Among the changes introduced after the union between the SCAE and SCAA, surely one of the most important was the complete change of the old Coffee diploma System SCAE  which changed its name in Coffee Skills Program but also has modified the contents of the Barista Skills courses and the SCA certifications exams. After talking about the Barista Skills Foundation SCA Module in this post we are going to discover the second level of SCA certification, Barista Skills Intermediate.

Barista Skills SCA

The Barista Skills Intermediate certification is part of the new training system created by the Specialty Coffee Association, the Coffee Skills Program. A credit training system that, once you have reached 100 credits, .allows you to have the Coffee Diploma SCA

The Barista Skills Intermediate module, like all the Intermediate levels of the other modules, allows to obtain 10 credits and is designed to certify the skills of a Barista at a more advanced level, such as setting the grinder to identify the best recipe available for the extraction of an espresso according to the coffee used, the preparation of a wide variety of coffee drinks and a base of Latte art.

Diverse varietà di caffè

This SCA certification, which replaces the intermediate barista Scae exam, is designed for baristas who have been working for at least 6 months in a coffee shop and for access to the SCA Intermediate courses it is advisable to have already passed the Introduction to Coffee SCA and Barista Skills Foundation exams, although this requirement is not mandatory.

During the Barista Skills Intermediate SCA course, topics covered in the Barista Skills Foundation module are also further explored, starting with the raw material, the green coffee. In order to pass the Barista Skills Intermediate exam, the barista will have to know the different botanical varieties and the different origins of coffee present in a blend, the drupe processing methods. In the written exam of the Barista Skills Intermediate form, in fact, there are questions regarding the differences between coffee processed using the washed, natural and Honey method.

Latte Art

The setting of the equipment requires from the Barista a complete attention to details and the control of all the extraction variables to obtain a balanced cup of espresso. Precisely this practical exercise opens the Barista Skills Intermediate SCA exam introducing the concept of EBF (espresso brew formula). In the SCA Barista Skills Intermediate exam there is a part dedicated to tasting and during our courses we always deepen the SCA Wheel of Flavours and Aromas.

A recognized Latte art course is definitely preparatory to this certification because one of the practical tests of the SCA  Barista Skills Intermediate certification exam is the creation of two basic patterns of Latte Art on the surface of the cappuccino with free pour technique.

The last practical test of the SCA Barista Intermediate exam is that which simulates the  an order at the coffee shop counter with the request for more drinks to be served in a limited time and with high standards of service.

Espresso

In our Advanced Barista Course we dedicate an important part of the lesson also to the technology of the different Espresso machines and the importance of customer service, topics that are dealt with in the written exam of the Barista Skills Intermediate SCA module.