Levels Offered
Foundation
intermediate
Professional

Prerequisites
Introduction to Coffee (recommended)
Sensory Foundation (required)
Sensory Intermediate (required)

This four-day CSP Sensory Skills Professional course is designed to enable students to apply core concepts of sensory science to their analysis of aroma, taste, and body differences in coffee. Students will review the various tasting methods including triangulation and comparisons, and will continue sensory calibration and practice with the SCA cupping form. Additionally, we will continue studying the physiology and sensory attributes of sensory perception. Finally, students will discuss the requirements for developing their own sensory program, calibration, and panels/study groups for sensory research. We will wrap up with discussion surrounding real-world application through test design of shelf life, consumer preferences, and new product development.

Topics covered:

• Sensory Descriptive Profiling
• Applying SCA Cupping Protocol
• Sensory Panel and Calibration Applied
• Application: Shelf Life, Consumer Testing, New Product Development

The first three days of this course are hands-on learning, while the fourth day is reserved for practical exams.

Aspects of this class involve the tasting of various foods and liquids, including some known allergens. These may include, but are not limited to dairy, nuts, wheat, etc. The purpose of these exercises is to objectively evaluate tastes and textures of different foods & beverages in order to form a mental lexicon for qualities present in coffees. While we ask that you inform us of any allergies and dietary needs, we cannot guarantee that contact or cross contamination is 100% avoidable.