Master the language of coffee from the comfort of your own lab.

Transition from casual taster to professional sensory analyst with our SCA Sensory Foundations course. This remote-learning experience is designed for coffee professionals and dedicated enthusiasts who want to master the SCA Coffee Value Assessment (CVA)—the global standard for identifying, measuring, and describing specialty coffee.

By moving this 7-hour intensive online, we provide a split-session format (two 3.5-hour days) to prevent sensory fatigue and ensure deep learning or a full day 7 hour course with a one hour break.

The "Lab-in-a-Box" Included

Stop worrying about sourcing obscure acids or specialized hardware. We ship a comprehensive, sensory kit directly to your door. This kit is curated to match every exercise in the SCA Idaho Coffee Institute curriculum, ensuring you are calibrated with your instructor in real-time.

Your Kit Includes:

• 15 Professional Cupping Bowls & Cupping Spoon and skimming spoons: A full industry-standard setup.

• The 9-Core Aroma Library: Real-world scent references (Floral, Fruit, Roasted, etc.) to calibrate your nose.

• Basic Taste Vials: Pre-measured solutions to master Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, and Umami.

• 11 Curated Coffee Samples: From Ethiopian Naturals to Commodity blends, pre-portioned for specific exercises.

• The Hardware Suite: Digital timer, clipboard, dry-erase marker, and laminated CVA tray liners.

• Water Chemistry: Third Wave Water packets to ensure your brewing water is chemically identical to the instructor’s.

Curriculum Overview

Session 1: Sensory Theory & Physiology

• The Science of Taste: Explore how our olfactory and gustatory systems process flavor.

• Stimulus vs. Perception: Interactive exercises using included fabric and candy samples to understand how our brains interpret sensory data.

• The Five Basic Tastes: A guided "blind" tasting to identify acidity vs. bitterness.

• Aromatic Mastery: Use your Aroma Library to navigate the SCA Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel.

Session 2: Professional Cupping & Evaluation

• The Mechanics of Cupping: Learn professional spoon etiquette, skimming, and "breaking the crust" via live video demonstration.

• CVA Descriptive Assessment: Use your 15-bowl setup to break down Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, and Mouthfeel.

• Intensity Scaling: Move beyond "tastes good" to objectively measuring strength on low/medium/high scales.

• The Affective Assessment: Master the 9-point Hedonic scale and the "Check All That Apply" (CATA) method used by modern green buyers.

How It Works

1. Register: Sign up at least 14 days prior to class to allow for kit assembly and shipping.

2. Receive Your Kit: Unpack your "Lab-in-a-Box" and follow the included setup instructions.

3. Join the Live Stream: Two consecutive 3.5-hour sessions via Zoom.

4. Certification: Complete the course to qualify for the SCA Sensory Foundations written exam and earn your global credentials.

Course Requirements

• Student Must Provide: A burr-style coffee grinder, a kettle, 3 gallons of distilled water and a stable internet connection. 

• Prerequisites: None. This is the recommended grounding required for SCA Sensory Intermediate.

Select Your Kit Option:

• Complete Kit ($250): Includes all coffees, aromas, chemicals, and the full 15-bowl/spoon hardware set. Recommended for first-time students.

• Refill Kit ($150): Includes all coffees and sensory solutions. Select this if you already own 15 identical cupping bowls and a professional spoon.

Note: sessions are filling fast. Secure your spot to receive your kit in time for the next cohort.