The Foundations, Intermediate, and Professional levels cover essential topics like workplace safety, production techniques, and roasting operations – earning you credits towards your SCA Coffee Skills Diploma.
This one-day course is suitable for beginning professionals and hobbyists and is a solid introduction to roasting, both from a theoretical as well as from a practical point of view.
Roasting Foundations provides a basic understanding of the roasting process, including the roast cycle and how to control sensory aspects of the coffee by roasting light or dark.
Students will take the SCA Foundations Roasting exam. Upon completion of course work and passing the exams, students earn 5 points towards the SCA Coffee Skills Diploma.
Interested in roasting? Starting or expanding a roasting operation or seeking employment as a roast master?
Master and refine your roasting techniques, learn about the essence of roasted coffee quality, improve your tasting skills and earn certification from the SCA!
Roasting Intermediate (3 days intensive course): takes your coffee roasting skills to the next level. We immerse you in a series of hands-on training exercises and cover these and more topics:
On the final day you will take the SCA Intermediate Roasting practical and written exams, students earn 10 points towards the SCA Coffee Skills Diploma.
The SCA Roasting Professional Course is the highest-level certification in the Coffee Skills Program—designed for experienced roasters ready to master the science and strategy of professional coffee roasting.
This immersive, advanced-level course challenges you to take full control of your roasting process. You’ll explore essential principles of thermodynamics, learn how heat transfers through conduction, convection, and radiation, and dive deep into the chemical transformations that shape flavor in every roast. The course also covers the critical role of water—its impact on pressure buildup, heat transfer, and flavor development through reactions like Maillard, caramelization, and pyrolysis.
Beyond theory, you’ll apply your knowledge through hands-on training in roast profiling, color measurement, defect recognition, and sensory evaluation. You’ll also build strategic skills in roastery management, including cost analysis, blend development, and production efficiency.
Precision control of rate of rise, development time, and heat application
Moisture management, thermal conductivity, and glass transition in green coffee
How to recognize and correct roast defects such as tipping, scorching, and baking
Mastery of chemical reactions that influence flavor and roast development
Enhanced sensory skills to evaluate quality and consistency
Business tools to optimize COGS, blend design, and profit margins
Completion of the SCA Roasting Intermediate course is required, with the certificate held for at least three months.
SCA Sensory Skills or Cupping certification is strongly recommended to support your sensory evaluation capabilities.
NEW: The SCA certification exam fee is included!
