SCA Barista study guide
SCA Barista · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The SCA Barista credential sits within the Specialty Coffee Association's education framework, which the SCA describes as globally recognized coffee education designed to support career growth at every level, used by coffee professionals and businesses worldwide. The SCA reports 80,000+ learners per year across 89 countries, delivered by 2,000+ authorized SCA trainers through 16 skills-based modules and 4 career-driven diplomas. Barista skills is one of the topic areas the SCA names for its certificates, alongside brewing, sustainability, and equipment maintenance. This study page is organized around those four areas in equal parts: brewing and barista techniques, sustainability, equipment maintenance, and coffee quality evaluation and cupping. The SCA Barista study guide has 4 sections and about 1,139 words.
01Brewing and Barista Techniques
Every brew is a balance of four levers: dose (dry coffee mass), grind size , water temperature , and brew ratio (coffee to water). Extraction moves solubles from grounds into water; under-extraction tastes sour, thin, and salty, while over-extraction tastes bitter, dry, and hollow.
313 words, about 2 min02Sustainability
Sustainability in coffee spans the whole chain: agronomy (shade management, water use, soil health), processing (water-intensive washed methods vs. lower-water natural methods), transport and roasting (energy efficiency, emissions), and end-of-life (spent grounds, packaging, cups).
275 words, about 1 min03Equipment Maintenance
Equipment care protects flavor and safety. For espresso machines , know daily routines: backflush with water, then with detergent on a schedule; clean group heads and screens; purge steam wands immediately after use and soak tips; check water filtration and softener; monitor boiler pressure and pump pressure.
283 words, about 1 min04Coffee Quality Evaluation and Cupping
Sensory evaluation uses cupping as a standardized protocol: consistent dose and grind, water just off boil, a measured brew ratio, breaking the crust at a set time, and slurping to spread the liquid. Evaluators score attributes such as fragrance/aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, cleanliness, sweetness , and score defects negatively.
268 words, about 1 min