This is where specialty coffee education starts.

If you want to understand coffee professionally, or simply want the whole world of specialty coffee to finally make sense, this is the foundation.

The SCA Introduction to Coffee course gives you a clear overview of the entire coffee journey, from seed to cup. You’ll learn how farming, processing, exporting, roasting, sensory evaluation, water, brewing, freshness, and maintenance all connect, and how decisions made at every stage affect what ends up in your cup. EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train…

This is not just a lecture.

You’ll also taste coffees side by side so the concepts become real. During the course, we’ll explore differences between:

• Arabica and Robusta
• Natural and Washed coffees
• Light and Dark roasts
• Coffees with clearly different sensory profiles

These tasting activities are part of the official course curriculum and help you understand how species, processing, roast level, and other attributes show up in the cup. EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train… EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train… EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train…

By the end of the course, you’ll have a much clearer understanding of:

How coffee moves through the value chain, from farming and processing to exporting, importing, roasting, and brewing.

How origin, species, processing, roasting, water, and brewing can influence the final cup.

The differences between Arabica and Robusta, natural and washed processing, and lighter and darker roasting styles.

The basics of sensory assessment and cupping, and why coffee professionals use tasting as a decision-making tool. EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train…

The fundamental brewing concepts behind ratio, water temperature, grind size, extraction, and different brewing methods. EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train…

Why water quality, freshness, storage, cleaning, and equipment maintenance matter.

Most importantly, you’ll start connecting all these pieces instead of seeing them as separate coffee topics.

This is where the rest of your coffee education begins

If you plan to continue deeper into specialty coffee, this course gives you the context that makes everything else easier to understand.

Whether your next step is Barista, Brewing, Roasting, Sensory, or Green Coffee, Introduction to Coffee gives you the broader picture first.

You learn the language of specialty coffee, understand how the different parts of the industry connect, and build a foundation you can use as you move into more specialized training.

Perfect for

Coffee enthusiasts who want to understand coffee beyond simply drinking it.

People considering a career in coffee.

New baristas, roasters, café owners, green coffee professionals, or anyone entering the specialty coffee industry.

People already working in coffee who understand one part of the industry but want a clearer picture of the entire coffee value chain.

And anyone planning to continue with more advanced specialty coffee education.

No previous coffee experience required

This is an introductory course, so you do not need previous professional coffee experience. The official course has no prerequisites. EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train…

Never cupped coffee before?

That is completely fine.

We will demonstrate the tasting process live during the course and guide you through it step by step. You do not need to arrive knowing how to cup coffee or how to describe flavors like a professional.

Just come ready to taste, ask questions, and learn.

Earn your official SCA certificate

Successful participants receive an official SCA Introduction to Coffee certificate, part of the Specialty Coffee Association’s international education program.

It’s a great first credential if you’re beginning your professional coffee education or planning to continue into more advanced SCA courses. EN_Introduction to Coffee_Train…

Start here if you want coffee to make more sense.

This is the foundation that connects the entire specialty coffee world.

After the course, you won’t just know more coffee facts. You’ll understand why coffees taste different, how those differences are created, how the different parts of the coffee industry fit together, and where you want to go next in your coffee education.

Live session: Tuesday, November 23, 9am to 1pm Pacific.

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