Advanced Barista Course /Barista Skills Intermediate SCA
An Espresso Academy barista course is such an unforgettable experience that it starts at your own home!
The theoretical part of the course is sent directly to your home as a video course. In this way we have plenty of time in class for more practice and a lot of great coffee experiences!


- How to set a coffee cupping, the professional method of coffee evaluation
- Coffee cocktails and preparation of coffee with syrups, toppings and… from frappuccino to Lecce coffee, from caramel latte to espresso martini!
- Use historical espresso machines: from the lever one to the modern machines (where you can set all the parameters!)
- Using a refractometer, understanding the concepts of TDS and extraction.
- A technical section: setting the volumetric system, setting the temperature, changing the gaskets and..
- The Home barista corner: machines and advice for those who have a passion for coffee!
The course is valid for the SCA Barista Skills Intermediate and Barista Advanced Italian Barista Method exams
The course is accredited and follows the Italian Barista Method international standards
Passing the SCA foundation exam (optional) leads to the achievement of 5 points for the SCA Coffee Skills Program diploma.
Installment payments > you can pay in three installments with stripe
Are you interested in this course?
One Journey, One Vacation In Italy
The dates of the Espresso Academy courses are always set in such a way as to allow you to take part in several courses, one day after another, to give the maximum value to your trip, and your Italian vacation.
Find out below the dates coordinated on our calendar
Program of the Advanced Barista Course
COFFEE THEORY
A video course is sent on the following topic
- The world of coffee: arabica, robusta, varietals from bourbon to catimor.
- Coffee in the plantation: washed, natural and the new fermentation methods..
- A brief history of coffee: from Yemen to the plantations in Sicily.
- Introduction to roasting and how coffee blends are made.
- The invention and evolution of espresso machines from 1900 to today
- Introduction to professional coffee tasting: body, acidity, bitterness, sweetness and flavours.
- The use of the refractometer in extraction measurement. The concept of TDS and extraction.
Program of the course. Day 1
- Work begins with the extraction of the espresso and coffee tamping
- Coffee grinding: how to manage it and how to modify it with the various types of coffee grinders
- Espresso with historical espresso machines: from the lever one to the modern machines (where you can set all the parameters…)
- Which is the best machine for your project!
- The best coffee for my project? Evaluate the quality of the beans watching them
- A technical section: setting the volumetric system, setting the temperature, changing the gaskets and..
- A little break for a visit to the roastery.
- The perfect milk frothing managing different temperatures and frothiness.
- Vegetable milks: try soya, oats and milks specifically designed for the barista>
- Cappuccino in practice: lots of exercises on milk frothing and classic cappuccino
- Italian preparations: latte macchiato, latte coffee, espresso macchiato etc.
- How to improve speed and efficiency at the bar counter
- Coffee cocktails and preparation of coffee with syrups, toppings and… from frappuccino to Lecce coffee, from caramel latte to espresso martini!
- Cleaning and maintenance of espresso machines. The softeners, the blind filter and the cleaning of the showers.
Program of the course. Day 2
- How to set a coffee cupping. How the coffee is technically evaluated.
- Espresso tasting exercises : commodity arabica e robusta, coffee blends, caffè specialty.
- How to use the refractometer in practice. exercises.
- Grinding setting exercises with dose and extraction weighing, preparatory to the IBM and SCA exams
- Not just espresso: brewing, filter coffee and pour over, practical tests
- Worldwide trends: babyccino, flat white, cortado and other preparations.
- Latte art basics: height of pouring, flow control and movement of the wrist
- Practice latte art base: the heart
- Basic latte art practice: the figure of the leaf or rosetta
- Basic latte art practice: the tulip
- Basic setting and fixing of the espresso coffee machine: showers, volumetric, temperature
Eventual exam for the Italian Barista Method advanced certification (this exam involves a quite demanding speed test, any participation in this course will therefore be evaluated during the course according with the trainer)
Possible additional procedure for SCA intermediate exam.

SCA CERTIFICATION
This barista course is hold under SCA protocol. At the end of it is possible to take part to the barista skills Intermediate. Find out more about SCA by clicking on this link.
More infos
The course starts at 10 a.m. and finishes at 5.30 p.m. with a short lunch break. The Espresso Academy is in Florence, a few minutes with the tram away from the central railway station of Santa Maria Novella and a few minutes from the exit of the highway, Firenze Scandicci.

BARISTA SKILLS PROFESSIONAL SCA COURSE.
Three days. Florence, May the 10th, 11th, 12th 2023
Three months after passing the intermediate exam, SCA allows you to aim for the Barista Skills SCA professional exam.
A journey more than a course, through the influence of water on extraction, the TDS measurements of the various calibrations, the preparation of single-origin coffee in espresso and latte art at the highest levels.
Here the programs and upcoming dates.
Our trainers
Our Students say...
I attended the barista basic and advanced training course last December 8 and 9. The teachers/trainers are all very kind and accommodating (Roberto, Simone, Gabriele). The course is very informative and the best part is, you get plenty of hands-on during the course. I highly recommend Espresso Academy to those who want to learn about coffee, who want to be a barista or those who want to open their coffe shop.
I had an advanced barista course and I could make real italian cappuccino and great quality espresso. The course and the teachers were really professional.
I only joined the 2-day barista course and the brewing course. The trainers are very knowledgeable about coffee. The courses involve theory, which is far more detailed and comprehensive than ordinary coffee classes, and also the practical aspect, as we had lots of chances to practice with the machines. Jessie W.