SCAE Brewing Foundation

The SCAE Brewing Foundation course covers theory on the seven key essentials to brewing, knowledge on coffee extraction, and introduces the beginner to various brewing methods. Students will be shown the correct procedures to get the best out of different brewing equipment including filter, pour over, Aeropress, Cafetiere, and syphon. The course is catered to aspiring baristas, roasters, and coffee professionals looking to understand the basics of brewing. No prior knowledge is needed before taking this one-day course, which consists of a short practical test and a written test with 15 questions and a passing score of 60%; successful students will be awarded 5 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

SCAE Brewing Intermediate

The SCAE Brewing Intermediate course is a hands-on workshop that teaches students how to analyze grind profiles and how to match the grind to the brewing method to deliver the best cup of coffee possible. Students will gain knowledge on how to understand the impact a grinder has on cup quality and to taste the differences between various grind profiles. Students will also learn how to scientifically measure coffee strength and chart a coffee’s extraction, how to analyze both brewed coffee and espresso, and how to troubleshoot the brew to deliver a correctly extracted, well-balanced cup. A digital refractometer will be used to measure each cup, and students have to know how to use the equipment accurately to scientifically compute a coffee’s extraction and reference against its taste. The course is catered to aspiring baristas, roasters, and coffee professionals looking to grow their knowledge and skill in brewing. This one-day course consists of a short practical test and a written test with 25 questions and a passing score of 70%; successful students will be awarded 10 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma.

SCAE Brewing Professional

The SCAE Brewing Professional course uses knowledge gained in the SCAE Brewing Intermediate course (mandatory prerequisite) to investigate and scientifically understand a range of brewing factors. This three-day course consists of 10 short practical brewing tests and a written test with 35 questions and a passing score of 80%; successful students will be awarded 25 points towards the SCAE Coffee Diploma. The course will cover the following aspects:

  • Charting by-pass and investigating its effect on flavor
  • Investigating the effect of grind particle size
  • Understanding how to chart espresso and brew within a given extraction percentage
  • Learning how to influence the brewing parameters to hit precise extraction targets
  • Learning how to influence the brewing parameters to hit precise strength targets
  • Understanding the effect of different temperatures on coffee brewing
  • Understanding the acidity in your coffee at different points within the brewing process
  • Investigating how different water qualities has an effect on coffee brewing and flavor
  • Understanding how different holding methods for brewed coffee affect quality and flavor
  • Understanding how different degrees of roast effect the brewing process