SCAA COFFEE TASTERS CERTIFICATION - LEVEL 1

From acids to extraction, the SCAA flavor wheel to triangulations, The SCAA Coffee Taster Pathway Level 1 course presents the tools required to dissect coffees for flavor and evaluate them in a nuanced, careful manner, ensuring the best product makes its way to the consumer. In this course, students will learn a vocabulary of taste descriptors and adhere to cupping protocols, building world-class sensory skills alongside knowledgeable certified instructors. Students who complete this course will be prepared to contribute to quality control departments and programs, working alongside roasters and green coffee buyers to evaluate and critique performance.

Coffee Tasters who currently have, or are pursuing a Q-Grader certification may be eligible to receive credit for a portion of the Level 1 curriculum. This course consists of 30 hours (Q Graders: fewer than 10 hours) of classroom time, a practical exam, a written exam, and completion of the Coffee Taster Code of Conduct. *All SCAA students are required to obtain certification for Foundations of Coffee before taking this course. 

For your convenience, we offer the Coffee Tasters Level 1 course together with SCAA Foundation courses and other SCAA and SCAE courses. Course schedule varies depending on the lab you are attending.  Please check location for more information. 

REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES FOR LEVEL 1

• PREREQUISITE: SCAA Foundations courses are required in order to take Level 1 courses and are offered in a bundle together with Level 1 courses.
  • CP103: Customer Service Essentials
  • CB100: Seed to Cup
  • CP151 & 152: Brewing and Extraction Principles and Principles Applied
  • GE103: Orientation to SCAA Cupping
• REQUIREMENT: Completion of the Coffee Tasters of Conduct is a requirement for the Coffee Tasters Pathway Level 1. 

Need to retest? Contact our labs directly for information. 

SCAA COFFEE TASTERS CERTIFICATION - LEVEL 2

The SCAA Coffee Taster Pathway Level 2 course advances sensory skills and builds on critical and analytical prowess, as it takes students through the complexities of taste and olfactory theory, discriminatory testing, and statistical analysis. Students who complete the course will be thoroughly prepared for lab and quality control leadership roles, possessing skills that serve sensory analysts throughout food and beverage industries. This course consists of 30 hours of classroom time, a practical exam, and a written exam. Students are required to obtain certification for the SCAA Coffee Taster Pathway Level 1 before taking this course. 

For your convenience, we offer the Coffee Tasters Level 2 course together with SCAA Foundation courses, Coffee Tasters Level 1 and other SCAA and SCAE courses. Course schedule varies depending on the lab you are attending.  Please check location for more information. 

REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES FOR LEVEL 2

• PREREQUISITE: Students are required to obtain certification for the SCAA Coffee Tasters Pathway Level 1 before taking this course.
• REQUIREMENT: Candidates must complete the entire Level 2 course and testing within 3 years.

Need to retest? Contact our labs directly for information.