What to expect from the Intermediate SCA Brewing Primer Course
Course Description (official copy)
The Brewing Intermediate course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Foundation course. It is ideal for someone who has brewing experience and wants to explore how to improve coffee quality. This course covers a wide range of topics, including an exploration of the brewing process in terms of device, extraction order and wetting; the essential elements of brewing and their individual influence on the final cup; the scientific method of measuring and charting coffee strength and extraction; the analysis of brewed coffee and adjustments to consider in order to deliver a delicious, well balanced cup; and the importance of cleaning and maintenance.
General Course Info (official copy)
Course Length: Minimum 14 hours including practical exam
Prerequisites: None; Successful completion of the Brewing Foundation and/or 3 to 6 months work experience preparing brews with an automatic drip filter brewer and a manual drip filter brewer or other culturally common brewer is recommended; Successful completion of the Introduction to Coffee and Sensory Skills Foundation also recommended.
Written (Online) Exam Information: Total Number of Questions: 40 (worth one point each). Total Time Allowed: 60 minutes. Passing Score: 70%
Practical Exam Information: Total Time Allowed for Practical Exam: 90 minutes. Passing Score: Candidates must achieve a minimum overall score of 70% to pass the practical exam.
The Intermediate Brewing Section Covers
- Historical developments in coffee brewing
- Impact of roast levels on extraction
- Freshness impacts
- Brewing methods and equipment
- Grinder burr types and impacts
- SCA brewing guidelines
- The 7 essential elements of brewing
- Coffee to water ratios
- Device specific or culturally suitable ratios
- Effect on solubles (strength)
- Grind settings and principles
- Effect of grind setting on solubles yield (extraction) and on flow rate
- Identify strength and extraction differences in brewed coffee to troubleshoot incorrect brews (PRACTICAL EXAM)
- Brewing time, Water temperature impacts and cold brewing
- Brew turbulence, Water quality, Filter media
- The brewing process and brewing devices used
- Prepare brews from two different devices and fill out the SCA brewing worksheets in entirety (PRACTICAL EXAM)
- Gravity brewers and Suitable coffee doses
- Diagnose how to correct the recipe for a poorly brewed coffee from an Automatic Filter Brewer (PRACTICAL EXAM)
- Water delivery time (ACTIVITY)
- Order of solids in extraction
- Completing brew cycles
- Wetting (blooming) causes, quantities and extractions
- Demonstrating wetting (PRACTICAL EXAM)
- Brew analysis, descriptions and balance
- Optimum solubles yield vs. maximums in extraction
- Optimum concentrations and using the brewing control chart
- Measuring brews and calculating solubles yield
- Maintenance and cleaning
- Brew taste analysis, coffee to water ratio calculation and refractometer analysis, diagnosis, writing brew solutions, preparing a corrected brew (PRACTICAL EXAM)
Mock-Exam to Prepare for SCA Certification
Your mock exam at the end of this section will test how well you have mastered the knowledge presented as mentioned above. When you can confidently pass this mock exam you can confidently proceed to SCA certification with an AST.
Practical Skills and Activities to Prepare for SCA Certification
You should complete all videos, recommended activities and required practical skills included in this course to help you proceed with confidence towards SCA certification at this level with an AST.
Support at All Times
By participating in this hybrid online primer, it is my goal to help you continue growing in coffee skills while you advance to the next level of SCA certification within the Coffee Skills Program.
Please utilize the course comments section to ask clear questions which will be answered for your benefit and for the learners who follow in your footsteps.
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