SCA Barista Foundations
Live online with Valerian Hrala. Next session November 24, 2026.

Barista Foundations is the SCA’s entry-level barista course.

We cover the basics of espresso, grinders, milk, drink preparation, cleaning, workflow, and the things you actually need to understand when you stand behind an espresso machine.

A lot of people learn barista skills by copying a recipe.

18 grams in. 36 grams out. 28 seconds.

That is fine until the coffee changes, the grinder moves, the shot starts running too fast, or the espresso suddenly tastes terrible.

This course is about understanding what is happening, so you are not just copying numbers.

How it works

This is a live online class on Google Meet.

We go through the SCA Barista Foundations material together, explain the key concepts, and leave plenty of room for questions along the way.

What we do during the live session

We cover the important parts of the course and spend a lot of time on questions.

Espresso recipes. Grinders. Extraction. Milk. Machines. Workflow. Coffee shop equipment. Why your espresso tastes sour. Why your milk looks like dish soap.

Bring whatever you are struggling with.

I’ve worked in coffee for 25 years. I’ve opened coffee businesses in Europe and the US, and I teach Barista, Roasting, Sensory and Q Grader courses at Boot Coffee in San Rafael.

The questions are usually the best part of the class.

What we cover

• Espresso preparation

• Grinder adjustment

• Dose, yield and brew time

• Basic extraction

• How espresso should taste

• Milk steaming and microfoam

• Basic cappuccino and latte preparation

• Basic latte art

• Cleaning and maintenance

• Bar workflow

• Hygiene and customer service

Do I need an espresso machine?

No.

You can take the course without one.

If you have access to a machine and grinder, even a home setup, it can be useful to have them nearby so you can connect what we are discussing to your own equipment.

What you get

The SCA Barista Skills Foundation exam is included.

Pass the exam and you receive the internationally recognized SCA Barista Skills Foundation certificate.

$495

That price already includes the SCA fees.

You also get $300 off SCA Barista Skills Intermediate at Boot Coffee in San Rafael.

Intermediate is where we spend much more time on the machines and go deeper into espresso, extraction, milk, workflow and barista technique.

Who this is for

Coffee enthusiasts.

Home baristas.

People thinking about working in coffee.

New baristas who want to understand more than the recipe they were given at work.

Coffee shop owners who want to understand what their staff are doing behind the bar.

And people who are about to spend a lot of money on espresso equipment and would like to know what they are buying first.

Live session: Tuesday, November 24, 2026.

Eastern (NY, FL): 12pm–4pm
Central (TX, IL): 11am–3pm
Mountain (CO, UT): 10am–2pm
Pacific (CA, WA): 9am–1pm
Hawaii: 6am–10am
UK (London): 5pm–9pm
CET (FR, DE, IT, CZ, SK, HU): 6pm–10pm
EET (GR): 7pm–11pm
India (Mumbai): 9:30pm–1:30am
China (Beijing): 12am–4am
Singapore: 12am–4am
Tokyo: 1am–5am

Questions people ask

Do I need an espresso machine?
No. It helps, but it is not required.

I’ve never worked as a barista. Is that a problem?
No. This is the Foundation course. You do not need previous barista experience.

I already make espresso at home. Is this too basic?
Not necessarily. A lot of home baristas know how to make espresso but never had the basics explained properly. This gives you the structure behind what you are already doing.

Will we do latte art?
We cover milk texturing, a basic heart.

How long is the live session?
Block 4 hours.