SCA Brewing Skills Intermediate

Description

Brewing Intermediate

The Brewing Intermediate course builds on the Foundation level and is designed for coffee professionals who already have brewing experience and want to improve cup quality through deeper technical understanding. This hands-on course explores the science behind extraction, brewing variables, and recipe control. You’ll learn how to measure, analyze, and adjust your brews to consistently deliver balanced and well-extracted coffee across different brewing methods.

What you’ll learn:

• Understand extraction order, wetting, and how brewing devices influence flavor
• Control key brewing variables and their impact on the final cup
• Measure and chart coffee strength and extraction scientifically
• Analyze brewed coffee and espresso using sensory evaluation
• Adjust recipes to correct under- or over-extracted coffee
• Brew confidently using multiple manual and automatic filter devices
• Diagnose and improve poorly brewed coffee
• Apply proper cleaning and maintenance practices for equipment longevity

Assessment:

• Written exam to test Intermediate-level theoretical knowledge
• Practical exam assessing the ability to identify strength and extraction differences, prepare brews using various devices, and correct recipes from automatic filter brewers

This course is ideal for baristas, brewers, and coffee professionals who want to move beyond following recipes and start understanding why brewing works the way it does

Course Overview:

Coffee Knowledge
– History
– Roast Levels
– Freshness

Brewing Methods and Equipment
– Grinder Burr Types

Brewing Guidelines
– 7 Essential Elements of Brewing
– Coffee to Water Ratio Principles and Effect on Soluble Yield
– Device or Culturally Suitable Ratios
– Grind Setting Principles and Effect on Solubles and Flow Rate
– Brewing Time
– Water Temperature Principles
– Cold Brewing
– Brew Turbulence
– Water Quality
– Filter Media

Brewing Process
– Gravity Brewers Usage
– Brewing Processes – Principles, Extraction of Solids, and Importance of Completing Brewing Cycle
– Wetting (Blooming): Causes, Quantities, and Extraction Impact

Brew Analysis
– Describing the Brew
– Balanced Brew
– Optimum and Maximum Solubles Yield (Extraction)
– Optimum Concentration
– SCA Brewing Control Chart – Usage, Measuring, and Calculations

Maintenance
– Equipment Cleaning