Levels Offered
Foundation
Intermediate

Prerequisites
Introduction to Coffee (recommended)
Barista Skills Foundation (required)

This course is designed to test core knowledge, and to introduce more advanced barista skills and understanding expected from a competent specialty coffee professional. Students will learn to quickly and consistently dial in a brew recipe, make a full range of drinks with quality and speed, as well as understand basic requirements for customer service and workspace maintenance.

Introduction to Coffee and Barista Foundation are recommended (but not mandatory) prerequisite modules. All knowledge and skills from these modules will be assumed as being held and may be tested through the practical and/or written assessments.

Understanding Coffee Beans
An overview of blends, origin characteristics, and the impact of processing on coffee tasting notes. Understanding de-gassing and exploring the effect of aging on flavor and consistency in espresso

Workspace Management
Thinking about coffee bar layout, organization, workflow, basic drink-building and hygiene. We will also discuss the topic of double-barring and how this impacts workflow & space

Grind, Dose, Tamp
Understanding how grinder types, heat, distribution, and tamping pressure can effect espresso extraction & performance

Espresso Parameters
Identifying & tasting ideal characteristics of under-extracted, over-extracted, and balanced espresso extraction. Students will practice “dialing in” individual parameters to produce a sweet & delicious espresso

Milk Preparation
Covering basic milk chemistry, steaming mechanics, milk management & the reduction of waste. We will also introduce various pouring techniques & latte art

Equipment Care
Understanding the importance of daily maintenance for all espresso equipment, including cleaning, preventative maintenance, and troubleshooting

Customer Service
Improving on our customer-facing communication skills and building steps to service recovery

Cafe Management
Discussion of costing an espresso beverage menu, cost analysis, and cost of goods sold (COGS) in a standard cafe