SCA SENSORY - Taste & Evaluate
The SCA SENSORY Coffee Tasting Course provides in-depth knowledge about coffee to become a professional coffee taster. Participants will learn from leading experts, with the course combining theory and practice, helping you develop skills in identifying and evaluating coffee based on the international standards of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). It's a solid step forward for anyone who wants to deeply understand and enjoy each cup of coffee.
32 hours of lessons (4 days, 8:30 - 17:30)
Class content
1. Introduction to cupping and its use as a tool for quality assessment
2. Introduction to tasting:
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Reference of basic tastes
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Blind tasting of mixtures between basic tastes
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Analyze the “balance” factor in the mixtures
3. SCA Cupping Protocol:
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Understanding the importance
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Application of cupping
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How to set up cupping. Exercise.
4. Introduction to Flavor Wheel – Describing what you taste
5. Scentone T144 presentation and theory
Practice smelling and identifying Scentone T144 groups
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Enzymatic
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Sugar Browning
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Dry Distillation
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Taints
6. Introduction to defects
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Differentiate "defects" and "off-flavours"
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Understand the difference between uniformity and defect.
7. Introduction to full SCA Cupping Form, how to score each attribute
8. Full Cupping (6 samples, 5 cups per sample) and Calibration
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Use SCA Cupping Form to score the coffee
9. Triangulation Practice
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Application of triangulation test
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Differentiate cupping and triangle test
10. Robusta Tasting
11. Learn how to evaluate hand brew, espresso and cold brew
*Students will get a chance to Taste & Cupping more than 20 Arabica & Robusta coffees around the world
Tuition fee
Tuition fee for SCA Sensory Foundation & Intermediate (Excludes SCA Certification): 810 USD
- SCA Sensory Foundation Certificate: 200 USD
- SCA Sensory Intermediate Certificate: 200 USD
ROASTER COMBO (SCA Roasting Foundation & Intermediate + SCA Sensory Foundation & Intermediate): 1,540 USD
Q GRADER COMBO (SCA Sensory Foundation & Intermediate + 1 Q Grader Course): 2,760 USD
*All fees above do not include VAT
SCA Sensory Professional
SCA Sensory Pro + CVA: August 20 - 24, 2025
Tuition fee
Tuition fees do not include SCA certificate exam fee (for those who have already completed CVA at HQJ Coffee School): 1020 USD
– SCA Sensory Pro Certificate: 200 USD
*COMBO Sensory Pro + CVA: 1503 USD (includes CVA certification)
– SCA Sensory Pro Certificate: 200 USD
Special offers:
– 5% Early Bird discount for early registrations
– 5% discount for HQJ Coffee School alumni
*All fees above do not include VAT
Instructor Team
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Location
HQJ Coffee School - 738 Su Van Hanh, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
