C O F F E E

D I P L O M A

AUTHORISED
TRAINERS
HANDBOOK
Contents

1 What is SCAE?

2 What is the Coffee Diploma System?

How does it work?
How can education benefit a career in coffee?
How much does certification cost?
How much should I charge for my courses?

3 How was the Coffee Diploma System created?

How can I get involved?

4 How do I become an AST?

Which modules am I certified to teach?

5 What is the procedure for running courses and issuing certificates ?

6 How is quality controlled?

7 Tips for trainers

8 An overview of the modules

9 Recommended reading lists for the modules

10 Recommended equipment for running the modules

N.B. The contents of this document are subject to change without notification. Please refer to our
website for the latest version.

1
1 What is SCAE?
The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) was founded in 1998 by a small group of
representatives from the speciality coffee industry in Europe. Their mission was to develop a forum
for members of the coffee industry who shared a commitment to quality, to exchange information and
knowledge and promote speciality coffee through education.

SCAE is a membership association with over 2,500 members in more than 85 countries in Europe and
the rest of the world, all with a passion for making a better coffee world through education, exchange
of knowledge and networking. Our core ethos is to improve quality at all levels of the chain, from
cultivation to the consumer; we promote certification, sustainability, and ethical trading in order to
achieve that. We are a not-for-profit organisation and any surplus we make is invested back into the
industry we serve.

OUR VISION
We are the authority on delivering coffee excellence.

OUR MISSION
To create and inspire excellence in the coffee community through innovation, research, education and
communication.

OUR VALUES
Excellence, knowledge, leadership, integrity, communication, competence, education and community.

2 What is the Coffee Diploma

System?
The SCAE Coffee Diploma System is the most comprehensive coffee education system available and
the most extensively awarded coffee certification in the world. If you are a barista wanting to advance
your skills, want to become a roaster, trade in green coffee, perfect your sensory skills, or just brew
great coffee then the diploma has a module for you.

2
 INTRODUCTION SENSORY ROASTING BARISTA GREEN COFFEE BREWING
TO COFFEE SKILLS SKILLS

2.1 How does it work?

The Coffee Diploma System offers an introductory module followed by modules in five core areas of coffee:

• Introduction to Coffee (10 points)

• Green Coffee
• Sensory Skills
• Roasting
• Brewing
• Barista Skills

Each of the five core modules offers qualifications at three levels:

• Foundation (5 points)
• Intermediate (10 points)
• Professional (25 points)

INTRODUCTION FOUNDATION INTERMEDIATE PROFESSIONAL

LEVELS
TO COFFEE

POINTS
AWARDED
10 5 10 25

3
Foundation
• The Foundation level provides the first taste of a particular coffee discipline. It offers an initial
insight into the basic skills in an area and help you decide if you want to go on to learn more.
• The Foundation level requires no previous experience.
• Courses at this level would be expected to take 1 day.

Intermediate
• Suitable for those already working in the area with a firm knowledge of the basic skills.
• Experience working in the field is recommended before attempting this level.
• It is not mandatory to hold the Foundation qualification in order to be able to participate in the
Intermediate courses, but strongly recommended.
• Courses at this level would be expected to take at least 2 days (including exams).

Professional
• The Professional level is suitable for those wanting to pursue specialist knowledge at a high level
in their field.
• Success at this level should indicate competence to work in this field.
• Extensive experience working in the field is recommended before attempting this level.
• Candidates must hold the Intermediate qualification to be able to participate in the Professional
courses.
• Courses at this level would be expected to take at least 3 days (including exams).

Students will receive a certificate for each examination they pass and points are awarded towards
their Coffee Diploma. When they earn 100 points they will automatically be awarded with the Coffee
Diploma certificate.

2.2 How can education benefit a career in coffee?

Students may find that they just want education in one specific area and follow that path through to a
Professional Level, but they may want to supplement this core skill with an awareness of other areas.

As a rough guide, the table on the right shows a number of jobs within the coffee industry and the
modules that may be applicable for them.

4
Professions Professional Intermediate Foundation

Green Coffeee
Sensory Skills

Sensory Skills

Sensory Skills
Green Coffee

Barista Skills

Barista Skills

Green Coffee

Barista Skills
Roasting

Roasting

Roasting
Brewing

Brewing

Brewing
Roasting Quality Manager ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Importer Quality/Lab Manager ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Buyer (for Exporter/Importer/Roaster) ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Roaster ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Engineer - Roastery/Packaging ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Sales & Marketing - Importer/Exporter ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Producers / Estate Managers ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

(Producers Extension Workers/Trainers) ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Traders ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Barista Trainers ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Head Barista ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Barista ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Coffee Shop Manager ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Retail Chain Manager / Quality Manager ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Sommelier ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Chef ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Food & Beverage Manager ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Roasted Coffee Distributor (Owner/Sale) ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Coffee Machine Sales ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Coffee Machine Engineer ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

5
2.3 How much does certification cost?
SCAE charges a fee for administering the exam and awarding the certificates. All ASTs are to charge
this same fee to their students. 50% of this fee is taken by SCAE and 50% is retained by the AST.
These costs are detailed below and are subject to change.

PRICE OF
LEVEL AWARDED POINTS
CERTIFICATION ONLY
Members Non-members

INTRODUCTION For those with an interest in coffee or 10 €50 €50

TO COFFEE setting out on their coffee career

FOUNDATION Suitable for beginners to gain an insight 5 €50 €50

into key skills in a new area

INTERMEDIATE Suitable for those working in the area already 10 €80 €150
wanting to consolidate their key skills

PROFESSIONAL Suitable for those who have worked in the 25 €150 €225
area for some time and want to push
their knowledge and skills to a high level.

(2014 prices)

2.4 How much should I charge for my courses?

The charge for the examination and certification is completely separate to any fee charged for the
training you deliver.

An AST will usually charge a fee for any training course leading up to a certification. The cost of the
course per student will usually reflect the length, skills level and costs involved in running the course
and is at the discretion of the AST.

For example, it would be expected that a Professional level course would be charged at a significantly
higher cost than a Foundation level course, as it is likely to last several days, demand a greater
knowledge from the trainer, and potentially require a greater level of equipment and ingredients.

As a guideline only, you may expect to charge the following per student daily rate for your courses:

• Foundation €150.00 per day

• Intermediate €200.00 per day
• Professional €300.00 per day

Remember that this is a suggested per student daily rate and that some courses last for several days. It is
important that we represent the quality of the courses we offer and these suggested charges would
be seen as good value if compared with similar professional courses in other industries.

6
7
3 How was the Coffee Diploma
System created?

The team behind the SCAE qualifications:

There is a large team behind the production of the SCAE qualifications. First there is the SCAE
Education Committee; a team of industry professionals who volunteer their time to develop the
SCAE’s education strategy and keep those plans on track.

This committee consists of:

Ludovic Maillard, Chair

Annemarie Tiemes Panagiotis Konstantinopoulos

David Locker Paul Meikle-Janney
David Veal Paul Stack
Edouard Thomas Sonja Björk Grant
John Thompson Susan Hollins
Morten Münchow

There is also a team of SCAE Education staff at the Head Office in the UK:
Susan Hollins, Education Manager
Annemarie Tiemes, Education Field Manager
Kim Staalman, Education Field Coordinator
Aidan Jones, Education Administrator
Kay Bennett, Education Administrator
Alex Morrell, Education Administrator

Working with them are the module “creators”, experts in their field whose task it is to analyse
the education needs, develop the curriculum and write the examinations. Each “creator” has an
international team of industry experts to help them with this development and a wider team of
professionals who help in checking the curriculum and testing the exams. And finally, the worldwide
network of SCAE trainers can provide feedback and suggestions to constantly update and improve.

The “creators” responsible for putting together the new SCAE Coffee Diploma System modules are:

8
 INTRODUCTION
TO COFFEE Introduction to Coffee
& Barista Skills modules:

Paul Meikle-Janney,
MANAGING DIRECTOR, COFFEE COMMUNITY LTD.

After receiving a BA (Hons) in Hotel & Catering Management, Paul embarked on an award winning
career, working in hotels and restaurants in the UK and US, as well as lecturing at Huddersfield University.

In 1999 Paul started Coffee Community Ltd, that provides barista training and consultants for many
major coffee retailers, machine manufacturers, dairy companies and other companies throughout the coffee
industry, both in the UK and Internationally. In 2011, they launched their iPhone/iPad Barista Training
App. Paul has had a long relationship with coffee education; helping to write the City & Guilds Barista
qualification, and barista qualifications for the SCAE. He currently sits on SCAE Education Committee
and is leader of the Creators group.

Paul has been involved in the World and the UK Barista Championship from the start. He has also
been a Head Judge for the World Latte Art Championship and the World Coffee in Good Spirits
Championship (after being a competitor, coming third in the World in 2006), for four years. He was a
board member of World Coffee Events, who run the World Barista Championships, from 2011 -2012.

Paul would like to thank other members of Barista Skills team for their help:

Ben Townsend, The Espresso Room, UK

Christine Cottrell, Perfect Espresso, Australia
Lauro Fioretti, Nuova Simonelli, Italy
Soren Stiller, Great Coffee, Denmark

GREEN COFFEE
Green Coffee Module:

John Thompson,
Managing Director, Coffee Nexus Ltd.

UK based coffee consultancy Coffee Nexus Ltd was founded by John Thompson in 2009.

John’s career in speciality coffee started in the 1990’s and since then he has worked on projects
from the field through to roasting and retail. His work at origin has spanned several continents; he is
fortunate to work closely with coffee growers in several countries to develop long term purchasing
relationships and sustainable buying programmes, and he advises on product diversification and
quality improvement initiatives. In addition to his work in the coffee field and at the wet mill John is
also a Head Judge for the Cup of Excellence Programme.

9
John has extensive manufacturing experience meaning that not only does he hold a practical and
working knowledge of coffee laboratory equipment, but also of a range of roasting and packaging
systems used in food production. He has developed products for major speciality coffee brands and
supermarkets and continues to develop new products for the clients of Coffee Nexus. He has been
involved in the development of the SCAE Coffee Diploma System since the programme’s launch. He
has helped develop the content of Green Coffee, Sensory Skills and Roasting Modules.

John would like to thank the other members of the Green Coffee team for their help:

Ludovic Maillard, Maison P. Jobin, France

Phil Schluter, Schluter SA, South Africa
Max Fabian, Demus spA, Italy
Gloria Pedroza, InterAmerican Coffee, Switzerland

SENSORY
Sensory SKILLS Module:
SKILLS

Edouard Thomas,
International Sensory Manager, Nestlé Nespresso S.A.

Edouard Thomas brings years of tasting experience to his role as an international sensory manager
at Nespresso, which he has held since 2003. His primary responsibility is to develop, train, and
maintain the high level of tasting expertise within Nestlé Nespresso S.A., in the fields of green coffee
cupping, along with the development of blends and finished products giving him a key role within the
Nespresso Coffee Team.

Edouard is intimately involved in exploring the taste of coffees from origin to the finished product
and has an extended knowledge of coffee drinking habits and cultures. He also works with the team
to develop new products such as limited editions and propose new coffee experiences such as coffee
pairing. He also promotes the coffee tasting culture internally for employees with the Gold Capsule
Contest and externally for key opinion leaders in fine dining with the Coffee Sommelier Program TM
and Chef Academy. Edouard is the co-author of the Nespresso Coffee Codex and joined the SCAE
Education Committee in 2012. Prior to joining Nespresso, he spent six years tasting food commodities
such as cocoa, confectionery and coffee.

Edouard would like to thank the other members of the Sensory skills team for their help:

Andrej Godina, Dottore di Ricerca in Scienza, Tecnologia ed Economia nell’Industria del Caffè
Joshua Brain, The cognition & behaviour Laboratory, Aarhus University
Barbara Held, Blaser Café AG, Switzerland
Gloria Pedroza, InterAmerican Coffee, Switzerland

10
 Roasting Module:
ROASTING

Morton Münchow,
Managing Director, Coffee Mind

Morten Münchow entered the coffee business in 2004 as part of a university project explaining the
chemistry of espresso coffee brewing to baristas. This project connected him with Cafe Europa 1989
in Copenhagen who took him in 2004 to the SCAE show in Athens and to the Nordic Barista Cup in
Iceland to show his presentation on the biochemistry of cappuccino foam. Morten has been a frequent
speaker at the Nordic Barista Cup since (2004, 2006, 2009 and 2011). Along with Morten’s pioneering
work on a scientific understanding of milk foaming at the Food Science Department of the University
of Copenhagen, Morten is increasingly involved with research on speciality coffee. His research
involved the development of Cafemælk which is a special milk for use by baristas; during this research
project Morten developed a measurement method to measure quality of cappuccino foam that will
soon be published in a journal of dairy technology.

In 2005 Morten was employed as a roast master in the newly established coffee roastery Kontra A/S in
Copenhagen where he was taught the craft of roasting. Morten was taught the craft of roasting while
working for Kontra A/S in Copenhagen in 2005, becoming a master roaster, this led to his consultant
role with Mercanta in 2007 and for coffee roasters worldwide. Morten teaches at the London School
of Coffee where he has developed his own unique approach to teaching coffee roasting. In 2013
Morten was appointed to succeed Filip Åkerblom and Daniela Nowitzki in development of the coffee
roasting part of SCAE’s Coffee Diploma System. Even though Morten has spent a lot of time teaching
baristas basic barista craftsman ship and expert baristas about the science of espresso brewing
and cappuccino foam creation, Morten considers himself a coffee roaster and his passion is to teach
people who are on the threshold of starting a new coffee roastery.

Morten has just launched an innovative online learning platform to make his different teachings and
consultancy services easily available on an international scale:

Morten would like to thank the other members of the Roasting team for their help:

Daniela Nowitzki, Probat

Filip Akerblom, Kafferosteriet
Filip was involved in developing the format of the CDS roasting modules from 2010-2013 and was a key
member of the Roasting Peer Group.
John Thompson, Coffee Nexus

11
 BREWING
Brewing Module:

David Locker,
Head of Business Development, Bewleys

David Locker comes from Stoke-on-Trent but broke free at the age of 19. He graduated with a BA in
Marketing from Chicago and has been involved in coffee for the last 12 years, the same time-frame as
being married. At the age of 23 he represented Great Britain in the 800m and ranked 4th in the 800m
indoors. He has been a member of the Speciality Coffee Association Europe Education Committee for
the last 4 years is the creator of the Brewing and Grinding Module for the SCAE Coffee Diploma. His
day job is Head of Business Development, Training and Auditing for Bewley’s.

David would like to thank the other members of the Brewing team for their help:

Paul Stack, Operations Director, Marco Beverage systems

Paul is From Cobh in Ireland with a BSc. degree in Industrial Design.

His post-graduate studies are in Strategic R&D, Manufacturing Management and Leadership.

He is currently Operations Director with Marco Beverage Systems, based in Dublin Ireland – a leading
provider of hot water systems for the beverage industry worldwide and has been working in the coffee
industry for 11 years.

He has been an SCAE committee member for eight years and is a former chair of the SCAE Education
Committee.

He has been the Programme Leader of the SCAE Gold Cup & SCAE Gold Cup Research.

He is the current Vice President of SCAE, due to take up the role of President in 2015.

He is married with 4 daughters and in his own words: ‘is a brewing nerd who likes drama, cooking,
eating and roaring at football matches (while both playing and attending)’.

3.1 HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

We are always keen to hear feedback on the Coffee Diploma System to help improve it for the future.

Please send your comment and suggestions to education@scae.com or write to us at SCAE, Oak Lodge
Farm Leighams Road,CM3 4HF,Bicknacre, Chelmsford United Kingdom

We would also like hear from you if you would like to become part of our peer groups or would help us
proof-read or translate documents. Please contact us at education@scae.com.

12
4 How do I Become an AST?

Education is the foundation of all SCAE activity. Authorised SCAE Trainers (ASTs) are our most
important ambassadors. They help to promote the awareness of quality from ‘bean to cup’ through
professional education, to both people in the industry and to the end consumer.

To become an AST YOU MUST:

A Be an SCAE member in the right category or work for an SCAE member company.

B You must have successfully passed Intermediate (formerly Level 1) and Professional (formerly Level 2)
in one of the Coffee Diploma System modules.

C Attend the two day AST course which covers the Coffee Diploma System, training skills and background
to SCAE. During the course you will be guided through the AST contract and asked to sign the AST agreement.

The Authorised SCAE Trainer courses are listed on the SCAE website, Education page. Here you can
access the AST application form. Approved applications will receive an invoice for the course fee and
three-year AST licence (€1,200.00 ) with at least one additional Certifier license for one of the CDS
modules (€200.00). Course and license fees must be paid in advance of the course and are subject to
change.

On successful completion of the course, your name will be added to the Authorised SCAE Trainer list
on the website.

On successful completion of the course, you will be eligible to teach and certify the Introduction to
Coffee module of the Coffee Diploma System.

4.1 WHICH MODULES AM I CERTIFIED TO TEACH?

ASTs must have a Professional level qualification in the module that they wish to teach and certify. Please
note that it is a mandatory requirement to achieve the Intermediate level of a module before attaining the
Professional level.

• A
 STs must purchase a module licence for each module they wish to certify, ie, 5 modules would require 5
licences. The cost of each module licence is €200 and the licence is valid for three years;
• To purchase a module licence, send an email to: education@scae.com. Please include a copy of your
Professional level certificate(s) for each module that you wish to teach and certify as proof of achievement
• After payment you will receive an extension to your AST contract, which you have to sign.
• Please return a copy of the signed document to education@scae.com

Once SCAE has received payment and relevant documents, SCAE will add your licence to your name on the
website. (Please note that the certifier fee may change in the future)

ASTs are expected to deliver at least two courses per year.

14
BENEFITS OF BEING AN AST:

1 You are a Certifier for the Coffee Diploma System module “Introduction to
Coffee” and can deliver training and certifications for this module.

2
You may become a Certifier for other Coffee Diploma System modules.

3
You can use the Authorised SCAE Trainer logo on your business cards, website
or any written material advertising your courses.

4
As an Authorised SCAE Trainer your Coffee Diploma System courses will be
published on the education calendar on the SCAE website.

5
As an Authorised SCAE Trainer we will publish your contact details on the
relevant page of the SCAE website.

6
You will be invited to the Authorised SCAE Trainer meetings for updates on
training, research and trends in the coffee industry, as well as for professional and
social networking.

7
Recognition by peers as someone who has a deep coffee knowledge and
experience and who is able to impart that knowledge and experience to others.

8
This is a professional qualification that you can be proud of - you worked hard
for it. Many ASTs around the world earn their living by delivering SCAE Coffee
Diploma System training.

15
5 What is the procedure for running
courses and issuing certificates?

The following procedure should be followed when you want to run a Coffee Diploma course:

1 Inform SCAE via the website that you are running a course. Indicate whether it is an open
course (you wish to advertise it on the SCAE web site) or a closed course (you are holding it in-
house and do not wish to advertise it). Indicate clearly the following:
• Module and level • Venue • Up to date contact details
• Date(s) of course • Open or closed

2 Deliver the course and certifications making sure that you inform your candidates that it is
compulsory for them to complete the on-line feedback evaluation in order for them to receive
their certificates. Explain to the candidates that it may take up to 8 weeks before they will
receive their certificates.

3 Mark the exams as soon as possible to avoid delays in the process, and fill in the report form
on the SCAE website for all attendees of the course, (indicating who passed or failed). It is
essential that the report form is completed fully and accurately with correct personal email
addresses of the attendees and membership numbers, if applicable. l

4 Make sure there is a clear distinction between students who have passed and failed and inform
SCAE of the pass rate for the course. A fee is only applicable for students who passed. (Failed
attendees are for SCAE information).

5 Send a copy of the exams to the address below or email a scan of the exams to
education@scae.com. This can also be shared by ZIP file or Dropbox folder.
• SCAE, Oak Lodge Farm, Leighams Road, Bicknacre, Chelmsford, CM3 4HF, United Kingdom.

6 SCAE will send the Authorised Trainer the invoice. After payment of the invoice and receipt of
the exams, the certificates will be sent to the Authorised Trainer.

7 SCAE will send the attendees an email survey. This will be used for quality control purposes,
(see further details opposite).

8 The Authorised Trainer signs the certificates and sends them to the successful students.

9 SCAE will publish their name on the SCAE website and add the achieved credits towards the
Coffee Diploma in the SCAE database.

16
6 How is quality controlled?

SCAE has a large number of ASTs throughout the world and it is essential that it keeps control of
the standards of training delivered by all. Poor training or unprofessional practices demonstrated by
a minority of ASTs may discredit the great work done by the majority and so must be identified and
dealt with quickly.

Initial standards are confirmed by:

• ASTs passing the Professional Level of the module they want to teach in.
• Attending the AST Trainers Course.
• Being approved by the SCAE education team.

SCAE reserves the right to attend any courses that ASTs run with the purpose of confirming
standards.

Once the AST is running course(s) then the quality of these courses is monitored by the students themselves:

• Every student that attends a course, whether they pass or fail, is sent an online feedback form
direct from SCAE, not via the AST. This way they can give an honest assessment of the course
they attended. They are encouraged to return this form before certificates are released, to make
sure that feedback is received.
• The results from the feedback will lead to the following:
HH GREEN LIGHT – the AST is doing a good job.
HH YELLOW LIGHT – there are some concerns that SCAE has to discuss with the AST. The AST
can still continue to run courses while these concerns are being addressed.
HH RED LIGHT – there are serious concerns that SCAE need to deal with and an AST will be suspended
from training and using the AST Logo for a period of time agreed by the Education team.

Monitoring continues through a process of sampling:

HH A random sample of completed exam papers is undertaken by SCAE staff to check for
accuracy and validity. Feedback is given to the AST as appropriate;
HH From 2015, an observation process will be in place in which a sample of ASTs across all
modules, levels and countries will be observed delivering a SCAE course. The procedure and
guidelines for this process will be made available to ASTs once it is in place.

17
7 Tips for
trainers
As important as the quality of the information an
AST gives out is the quality of the training itself.
This is why we have the AST Course, but we also
support this by providing training tips and advice
on the SCAE Education website.

Visit scae.com to find out more.

18
8 An overview of
the modules:
INTRODUCTION
TO COFFEE

Introduction to Coffee

If you are new to the coffee industry and want to get an overview to start your career, then the
Introduction to Coffee module is perfect.

The module charts coffee’s journey from its origins in Ethiopia through to the major commodity it is
today, enjoyed by millions.

It looks into the processes that coffee goes through, from the cherries being picked on farms all over
the world, to the various processing methods used to extract the beans, and eventually how the
roaster develops the flavours we love.

Finally it gives an overview of the various brewing methods we choose to make our coffee, with a few
key standards to uphold.

As well as the theory you will get to try a “coffee cupping” to taste some of the various and wonderful
flavours coffee has to offer.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Introduction to Coffee
certification that consists of a short practical exam and a written exam (25 questions with a pass rate
of 60% required). Successful students will be awarded 10 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last half a day.

19
 GREEN COFFEE

Green COFFEE

b.1 Green Coffee – Foundation

This is an introductory course that covers key concepts surrounding green coffee from growing the
plant, through processing, shipping and storage to arrival at a roastery. The session is ideally suited
for people new to the coffee industry or those looking to gain an insight into the broad subject matter
of green coffee. It includes an introduction to cupping and coffee grading.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Green Coffee Foundation
certification that consists of a short practical exam and a written exam (15 questions with a pass rate of
60 % required). Successful students will be awarded 5 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last a day.

b.2 Green Coffee – Intermediate

The intermediate course looks at green coffee in a deeper level and builds on the core vocational skills needed
for those people who work with green coffee on a daily basis. The module is broken down into three areas:

i. Principles of Coffee Growing and Processing

Key differences in the botany of the Coffee species are explored and how this leads to differences in
growing location and farming systems by plant type. Variations in farming practice found in producing
countries including shading methods, fertilization and pest management will also be covered. An
explanation of differences in processing techniques for the production of speciality quality coffee is
given along with insight into how these techniques change the cup profile of coffee.

ii. Introduction to Green Coffee Grading

This will start with an overview of the different types of defect that may occur in green coffee and the
likely causes of them. You will then learn how to physically examine green coffee samples, identify
physical defects, and use key equipment needed for effective quality assessment of green coffee.

iii. Coffee Contracts and Green Coffee Portfolio Management

Central to many green coffee jobs is the planning and management of green coffee stocks. At an
intermediate level basic market principles that are involved in pricing changes of all coffee sectors are
explored. In addition to the structure of markets, this module also shows you how create green coffee
contracts with suppliers and customers.

Navigating the supply chain is introduced at the intermediate level and you will look at how to apply
your knowledge of seasonality in coffee cropping, along with shipping and storage knowledge to stock
holding patterns. Quality differences as a result of supply chain variations, basic legislative needs to

20
purchasing and an understanding of different certification schemes in the world of coffee complete
the intermediate level.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Green Coffee Intermediate
certification that consists of 4 short practical exams and a written exam (25 questions with a pass rate
of 70% required). Successful students will be awarded 10 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least two days.

b.3 Green Coffee – Professional

This course is designed to build on the knowledge gained in the Green Coffee Intermediate course and
prepares the student for managerial job functions found in the green coffee profession. Integration
of green coffee knowledge with that in other CDS modules including sensory and roasting are also
expected. Specifically students will be tested on their ability to:

• Identify key aspects of coffee botany, and farm management

• Understand in detail the different stages of speciality coffee processing across the full range of
methodologies found in producing countries
• Demonstrate an ability to identify a range of cup defects found globally in coffee
• Demonstrate how to analyse samples of green and roasted coffee for quality and defects
• Understand how to construct and manage green coffee portfolios in terms of volumes, cost, and
time with reference to the changing market price of coffee
• Understand criteria forming the cost of green coffee production and how to apply this to contract negotiation
• Demonstrate how to identify coffees based on quality and volume parameters to suit client needs
• Understand how to assess suppliers for their ability to meet criteria outlined in third party
accreditation systems

It is recommended that students have been working for a minimum of two years in a job with
exposure to green coffee before taking this module, and ideally around three to five years.
Prerequisites for this module of the CDS are:

• Green Coffee Foundation (recommended only)

• Sensory Skills Foundation (recommended only)
• Green Coffee Intermediate (mandatory)
• Sensory Skills Intermediate (strongly recommended)
• Roasting Foundation (recommended only)

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Green Coffee Professional
certification. This consists of 3 short practical tests and a written exam (35 questions with a pass rate of
80% required). Successful students will be awarded 25 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least three days.

21
 SENSORY
SKILLS

Sensory Skills

c.1 Sensory Skills - Foundation

This course covers the essentials of sensory evaluation. You will learn in a very practical and
interactive manner the way we perceive what we taste and how to apply it to the evaluation of the
intrinsic characteristics of coffee. It also offers an introduction to identify speciality coffee qualities
and gain an overview on how to implement it in your business.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Sensory Skills Foundation
certification that consists of 4 short practical exams and a written exam (15 questions -pass rate of
60% required). Successful students will be awarded 5 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last a day.

c.2 Sensory Skills - Intermediate

This course is suitable for those wanting to pursue specialist knowledge at a high level in this subject.
It is recommended that you have some experience of working in this field before attempting this level
or have successfully passed Sensory Skills Foundation. It is broken down into three areas:

I. How we Taste, Perceive and Interpret

This covers approximately one third of the Sensory Skills Intermediate Module. The workshop explores
our perception of taste, smell, flavour, and how to be aware of changes to our sensory systems.
Practical exercises include ranking exercises and blind sample assessment.

The session will also show you how to apply this theory to your work by defining triangulation
protocol, how to design effective experiments, and how to use statistics to interpret your results.

II. Running a Cupping Session & Tasting the Diversity of Coffee

This area covers approximately one third of the Sensory Skills Intermediate Module. It will show how
to apply sensory theory to your understanding of speciality coffee. It will review individual attributes
found on commonly used cupping forms and what the best protocol effective assessment of these is.
It will look at how perception of these attributes changes and what sensory errors to be aware of in
your daily cupping.

III. How to Set Up Sensory In Your Business & Sensory Application

This area covers approximately one third of the Sensory Skills Intermediate Module and will show you
how to apply the theory of sensory analysis to your workplace. It gives an overview of key equipment
in sensorial coffee quality assurance, and how to integrate these tools into your lab set up. The course
also looks at how to build and screen a sensory panel for your business, how to schedule a quality
control programme, and how to identify what types of test are right for different purposes.

22
The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Sensory Skills Intermediate
certification that consists of 4 short practical exams and a written exam (25 questions with a pass
rate of 70% required). Successful students will be awarded 10 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least two days.

c.3 Sensory Skills - Professional

The course aims to teach you to be a sensory skills leader in a coffee business and brings your tasting
skills to the professional level.

Be a sensory skills leader:

• know the science background

• master the preparation protocol
• understand the methodology
• be able to set up panel
• be able to set up sensory facilities
• learn where to apply sensory: shelf life, NPD

Personal tasting skills on:

• Taints
• SCAA Cupping
• Profiling
• Quality identification

It is recommended that students have been working for a minimum of two years in a job with
exposure to sensory skills before taking this module. Prerequisites for this module of the CDS are:

• Sensory Skills Intermediate (mandatory)

• Sensory Skills Foundation (recommended only)

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Sensory Skills Professional
certification that consists of 4 practical exams and a written exam (35 questions - pass rate of 80%
required). Successful students will be awarded 25 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least three days.

23
 ROASTING

Roasting

d.1 Roasting - Foundation

This course will give you a fundamental understanding of the roasting process and the key
determining factors in heating control, the roast cycle, process logging and how to control basic
sensory aspects of the coffee by roasting light or dark. This session is ideally suited for people new to
the coffee industry or those looking to gain an insight into the broad subject matter of roasting coffee.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Roasting Foundation
certification that consists of a 3 short practical exam and a written exam (15 questions with a pass
rate of 60% required). Successful students will be awarded 5 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Course and certification normally last at least a day.

d.2 Roasting – Intermediate

This course will give you a more elaborate understanding of the roasting process and how different
kinds of heat transfer is at play. You will also see how different roast profiles lead to different sensory
expression for the same coffee even at the same roast degree. You will also hear about roast defects
and how to avoid them and also be introduced to the basic physical changes that the beans undergo
during the roasting process. Finally there is a small appendix about workspace management and
lean production. It is recommended that you have some experience of working in this field before
attempting this level or have successfully passed Roasting Foundation.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Roasting Intermediate
certification that consists of 4 short practical exams and a written exam (25 questions with a pass
rate of 70% required). Successful students will be awarded 10 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses and certification normally last at least three days. (Course: 2 days, Certification: 1 day)

d.3 Roasting – Professional

This course will give you a deeper understanding of heat and heat transfer and more specific
understanding of the physical, chemical and sensorial aspects of green and roasted coffee. It will also
teach you about more subtle aspects of profile roasting and how the different parts of the roasting
cycle affect physical and chemical aspects of the coffee. It will give you the knowledge and skills
needed as a manager to plan and execute quality control, create a product range to meet different
customer segment preferences, calculate production costs, plan and execute lean production.

24
It is recommended that students have been working for a minimum of two years in a job with
exposure to roasting coffee before taking this module, and ideally around three to five years.
Prerequisites for this module of the CDS are:

• Roasting Intermediate (mandatory)

• Green Coffee Foundation, Intermediate and Professional (recommended only)
• Sensory Skills Foundation and Intermediate (strongly recommended)
• Sensory Skills Professional (recommended only)
• Roasting Foundation (recommended only)
• Brewing Foundation (recommended only)
• Barista Skills Foundation (recommended only)

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Roasting Professional
certification that consists of 5 short practical exams and a written exam (35 questions with a pass
rate of 80% required). Successful students will be awarded 25 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least four days (Course: 2 days, Certification: 2 days)

BREWING

Brewing

e.1 Brewing – Foundation:

This module introduces the beginner to a host of different ways to brew and enjoy your coffee.

After a little theory on the seven key essentials to brewing, you get your hands on a variety of
different brewing equipment to test your skills and taste some great coffees. You will be shown
the correct procedures to get the best out of different brewing equipment from filter, pour over,
Aeropress, Cafetiere and syphon.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Brewing Foundation
certification that consists of a short practical exams and a written exam (15 questions with a pass
rate of 60% required). Successful students will be awarded 5 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last half - one day.

e.2 Brewing – Intermediate

This course is designed to teach you how to brew the best cup of coffee possible through a variety of
extraction methods. You will gain knowledge on how to understand the impact your grinder has on
your cup quality and to taste the differences between various grind profiles. This hands-on workshop,
will teach you how to analyse your grind profile and how to match your grind to your brewing method

25
to deliver the best cup possible. Also by understanding the essential elements of coffee brewing you
will learn how they individually influence the final cup.

By the end of the course you will have learned how to scientifically measure coffee strength and chart
a coffee’s extraction; learn how to analyse both brewed coffee and espresso, and; troubleshoot the
brew to deliver a correctly extracted, well-balanced cup. Using a digital refractometer to measure
each cup, participants will learn how to use the equipment correctly to scientifically compute a
coffee’s extraction and reference against its taste.

It is recommended that you have some experience of working in this field before attempting this level
or have successfully passed Brewing Foundation.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Brewing Intermediate
certification that consists of a short practical exam and a written exam (25 questions with a pass rate
of 70% required). Successful students will be awarded 10 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least a day.

e.3 Brewing - Professional

Having learnt how to chart your coffee in the Intermediate module, the Professional module puts that
to good use to investigate and scientifically understand a range of brewing factors. The course will
look at aspects such as:

• Charting by-pass and investigating its effect on flavour

• Investigating the effect of grind particle size
• Understanding how to chart espresso and brew within a given extraction percentage
• Learning how to influence the brewing parameters to hit precise extraction targets
• Learning how to influence the brewing parameters to hit precise strength targets
• Understanding the effect of different temperatures on coffee brewing
• Understanding the acidity in your coffee at different points within the brewing process
• Investigating how different water qualities has an effect on coffee brewing and flavour
• Understanding how different holding methods for brewed coffee affect quality and flavour
• Understanding how different degrees of roast effect the brewing process

It is recommended that you have reasonable experience of working in this field before attempting this
level. Prerequisites for this module of the CDS are:

• Brewing Intermediate is mandatory

• Introduction to Coffee (recommended only)
• Barista Skills Foundation (recommended only)

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Brewing Professional
certification that consists of 10 short practical brewing tests and a written exam (35 questions with

26
a pass rate of 80% required). Successful students will be awarded 25 points towards the SCAE
Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least two - three days.

BARISTA
SKILLS

BARISTA SKILLS

f.1 Barista Skills - Foundation

Learn the essential barista skills to get you started on your barista career. The course focuses on the
key skills required to set your grinder, make espresso, and foam and texture milk for cappuccinos.
The course also touches on some basic information on the daily care of your equipment.

This session is ideally suited to people new to the coffee industry or those looking to gain an insight
into the broad subject matter of Barista Skills. No previous barista experience is required.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Barista Skills Foundation
certification that consists of 3 short practical tests and a written exam (15 questions with a pass rate
of 60% required). Successful students will be awarded 5 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last a day.

f.2 Barista Skills – Intermediate

It is recommended that you have some experience of working in this field before attempting this
level or have successfully passed Barista Skills Foundation. Established baristas may want to start at
Intermediate Level.

The course starts with deeper understanding of the coffee itself; its varieties, origins and processing
methods and how they impact on flavour.

It then builds on the Foundation level making sure baristas can calibrate the quantity of coffee used,
the grind texture, the water quantity and the shot time, to produce a desired espresso brew recipe.
We start to look how these parameters can lead to a “balanced” espresso and make sure the barista
can identify acidity, sweetness and bitterness within different parts of the espressos extraction.

Milk techniques are also developed with the baristas needing to produce a couple of drinks with a latte
art pattern.

27
To reflect the need for both speed and quality, the barista will learn to work efficiently, making an
order of drinks while maintaining good procedure and drink quality.

The baristas will learn more about their equipment, such as the pros and cons of different styles of
grinder, how to plan their work space, and basic care and maintenance.

The course touches on other aspects such as customer service, health safety and hygiene, and the
profit earned by their drinks.

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Barista Skills Intermediate
certification that consists of 4 short practical tests and a written exam (25 questions with a pass rate
of 70% required). Successful students will be awarded 10 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally lasts two days.

f.3 Barista Skills - Professional

The Barista Skills Professional course should be taken by baristas with considerable experience,
having also completed the Intermediate qualification. It takes both a scientific and managerial
perspective to coffee and making espresso based drinks.

Coffee contains many possible flavours, aromas and textures due to the complex range of acids, sugars
and bitter compounds it contains. Every bean offers different possibilities to the barista based on its
variety, origin, processing and roast. However, it is up to the barista to unlock this potential using the
tools at their disposal, such as, dose, grind texture, water temperature and quantity and pressure.

This course looks at the science of how espresso extracts and how to use this knowledge to get
the most from beans of different styles. It looks at modern ways of evaluating extraction through
measuring TDS, extraction percentages, and expressing this through espresso brew formulas.

In addition, the course covers baristas’ awareness of the constituent compounds of coffee, recognising
different organic acids, and understanding how roasting affects the potential flavours and dissolvable
solids available for our final espresso.

A similar scientific approach is taken with the other of our main ingredients, milk, understanding its
make up and processing methods, and ultimately what may lead to problems foaming it.

28
Baristas will learn how to maximize their drink quality through mastering their milk techniques, and
should be able to coach improvements in others. A mastery of latte art to complete two different
patterns will be required for the final exam.

Water is also studied: How to test your supply, understand what filter equipment is required, and
ultimately how water quality affects your drinks.

Baristas will learn of the new advancements in espresso equipment and be prepared to make
informed choices when purchasing machines and grinders. They will also learn how to carry out basic
maintenance procedures such as replacing grinder burrs, showers and seals.

Managerial aspects of running a good café are also considered, such as planning your café layout,
managing your customer service, dealing with customer complaints, and calculating your profitability.

It is recommended that students have been working for a minimum of one year in a job with exposure
to barista skills before taking this module. Prerequisites for this module of the CDS are:

• Barista Skills Intermediate (mandatory)

• Barista Skills Foundation (recommended only)
• Brewing Foundation, Intermediate and Professional (recommended only)
• Roasting Foundation (recommended only)
• Sensory Skills Foundation and Intermediate (strongly recommended)

The course provides you with the key information to enable you to sit your Barista Skills Professional
certification that consists of 4 practical tests and a written exam (35 questions with a pass rate of
80% required). Successful students will be awarded 25 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

Courses normally last at least three days.

29
9 Recommended reading Lists for
the Modules (core TEXTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN BOLD)
9.1 Green Coffee Module Reading List
Foundation References
1. Espresso Coffee: The Science of Quality (2005). Edited by A. Illy and R. Viani
2. Coffee: Growing, Processing, Sustainable Production (2009). Edited by J. N. Wintgens
3. The Coffee Exporters Guide (2011) by ITC
4. The Coffees Produced throughout the World (1992) by P. Jobin
5. ICO Resolution 420 http://dev.ico.org/documents/iccres420e.pdf
6. ICO Website www.ico.org
7. Coffee: Recent Developments (2001). Edited by R.J Clarke and O.G. Vitzthum

Intermediate References
1. Espresso Coffee: The Science of Quality (2005). Edited by A. Illy and R. Viani
2. Coffee: Growing, Processing, Sustainable Production (2009). Edited by J. N. Wintgens
3. The Coffee Exporters Guide (2011) by ITC
4. Arabica Green Coffee Defect Handbook by SCAA
5. The Coffees produced throughout the World (1992) by P. Jobin
6. Coffee: Recent Developments (2001). Edited by R.J Clarke and O.G. Vitzthum
7. Speciality Coffee: Managing Quality (2012). Edited by Oberthür et al
8. The importance of the resting period in the coffee grain aspect and beverage quality by M. Y.
Rendon et al (2010)
9. ICO Website www.ico.org
10. Guidelines for the Prevention of Mould Formation in Coffee http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_
upload/agns/pdf/coffee/guidelines_final_en.pdf

Professional References
Core Texts (Recommended for Students and Trainers)

1. Espresso Coffee: The Science of Quality (2005). Edited by A. Illy and R. Viani
2. Coffee: Growing, Processing, Sustainable Production (2009). Edited by J. N. Wintgens
3. The Coffee Exporters Guide (2011) by ITC
4. Arabica Green Coffee Defect Handbook by SCAA
5. Speciality Coffee: Managing Quality (2012). Edited by Oberthür et al
6. The Coffees Produced Throughout the World (1992) by P. Jobin

Additional Reading (Recommended for Trainers)

7. Coffee: Recent Developments. Edited By R.J Clarke And O.G. Vitzthum (2001)
8. Genetic Diversity for RAPD Markers between Cultivated and Wild Accessions of Coffea Arabica by
Lashermes et al (1995)

30
9. The Origin of Cultivated Coffea Arabica L. Varieties Revealed by AFLP and SSR Markers
by F. Anthony et al (2001)
10. The Importance of Water in the Wet Post-harvest Process on the Quality of Mexican Coffee
by O. Gonzalez-Rios et al
11. Impact of ‘‘Ecological’’ Post-harvest Processing on the Volatile Fraction of Coffee Beans: I. Green
coffee by O. Gonzalez-Rios et al (2006)
12. Impact of Wet and Dry Process on Green Coffee Composition and Sensory Characteristics
by V. Leloup et al (2004)
13. Targeted Study of the Arabica Coffee Production Chain in North Sumatra (The Mandheling Coffee)
by W. R. Susila (2005)
14. Effect of Drying and Storage Conditions on the Quality of Natural and Washed Coffee
by P Carteri Coradi et al (2007)
15. The Importance of the Resting Period in the Coffee Grain Aspect and Beverage Quality
by M. Y. Rendon et al (2010)
16. Quality of Natural and Washed Coffee after Drying on Ground and with High Temperature.
Borem et al (2012)
17. Evaluation of the Sensory and Colour Quality of Coffee Beans Stored in Hermetic Packaging
by Borem et al (2012)
18. Technologies for storage and preservation of coffee beans in India by K.S. Narasimhan (2006)
19. Technical Analysis of the Futures Market by J.J. Murphy (1986)
20. Procurement Principles and Management by Baily et al (2008)

9.2 Sensory Skills Module Reading List

1. Stone, H. and Sidel, J.L. 2004. Sensory Evaluation practices, Third Edition. Academic, San Diego.
2. Lawless, H.T., Heymann, H., 2010. Sensory Evaluation of Food Principles and Practices.
(Second Edition). Springer, New York
3. Meilgaard, M., G. V. Civille and B. T. Carr (2007). Sensory Evaluation Techniques, 4th edition,
New Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press
4. Carpenter, R. P&Co. (2000) Guidelines for Sensory Analysis in Food Product Development and
Quality Control. Second Edition. Aspen Publishers, Gaithersburg, MD
5. Castriota-Scanderbeg, A et al “The Appreciation of Wine by Sommeliers: a Functional Magnetic
Resonance Study of Sensory Integration
6. Muñoz, A.M., Civille, G.V. and Carr, B.T. (1992). Sensory Evaluation in Quality Control. Van Nostrand
Reinhold, New York.
7. Yantis, J. E. [Ed.] (1992) The Role of Sensory Analysis in Quality Control. ASTM.
West Conshohocken, PA
8. 2003 Araujo, I et al – Taste: Olfactory Convergence and the Representation of the Pleasantness of
Flavour in the Human Brain
9. SCAA Laboratory: Requirements for Certification by SCAA (2009)
10. SCAA Protocols: Cupping Speciality Coffee by SCAA (2009)
11. The Coffee Cuppers Handbook by Ted Lingle (2011)
12. The Coffee Cuppers Manifesto by Paul Katzeff (2001)
13. Espresso Coffee: The Science of Quality. Edited by A. Illy and R. Viani (2005)

31
14. Sensory Evaluation Techniques by The ICO (1991)
15. Roast Magazine www.roastmagazine.com
16. Tea and Coffee trade Journal www.teaandcoffee.net

9.3 Roasting Module Reading List

Roasting Foundation & Intermediate reading list
1. Belitz, H.D., Grosch, W. & Schieberle, P., 2009. Food Chemistry, Springer
2. Clarke, R. & Vitzthum, O.G., 2001. Coffee, Wiley-Blackwell
3. Huschke, R., 2007. Industrial Coffee Refinement
4. Illy, A. & Viani, R., 2005. Espresso Coffee
5. Jansen, G.A., 2006. Coffee Roasting
6. Scott Rao, 2014, The Coffee Roaster’s Companion

Roasting professional – reading list

1. Belitz, H.D., Grosch, W. & Schieberle, P., 2009. Food Chemistry, Springer
2. Clarke, R. & Vitzthum, O.G., 2001. Coffee, Wiley-Blackwell
3. George, M.L. et al., 2005. The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook: A Quick Reference Guide to nearly
100 Tools for Improving Process Quality, Speed, and Complexity
4. Guenther, H. et al., 2007. Acrylamide in Coffee: Review of Progress in Analysis, Formation and
Level Reduction. Food Additives and Contaminants, 24, pp.60–70
5. Huschke, R., 2007. Industrial Coffee Refinement
6. Illy, A. & Viani, R., 2005. Espresso Coffee
7. Jansen, G.A., 2006. Coffee Roasting
8. Morgan, J. & Brenig-Jones, M., 2012. Lean Six Sigma For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons
9. Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, Y., 2010. Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game
Changers, and Challengers 1st ed., Wiley
10. Suarez-Quiroz, M. & Gonzalez-Rios, O., 2004. Study of Ochratoxin A-producing Strains in Coffee
Processing. … Journal of Food ….

9.4 Barista Skills Module Reading List

Barista Skills Foundation:
1. The Barista Bible by C. Cottrell
2. Ultimate Coffee Book for Beginners & Professionals by J. Wechselberger & T. Hierl
3. Coffee with Tim Wendelboe by T. Wendleboe
4. Espresso Quest by Instaurator
5. Barista Techniques by John Doyle
6. Coffee Obsession by Anette Moldvaer
7. The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffman

32
Barista Skills Intermediate:
1. The Professional Barista’s Handbook by S. Rao
2. The Espresso Coffee Production System by Mauro è Franco Bazzara
3. The Coffee Tasting Book by Mauro è Franco Bazzara
4. Coffee Basics Posters by Coffee Consulate
5. Latte Art by Mauro è Franco Bazzara

Barista SKILLS Professional:

1. Espresso Coffee: The Science of Quality (2005) Edited by A. Illy and R. Viani
2. The Coffee Brewing Handbook by SCAA, T. Lingle
3. The Coffee Cupper’s Handbook by SCAA, T. Lingle
4. McGee on Food & Cooking by H. McGee
5. Some Aspects of Espresso Extraction by J. Schulman, Jim (Article/on-line)
6. The Coffees Produced throughout the World (1992) by P. Jobin

9.5 Brewing Module Reading List

Brewing Foundation & Intermediate:
1. The Coffee Brewing Handbook by SCAA, T. Lingle
2. The Basics of Brewing Coffee, by the SCAA
3. The Coffee Cupper’s Handbook by SCAA, T. Lingle
4. European Coffee Extraction Preferences: SCAE 2013
5. Water Quality Handbook: SCAA

Brewing Professional:
6. The Coffee Cupper’s Handbook by SCAA, T. Lingle
7. The Coffee Brewing Handbook by SCAA, T. Lingle
8. Water Quality by the SCAA (2010)
9. Everything but Espresso by Scott Rao
10. Lipids in the Coffee Brew (article) by N. Sehat, A. Montag, K. Speer (ASIC 1993)
11. Water Quality by the SCAA (2010)
12. Lipids in the Coffee Brew (article) by N. Sehat, A. Montag, K. Speer (ASIC 1993)
13. Guidelines of using By-pass from the SCAA Golden Cup
14. 1991 Effects of some Extraction Conditions on Brewing and Stability of Coffee Beverage.
M.C. Nicoli, C. Severini, M. Dalla Rosa, C.R. Lerici. ASIC
15. 1997 The Nature of Chlorogenic Acids Are they Advantageous Compounds in Coffee?
www.coffeechemistry.com/acids
16. Langelier index: http://www.csgnetwork.com/langeliersicalc.html

33
10 Recommended equipment for
running the modules
Equipment for Green Coffee Modules

Equipment Approx Price

Professional Grinder (producing a cupping grind) €1000

Controlled hot water supply depend on capacity €20-€2500

H2O/Density meter €1000

Sizing screens €500 - €700

Defect Books (1 per student) €20 each

Grading mats €1 each

Sample trays (minimum 20 recommended) €20 per 10

Cupping bowls/glasses (15 per student recommended) €6 – 30 per 6

Cupping Spoons €10 each

Nez du Café Kit €300

Scales (0.1g x 500g) €50

Scales (1g x 2kg) €30

Thermometers for water temperature €20

Flip-chart, black board or white board €200

Office equipment (pencils, papers, stickers) €200

Sample roaster €2500 - €8000

Cupping Table €200 - €1000

High spectrum daylight light (96CRI 5000-6500k) for roasting €80

High spectrum daylight light (96CRI 5000-6500k) for cupping €50 -€300

Black Light €50

Water activity meter €3000 – €5000

Colour meter €2500 - €10000

34
Equipment for Sensory Modules

COFFEE SENSORY LAB BASIC MATERIAL starting Price

Hot water supply €20-2500 depend on capacity

Tasting/cupping table €2000

Chairs

Spoons €2-50 (each)

Freezer(s) €1500 (each)

Trays €10

Different size Cups (about 50/size) €300

Professional Grinder €800

Scale 0.1g

Spittoons €30 each

Basic taste Training chemicals €100

“Nez du Café” Kit €500

Equipped kitchen with preparation area €5000

IT equipment : Laptop with statistical software and printer €2500

Lab Glassware (graduated) €300

Thermometer €30

Flip-chart, black board or white board €200

Office equipment (pencils, papers, stickers) €200

Dishwasher

Water, Kleenex, crackers, cleaning agents, cloths… €200

Tasting booths €2000-5000 (each)

Bags, flasks for samples €300

35
 Depends on activity: starting Price

Sample roaster €4000

Espresso machine / filter machine €3000

Equipment for Roasting Modules

Equipment

Total moisture meter

Infrared thermometer to measure temperature of the beans in the cooling tray

One roaster per 2-3 students

One coffee roaster (size 500g – 12kg) per 2-3 students. Specification to include:

Bean probe installed

Exhaust temperature gauge installed

Variable burner (gas/electric) integrated into design

Profiling software is optional but not necessary

Natural daylight roasting light with CRI of 96 and K rating of 6500K

Moisture meter for measuring moisture level in green beans and roasted coffee

Density meter for green and roasted coffee

Roast colour measure meter

One coffee roaster (size 500g – 12kg) per 2-3 students. Specification to include:

Bean probe installed

Exhaust temperature gauge installed

Variable burner (gas/electric) integrated into design

Profiling software is recommended but not necessary

Natural daylight roasting light with CRI of 96 and K rating of 6500K

Moisture meter for measuring moisture level in green beans and roasted coffee

Density meter for green and roasted coffee

Roast colour measure meter

36
Equipment for Brewing Modules

Equipment

2 x Chemex 10 cup CH-10A

1 x Chemex paper filters

2 aeropress + filters

2 x French press

2 x clever coffee dripper

1 x ceramic filter cone plus paper filters

4 x V 60

30 x coffee brewing control charts printed

Paper cups

2 x water boilers (digital)

2 x retail grinder

4 x filter brewers

6 x 2.5ltr airpots

3 x 2 ltr jugs

4 x scales

5 x refractometers

24 x cupping bowls

24 x cupping spoons

12kg of filter coffee medium roast

2kg light roast beans (per course details)

2kg medium roast beans (per course details)

2kg dark roast beans (per course details)

3 types of water hardness (ie 90ppm, 200ppm and 300+ppm)

37
 2 x espresso machines

2 x espresso grinders

1 x 100 micron sieve (optional supply)

1 x 300 micron sieve (optional supply)

1 x 800 micron sieve (optional supply)

1 x pack of syringe and filters for testing espresso

4 x small espresso scales

Equipment for Barista Modules

Equipment required: Foundation Intermediate Professional

Heavy equipment:

Two group (min) espresso machines with manual ✓ ✓ ✓

steam wands

(Temperature programmable espresso machine) Desirable

Burr grinder (dosing chamber) ✓ ✓ ✓

Burr grinder (grind on demand) ✓ ✓ ✓

(Choice of conical or flat burrs) Desirable

Retail grinder (for cupping samples) ✓ ✓

Light equipment:

Basic barista equipment: ✓ ✓ ✓

Jugs ✓ ✓ ✓

Scales (gram scales + larger scales) ✓ ✓

Tamp ✓ ✓ ✓

Jug thermometer ✓

Digital thermometer ✓ ✓

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Shot glass / measures ✓ ✓ ✓

Knock box, cloths etc ✓ ✓ ✓

Cups (preferably 5-8oz) ✓ ✓ ✓

Espresso cups ✓ ✓ ✓

Digital refractometer ✓ ✓

(Optical refractometer if digital not available) ✓ ✓

Syringe and filters ✓

TDS monitor ✓

Ph monitor ✓

Spare grinder burrs for maintenance ✓

Basic tools (screwdrivers etc.) ✓

Cupping bowls and spoons ✓ ✓

Ingredients::

Espresso coffee ✓

Two contrasting espresso blends with full ✓

knowledge of variety, origin, process and roast
style

Range of single estate coffees which highlight ✓ ✓

differences in species, origin, process and roast
style

Citric acid, malic acid + others as available ✓

Whole milk ✓ ✓ ✓

Milk alternatives e.g. soya ✓ ✓

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Membership Reward for ASTs
Following SCAE’s new strategy to create and inspire excellence in the coffee community, we are
launching a new incentive to grow our membership:

All ASTs are invited to promote the benefits of SCAE membership to their students and in return
will be rewarded with €40 for each new recruit. This will be paid to you on an annual basis at the
beginning of the next calendar year. This incentive applies to Baristas, Professional Individuals and
Company members but excludes the ‘consumer’ category. Membership benefits include discounts on CDS
certifications, 10% discount on merchandising, competing in national and world championships and
judging.

The SCAE membership form is available as a download from the SCAE website and in several
languages. You will need to ask the student to complete the membership application form and then
return it to our administration office with your SCAE Coffee Diploma System certification requests.
(Email: membership@scae.com)

All payments should be made to SCAE HQ.

Thank you for your help to grow our association and support of our Coffee Diploma System and good
luck in signing up new members!

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42 e: education@scae.com w: www.scae.com