Become an SCA certified barista and start your professional coffee journey

Begin your professional coffee journey: Become an SCA certified barista

Coffee, as a popular drink, has become an indispensable part of people's lives. However, for those who love coffee and want to learn more about and master this art, becoming a SCA (Specialty Coffee AsSOCiation) certified barista is an important milestone. This article will focus on this and explore how to start the professional coffee journey.

What is SCA certification?

First of all, we need to understand what SCA certification is. SCA is an international organization dedicated to promoting and developing high-quality and distinctive coffee culture. It evaluates and recognizes individuals' professional knowledge and skill levels in various fields by providing training courses and exams.

Before becoming an SCA certified barista, you need to complete a series of courses related to related fields and pass the corresponding level of examinations. These courses include: green bean procurement, roasting, cupping, etc.

Step 1: Understand the origin and history of coffee

To become a professional barista, you first need to know something about the origin and history of coffee. This will help you better understand the process of growing, processing, and roasting coffee.

You can acquire this knowledge by reading relevant books, visiting coffee museums or talking to experienced professionals. In addition, you can also participate in relevant training courses provided by SCA certification institutions.

Step 2: Learn mung bean procurement and roasting techniques

Before becoming an SCA certified barista, you need to master green bean procurement and roasting techniques. These skills will enable you to select high-quality green beans and transform them into delicious and tasty coffee.

Learning about green bean procurement includes understanding the impact of different origins, varieties and processing methods on the flavor characteristics of beans, while learning roasting techniques involves controlling factors such as temperature, time and wind speed to ensure that each batch can achieve the ideal roasting degree.

Step 3: Master cupping techniques

Cupping is a method of evaluating the flavor and quality of coffee. As an SCA certified barista, you need to master this technique and be able to accurately describe and evaluate the flavor characteristics of different coffees.

Through training courses and practice, you can learn how to use cupping tools correctly, identify different aromas and tastes, and understand how they relate to the quality of the beans.

Step 4: Take the SCA certification exam

After completing the above training, you will be eligible to take the SCA certification exam. Depending on the field you choose, you can choose different levels of exams to test your professional knowledge in the field.

In the exam, you will face theoretical knowledge tests, practical operations, oral expression, etc. Through these assessments, SCA will assess and confirm whether you have the skills and knowledge required to become a qualified barista.

Conclusion

Becoming an SCA certified barista is a challenging but very rewarding process. By learning the origin and history of coffee, mastering green bean procurement and roasting techniques, learning cupping techniques, and taking the SCA certification exam, you will be able to start your professional coffee journey and achieve greater success in this field.

Whether you want to find a job in the coffee industry or just have a strong interest in coffee, becoming an SCA certified barista will provide you with more opportunities and broad development space. I believe that through continuous efforts and learning, you will be able to realize your dream in the field of professional coffee!