Green Coffee Professional
Professional Green Coffee Course Information
Updated Course Description: The Green Coffee Professional course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Green Coffee Intermediate course and prepares the learner for managerial job functions found in the green coffee profession. This interactive course covers key aspects of coffee botany, impact of climate change, farm management, processing methodologies, common sensory defects, sample analysis, futures markets as they relate to green trade, portfolio management, factors in the costs of green coffee production, contract considerations, targeted purchasing plans, supplier assessments and third-party accreditations. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability to identify certain sensorial defects, conduct sampling processes for consistency, create standards for a client, analyze samples and make purchasing decisions. Specifically, students will be tested on their ability to:
Identify key aspects of coffee botany, and farm management
Understand in detail the different stages of specialty coffee processing across the full range of methodologies found in producing countries
Demonstrate an ability to identify a range of cup defects found globally in coffee
Demonstrate how to analyze samples of green and roasted coffee for quality and defects
Understand how to construct and manage green coffee portfolios in terms of volumes, cost, and time with reference to the changing market price of coffee
Understand criteria forming the cost of green coffee production and how to apply this to contract negotiation
Demonstrate how to identify coffees based on quality and volume parameters to suit client needs
Understanding how to assess suppliers for their ability to meet criteria outlined in third party accreditation systems
Course Length: Minimum 21 hours including practical exam.
Minimum course hours are met in the following ways:
The AST delivering live instruction in-person or through distance learning.
The AST conducting informal and formal assessments. (Note: This does not include time spent taking the online written exam.)
The learner engages in activities that introduce and/or reinforce the theoretical or practical course objectives.
Pre-requisites: It is recommended that students have been working for a minimum of two years in a job with exposure to green coffee before taking this module, and ideally around three to five years. Pre-requisites for this module of the CSP are:
Green Coffee Intermediate
Sensory Intermediate (recommended only)
Roasting Foundation (recommended only)
Green Coffee Professional Resources
Written Exam Information:
Total Exam: 50 Questions.
Total Time Allowed: 60 Minutes.
Passing Score: 80%+
Practical Exam Information:
Total Time Allowed: 210 Minutes
Passing Score: 80% and above.
Roasting Professional
Professional Roasting Course Information
Updated Course Description: The Roasting Professional course is designed to build upon the concepts and skills introduced in the Roasting Intermediate course. Learners will gain advanced skills in profile development and sensory analysis evaluation. This course dives deep into a wide range of topics including control and color matching within different and specified time limits, use and configuration of roast profile software, molecules involved in browning reactions, gas formation during roasting process, chemical causes of color and impact on solubility, visual identification of roasting defects, blending, quality control as well as an exploration of production options to help meet differing customer preferences. A written exam confirms professional l course knowledge while a practical exam assesses the learner’s ability to roast to different development time targets within narrow limits, score a roast color visually, identify common roast defects through cupping and finally distinguish between small and large differences in a roast profile to simulate production quality control processes.
Course Length: Minimum 21 hours including practical exam.
Pre-requisites: Prerequisites: Roasting Intermediate. Sensory Intermediate and Green Intermediate highly recommended.
Roasting Professional Resources
Written Exam Information:
Total Exam: 30 Questions.
Total Time Allowed: 32 Minutes.
Passing Score: 80% and above.
Practical Exam Information:
Total Time Allowed: 200 Minutes.
Passing Score: 80% and above.
Sensory Skills Professional
Professional Sensory Skills Course Information
Updated Course Description: The Sensory Skills aims to align the student with industry coffee and sensory standards. To prepare them for running sensory evaluation in a coffee business. To acquire the skills required to start identifying and evaluating qualities in specialty green coffee, and to accurately measure and describe coffee beverage characteristics. Students will learn to generate repeatable and methodical sensory measurements of coffee, and learn how to interpret results.
Course Length: Minimum 20 hours including practical exam.
Pre-requisites: Required: Intermediate Sensory Skills
Recommended: Intermediate Roasting, Intermediate Green
Sensory Skills Professional Resources
Written Exam Information:
Total Exam: 40 Questions
Total Time Allowed: 42 minutes
Passing Score: 80%+
Practical Exam Information:
Total Time Allowed: 145 minutes
Passing Score: 80%+
Brewing Professional
Professional Brewing Course Information
Updated Course Description: The Professional SCA Brewing course builds upon the concepts and skills introduced in the Brewing Intermediate course. Learners take a deeper and more scientific look at the Essential Elements of Good Brewing, what happens when brewing parameters are manipulated, and how to master navigation of the coffee brewing control chart. Learners will gain a deeper understanding of water and its impact on brewing, specifically utilizing the ideals of aim, measure, and treatment.
The most powerful tools that a professional brewer possesses is an analytical mind and the ability to process and manipulate a multitude of changing variables. These variables help the brewer to understand how best to interpret the information and then offer a solution or opinion that will improve the coffee quality, service, and delivery for their clients. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course.
Course Length: Minimum 21 hours including instruction, activities and practical exam
Pre-requisites: Brewing Intermediate required. Sensory Skills Foundation and Intermediate recommended. Other: 3 to 6 months’ work experience preparing brews with an automatic drip filter brewer and a manual drip filter brewer or other culturally common brewer is recommended.
Brewing Professional Resources
Online Exam Information:
Total Exam: Questions: 40.
Total time allowed: 60 minutes.
Passing Score: 80%+
Practical Exam Information:
Total Time Allowed: 190 minutes.
Passing Score: An overall score of 80% is required to pass all sections collectively.
Barista Skills Professional
Professional Barista Skills Course Information
Updated Course Description: The Barista Skills Professional course is designed to test advanced skills and detailed knowledge of the science behind processes used by a professional barista (for example, a barista with 12 months or more of work experience). Successful candidates will have explored and demonstrated the advanced skills typically expected of a head barista. In particular, participants will learn a sophisticated tasting methodology and descriptive explanation of coffee flavors; gain a detailed understanding of drink ingredients and the techniques available to maximize the quality of the drinks made, understand how to manage the skills of others to produce quality drinks, demonstrate an understanding of how to develop brew recipes and a systematic method of structuring beverage menus, and finally be able to consistently apply the highest standard of latte art and milk steaming techniques. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course.
Course Length: Minimum 21 hours including practical exam.
Minimum course hours are met in the following ways:
The AST delivering live instruction in-person or through distance learning.
The AST conducting informal and formal assessments. (Note: This does not include time spent by the learner taking the online
written exam.)
The learner engaging in activities that introduce and/or reinforce the theoretical or practical course objectives.
Pre-requisites: Barista Skills Intermediate course.
Introduction to Coffee and Barista Skills Foundation are recommended. All knowledge and skills from these modules will be assumed as being held and may be tested through the practical and/or written assessments. Brewing Intermediate is also recommended. The ideal candidate has worked as a barista for a minimum of 12 months, in a role with some managerial responsibilities.
Barista Skills Professional Resources
Written Exam Information:
Total Exam: 30 Questions.
Total Time Allowed: 32 minutes.
Passing Score: 80% +
Practical Exam Information:
Total Time Allowed: 95 minutes
Total Number of Sections: 4
Passing Scores: The Professional Barista Skills practical exam tests the key skills demanded of a high-level coffee professional. Each section is carefully calibrated to evaluate the learner’s skill competencies. All sections must be passed in order to pass the exam as a whole. A 100% score is not expected, but competence must be shown in each section. Please refer to the exam for unique section passing scores.