Sensory skills foundation

Description

Start Your Journey with the SCA Sensory Skills Foundation

Develop your palate and learn to taste like a professional with our official SCA Sensory Skills Foundation course. This interactive program is the perfect first step on your sensory journey. In fact, we designed it for anyone, from baristas to enthusiasts, who wants to understand and describe coffee’s complex flavors with precision.

Who Is This Foundation Course For?

We designed this course for anyone passionate about coffee, so no prior experience is required. Therefore, it’s the ideal choice if you are:

• A barista or roaster who wants to build a strong foundation in sensory evaluation.
• Moreover, a home coffee enthusiast eager to understand and appreciate coffee’s complex flavors.
• Anyone starting a career in coffee who needs to learn how to cup and communicate about quality.
• Ultimately, anyone who wants to perceive and describe aromas and tastes more accurately.

What You Will Learn in Sensory Skills Foundation

This course introduces you to the core concepts of sensory science. As a result, you will gain practical, hands-on experience through a series of sensory exercises. Key topics include:

• First, we explore how our senses of taste and smell work together to create the perception of flavor.
• Next, you will learn the official SCA cupping methodology, the standardized industry process for evaluating coffee quality.
• In addition, we will introduce you to the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel, a tool developed by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) to provide a shared vocabulary for describing coffee.
• Finally, through exercises, you will learn to identify key tastes like sweetness, acidity, and bitterness, as well as common aromatic profiles found in coffee.

Your First Step in Sensory Analysis

Upon completion, you will have the foundational skills to participate in a professional coffee cupping. Consequently, this course prepares you for the more advanced Intermediate and Professional levels. For any questions about the course, please contact us.