Coffee Sensory FOUNDATION level

No coffee experience or pre-requisite needed.

This 1-day sensory course allows you to expolre the basics of sensory.

1. Theoretical Principles - what sensory analysis is and how it is used in the coffee industry

2. Physiology and Sensory Attributes - anatomy, basic tastes, and understanding aromatics

3. Identifying Sensorial Characteristics in Coffee - flavor, body, coffee aromatics, the flavor wheel and communication

4. Cupping Protocol - using the standard protocol and identifying the appropriate equipment to set up and evaluate coffees

Course Fees: $225 includes online or in person instruction, coffee supplies, digital or printed course materials, and if applicable - shipping within the USA. SCA Certificate will be available upon completion of practical exercises and a written exam for a $50 certification fee payable to the SCA.

This course can be bundled with any of our courses for a 15% discount.

Coffee Sensory INTERMEDIATE level

No pre-requisite needed but at least 6 months of coffee experience including tasting or Foundation

The 2-day Sensory Skills Intermediate course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Sensory Skills Foundation course. It is ideal for someone who has cupping experience and wants to develop their sensory skills and knowledge of related science.

This course covers a wide range of topics, including the physiology of taste and aroma; the types of sensory analysis tests, the operation of a cupping session; the diversity of coffee attributes; the use of the SCA Flavor Wheel and WCR Sensory Lexicon; and the implementation of a sensory analysis panel and session.

In this course we will learn:

1. Sensory Analysis Overview – Four stages of sensory analysis

2. Physiology and Sensory Attributes – Taste and Aroma, impact of psychology, impact on value chain

3. Triangular Testing – Purpose, protocol, and application

4. Cupping Session Operations – Exploring scales and scores

5. Cupping Form in Use – Protocol and other forms

6. Setting up a Sensory Program – Best practices, calibration, and objectivity

7. In/Out Tests vs Descriptive Tests – Definition, steps, and purpose

8. Analytical Testing

Course Fees: $500 includes online instruction, roasted and unroasted coffee supplies, digital or printed course materials, and shipping within the USA. SCA Certificate available for an additional $100 certificate fee.

This course can be bundled with any of our courses for a 15% discount.

Coffee Sensory PROFESSIONAL level

Sensory Intermediate pre-requisite and 3 months of time between Intermediate and Professional

This 3-day course builds on the concepts and skills introduced in the Sensory Skills Intermediate course and prepares the learner for managerial job functions in the sensory evaluation of coffee and related products.

In this interactive course, learners gain alignment with industry coffee and sensory standards; learn about the implementation of sensory evaluation in a coffee business; acquire the skills required to start identifying and evaluating qualities in specialty green coffee; and demonstrate how to accurately measure and describe coffee beverage characteristics.

Participants will learn how to generate repeatable and methodical sensory measurements of coffee, along with interpretation of those results. A written exam tests professional course knowledge while a practical exam tests the skills described above based on different working activities carried out during the course.

In this course we will discuss:

1. SENSORY OVERVIEW

   • Importance of Sensory Analysis

2. PHYSIOLOGY AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES

   • Chain of Sensory Perception, Sensation and Perception, Impact of Stimuli Interactions on Perception, Thresholds and Sensitivity

3. BIAS & ERROR

   • Psychological Based Biases, Mitigation of Bias in Sensory Evaluation

4. SCA FLAVOR WHEEL & WCR LEXICON

   • Application and Taxonomy

5. GUSTATORY ATTRIBUTES IN COFFEE

   • Rank Intensity of Gustatory Attributes, Distinguish Differences in Quality of Attributes, Applied to Coffee

6. MOUTHFEEL IN COFFEE

7. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES IN COFFEE

   • Cultural Perceptions of Flavors, Distinguishing and Assessing Value in Flavor Attributes, Common Negative Attributes

8. SENSORY DESCRIPTIVE PROFILING

   • Basics and Sensory Descriptive Methods, Analyzing Data and Interpreting Results

9. APPLYING SCA CUPPING PROTOCOL

   • SCA Cupping Protocol Review and Application, Processing Considerations with SCA Cupping Form, SCA Cupping Calibration

10. SENSORY PANELS & CALIBRATION APPLIED

    • Objective Sensory Evaluation, Preparing A Training Program, Sensory Panel Performance, Health and Welfare

11. SHELF LIFE, CONSUMER TESTING AND NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

    • Plan for Sensory Testing Design

Course Fees: $775 includes in person instruction, coffee supplies, and digital or printed course materials.

This course can be bundled with any of our courses for a 15% discount.

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If you do not see a course, feel free to request one and we will work with you on dates., just contact T@colabops.com

We are happy to discuss how we can meet your budget and we also travel to you. If you are interested in a course that is out of budget, need a different date, or would like to do an intermediate or professional course in person just reach out and we can figure it out.