will have developed keen sensory skills, have a good knowledge of formal cup tasting, and know the correct terminology and protocols used in the coffee industry.
The course is very practical and interactive, and you will gain hands-on practice in a small group with dedicated support from our fully qualified trainer.
You will also have the option of SCA Certification to advance yourself with a worldwide career in one of the fastest growing industries in the UK.
The SCA certification involves four small practical tests and one written test. The pass mark is 60% (9 out of 15 questions).
The course provides you with all the information you need to sit and pass the tests.
Successful students in this course will gain 5 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Is the SCA Sensory Skills Foundation course for you?
This course is ideal for you if:
- you would like an introduction to coffee sensory skills
- you would like to gain a professional sensory skills qualification
- you would like to use sensory analysis in your business
You will learn about:
- Formal Coffee Analysis
- How to Develop your Sensory Skills
- Physiology, Olfaction and Gestation
- Formal Cup Tasting
- How We Perceive Taste
- Five Basic Tastes
- How to Evaluate the Characteristics of Coffee
- Defining Taste and Body in Coffee
- Identifying Speciality Coffee Qualities
- Implementing in Your Business
Pre-requisites:
There are no pre-requisites for this course. Just bring your 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
TESTIMONIALS
“I’d been running Lochboisdale Café for six years and decided it was time to ‘up my game’ and provide a better coffee experience for my customers. I contacted The Scottish Barista Academy and chatted informally with Jim Watson to discuss my current set-up. He asked lots of questions about how I provided coffee and what I wanted to achieve and helped me decide the course best suited to me to take Lochboisdale Café to be THE place to go to for coffee on the Isle of Uist.
The Intermediate Barista course is not for the faint hearted but with Jims’ positive encouraging and humorous approach, he managed to tailor the course for me and for the other students on the course.
We all learned a lot and it opened my eyes to the wonderful world of coffee. I now understand the importance of a good on-demand grinder. I was previously using a domestic grinder wholly unsuited for the purpose.
It didn’t end there. He continued to provide advice and help afterwards – checking on my progress and giving me pointers to continue to improve.
Lunch is provided and I have to say it was one of the best I’ve ever had on a training course.
And the coffee was to die for!
Definitely an eye-opener into the wonderful world of coffee”
Anne MacLennan
Lochboisdale Café, Isle of Uist
Sensory Foundation
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INTERMEDIATE
Scottish Barista Academy Sensory Skills Intermediate
Course Duration: 2 Days – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Points Gained: 10
£765 with SCA Certificate
The SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate course takes your skills and knowledge to a deeper level. The course builds on the core skills required for industry professionals who would like to gain specialist knowledge and already have good working experience in the industry.
If you are a coffee professional and would like to expand your sensory skills knowledge and refine your sensory skills techniques, then this is the course for you. The course is particularly useful if quality control is a core function of your career.
You will gain hands-on practice in a small group with one to one support from our SCA certified trainer.
Did you know that globally, people consume more than 330 million cups of coffee a day? After water and soft drinks, coffee has toppled tea to become the third favorite beverage in the world.
With this course, you also have the option to become SCA Certified to advance yourself with a worldwide career in one of the fastest growing industries in the UK.
Successful students in this course will gain 10 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Is the SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate course for you?
This course is ideal for you if:
- you would like to gain advanced knowledge of coffee sensory skills
- you would like to gain a professional sensory skills qualification
- you would like to pursue a career at a high level in this area
- quality control is an aspect of your work
You will learn about:
- How we taste, perceive and interpret coffees
- How to discriminate between various levels of acidity and bitterness in solution.
- How to identify key aromas
- How to rank coffees and blind assess coffees
- Triangulation
- How to run a cupping session and taste the diversity of coffee
- How to use and fill in a cupping form
- Statistical Analysis
- Setting up a panel
- Screening Tasters
On the final day, you have the option to take the SCA Intermediate Sensory Skills exam, which involves both practical and written tests.
The SCA certification involves 4 small practical tests and one written test. The pass mark is 70% (17 out of 25 questions).
The course provides you with all the information you need to sit and pass the tests.
Pre-requisites:
It’s recommended that you have attended either:
- The SCA Introduction to Coffee Course or
- Passed the SCA Sensory Skills Foundation Course
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
TESTIMONIALS
“Recommend it to anyone who wants to immerse deeper into the world of coffee or those who wants to take a career in coffee more seriously. I was a beginner and the training was fun and rewarding. Jim made sure I practiced enough to be familiar with the essential preparation for delivering THE cup of coffee. I will never ever look at the coffee machine and my coffee the same way again!”
Chunli Zhang
Sensory Intermediate
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PROFESSIONAL
Scottish Barista Academy Sensory Skills Professional
Course Duration: 2.5 to 3 Days – 9.30am to 4.30pm
Points Gained: 25
£1085 with SCA Certificate
The Scottish Barista Academy is Scotland’s only barista academy, and we run 4 professional courses every year.
In a beautiful location, our training room is specifically designed to meet the needs of our range of courses.
We’ll give you our dedicated attention in small classes, perfectly designed to ensure you master the art of roasting.
The SCA Sensory Skills Professional course is designed to build on the SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate course and push your skills and knowledge to the very highest level.
The course is suitable for anyone already working in the profession for two years or more, and with extensive experience in sensory analysis, who are ready to take their skills up to a professional level.
You will have the opportunity to gain extensive hands-on practice in sensory skills sessions with dedicated support from our SCA Certified trainer.
On the final day you will have the option to take the SCA Sensory Skills Professional certification exam, which involves both practical and written tests. There are 4 practical exams and a written exam of consisting of 35 questions with a required pass rate of 80%.
Success at this level will let any employer know that you’re highly skilled and have the knowledge and skills needed to become a leader within the industry.
Successful students in this course will gain 25 points towards the SCA Diploma.
Is the SCA Sensory Skills Professional course for you?
This course is ideal for you if:
- you are a coffee professional and have been working in a role for 1-2 years with significant sensory analysis experience
- you would like the skills and knowledge to become a sensory leader within a coffee business
- you would like to gain the very highest level of sensory skills
In this course we cover:
- Sensory, Psychology, Physiology
- Training Panellists
- Calibrating
- Understanding Perceptual Interactions
- Perception of different levels of acidity and bitterness in complex solutions
- Identification of a variety of acids
- Volatile compounds in coffee
- SCAA Cupping Forms
- Profiling
- Quality identification – your tasting skills will be tested in depth by working with faults and taints
Pre-requisites:
It’s mandatory that you have attended:
- The SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate Course
It’s highly recommended that you have attended:
- The SCA Sensory Skills Foundation course
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
TESTIMONIALS
“When I decided that I would pursue my dream of starting a coffee shop, I searched for a barista school in Scotland since that was where I would be starting up. I received a call from Jim within hours of sending the email enquiry. We instantly connected and I made an appointment to meet him at the School. Jim has high standards and expects the same from his students. The biggest reward is the more effort I put in, Jim gives the support, advice and effort right back. I have gained a mentor and a friend and I will forever be thankful for his advice and indebted to him for the success and popularity of the coffee I make each day.”
Sean Elder
Seans Coffee & Catering
This Course currently has no available dates.