Become a Certified Coffee Taster.
Each level is a step up in your skills and knowledge that help you evaluate coffee to a professional standard and describe what you taste in a language the industry understands.
SCA Sensory Skills Foundation
If you love specialty coffee and want to understand what you're tasting, or you work in coffee and want to develop your palate at a professional...
SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate
If you've been tasting coffee for a while and want to develop your palate to a professional level, or you're preparing for the Q Grader, this...
SCA Sensory Skills Professional
If you're a cupper, roaster, or quality lead who wants the advanced tasting depth and the top level of the SCA Sensory Skills path, this is...
Part of the SCA Coffee Skills Program.
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is the global nonprofit that sets the education standard for the specialty coffee industry. Their Coffee Skills Program is built around five subject areas (Barista Skills, Brewing, Sensory Skills, Green Coffee, and Roasting), each with three progressive levels: Foundation, Intermediate, and Professional.
The credential you earn here is the same credential recognised in cafes and roasteries around the world. It signals to employers that you meet the same standard as trained baristas in New York, Melbourne, and Copenhagen.
Every Sensory Skills course you complete also stacks toward the SCA Cafe Diploma or the Roastery, Trade, and Sustainable Coffee Diplomas. It's also the direct pathway to the Q Grader Course.
Not sure which level fits?
See every upcoming date on the course calendar, get a personalised learning plan, or email us for a recommendation.
