SCA Coffee Skills Program: Coffee Brewing Intermediate (in-person learning)

Brewing Intermediate – SCA Certificate Course (in-person learning)

📅 Hosted at PCR by AST, Zoey Thorson– Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8 9 am – 4 pm 

Take your brewing skills to the next level with the SCA Brewing Intermediate course. Building on foundational knowledge, this course dives deeper into the science of extraction, brew analysis, and method refinement so you can consistently deliver balanced, high-quality coffee across a variety of devices and settings. This course is designed for learners with experience in basic brewing who want to elevate their technical precision and problem-solving skills, including café operators, home brewing enthusiasts with serious curiosity, and anyone preparing for advanced roles in coffee preparation.

What you’ll learn

• Advanced brewing theory: Explore how extraction dynamics, device design, and brewing sequence influence final cup quality.

• The essential elements revisited: Deepen your understanding of coffee-to-water ratio, grind setting, temperature, turbulence, and water quality and learn to adjust them with purpose.

• Strength & extraction analysis: Apply the scientific method to measure, chart, and interpret coffee strength and extract yield, then use that data to refine recipes.

• Brew evaluation & adjustment: Taste with intention, identify sensory outcomes, and make systematic adjustments for balance and clarity.

• Cleaning & maintenance: Understand the role of equipment care in extraction consistency and flavor quality.

Outcomes
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to design, evaluate, and improve brewing recipes across manual and automatic methods, confidently troubleshoot common extraction challenges, and articulate the why behind your technical decisions, all within the globally recognized framework of SCA education.

Additional Details:

• This two-day course runs from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Registration includes: SCA certificate cost, lunch, snacks, refreshments, and coffees.
• Final Exam: Upon course completion, students have 21 days to take the SCA Sensory Skills Foundation written exam online.
• Allergy Note: This course includes tasting exercises with various foods and liquids, including potential allergens (dairy, nuts, wheat, etc.). While we strive to accommodate dietary needs, we cannot guarantee 100% avoidance of allergens.