SCA Sensory Skills Intermediate

Description

Sensory Skills Intermediate

The Sensory Skills Intermediate course builds on the Foundation level and is designed for coffee professionals who already have cupping experience and want to deepen their sensory skills and understanding of sensory science. This course prepares learners for more advanced roles in coffee quality evaluation by strengthening calibration, descriptive ability, and analytical thinking during structured sensory sessions.

What you’ll learn:

• Understand the physiology of taste and aroma
• Explore different sensory analysis methods and their practical applications
• Conduct and interpret triangulation sensory tests for quality comparison
• Confidently organize and manage a professional cupping session
• Identify and describe the diversity of coffee attributes
• Use the SCA Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel and WCR Sensory Lexicon effectively
• Develop fragrance and aroma identification and recall skills
• Learn how to implement and manage a sensory panel within a coffee business

Assessment:

• Written exam to test Intermediate-level theoretical knowledge
• Practical exam assessing attribute differentiation, fragrance identification, and triangulation skills

This course is ideal for cuppers, roasters, baristas, and quality professionals who want to move from basic tasting to structured, analytical sensory evaluation with greater confidence and precision.

Course Overview:

Sensory Analysis Overview
– Introduction to Sensory Assessment
– Three Sensory Test Methods
– Sensory Assessment in the Coffee Industry

Physiology and Sensory Attributes
– Taste and Aroma
– Human Physiology
– Neurology, Psychology, and Sensory Perception

Taste and Aroma in Flavor Perception
– Evaluating Sensorial Qualities in Coffee
– Five Basic Tastes
– Common Mouthfeel Sensations
– Impact of Supply Chain on Flavor
– Positive and Negative Aromas

Difference Testing and Triangulation
– Difference Testing and Triangulation Overview
– Purpose of Triangle Testing
– Common Applications for Triangle Testing
– Triangle Testing Protocols and Statistics
– Alternative Methods for Discrimination Testing

Cupping Session Operations
– Key Terms in the SCA Cupping Protocol
– Terminology on the SCA Cupping Form
– Terminology on the SCA Descriptive Form
– SCA Descriptive Form Assessment
– Terminology on the SCA Affective Form
– SCA Affective Form Assessment

Cupping Forms in Use
– Non-SCA Cupping Forms
– Importance of Standardized Cupping and Protocols

Setting Up a Sensory Program
– Definition and Purpose of a Sensory Panel
– Venue Requirements for a Sensory Analysis
– Sensory Analysis Best Practices

Setting Up a Sensory Panel
– Panel Selection and Proposals
– Panelist Screening and Training
– Sensory Performance Testing and Calibration

In/Out Tests vs Descriptive Tests
– In/Out Test Definition and Purpose

Analytical Tests
– Analytical Testing