SCA Junior Barista Examination Core Content

SCA Junior Barista Examination Core Content

SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) is an international organization dedicated to promoting and developing the production, roasting and tasting of high-quality coffee. As an authoritative organization in the coffee industry, SCA provides a series of certification exams to evaluate and recognize the knowledge and skills of professionals in different fields. Among them, the Junior Barista Exam is an entry-level certification exam.

1. Coffee trees and varieties

In this section, students need to learn about coffee trees and their species. They need to master the following:

• Main growing areas: Students should understand the main coffee producing areas and have some understanding of the characteristics of each region's production from different countries or geographical locations.
• The two main varieties: Arabica and Robusta are the most common and important varieties on the market. Students need to be familiar with the differences between them in terms of taste, growing environment, etc.
• Other minor varieties: In addition to Arabica and Robusta, there are some minor varieties, such as Malabar (MaraGOgipe) and Catuai (Catuai), etc. Students need to have some understanding of the characteristics of these varieties.

2. Coffee growing and harvesting

In this part, students need to master the coffee growing process and picking techniques. Here are some important knowledge points:

• Life cycle of coffee tree: Students should understand the life cycle of coffee tree from seedling to mature fruit and then to withering, and understand the impact of different stages on the quality and taste of coffee beans.
• Suitable climatic conditions: Students need to understand the climatic conditions required for the growth of coffee trees, including factors such as temperature and rainfall.
• Picking method: Hand picking is the best and most commonly used method to ensure the quality of coffee beans. Students need to be familiar with hand picking techniques and understand why machine picking may affect the quality of beans.

3. Coffee processing and roasting

In this part, students need to understand the coffee processing and roasting process. Here are some important knowledge points:

• Wet processing: Wet processing is one of the common methods for extracting coffee beans. Students need to understand the steps of wet processing and its impact on the quality and taste of beans.
• Dry processing: Dry processing is also known as natural drying. It is another common and traditional coffee processing method. Students need to understand the characteristics of dry processing in terms of taste and flavor.
• Roasting process: Students should understand the role of temperature, time and other factors in the development of coffee bean flavor at different stages, and understand that different roasting degrees (light roast, medium roast, dark roast) bring different flavor characteristics.

4. Coffee tasting and extraction

In this part, students will be exposed to knowledge about tasting and extraction. Here are some important contents:

• Cupping technique: Cupping is a commonly used coffee tasting method. Students need to understand the steps of cupping and how to evaluate the aroma, taste and flavor of coffee.
• Extraction techniques: Students need to master different extraction methods (such as drip, espresso, etc.) and the impact of each method on coffee flavor.
• Adjusting parameters: Students should understand how to adjust extraction parameters according to different situations (such as bean type, roasting degree, etc.) to achieve the best taste and flavor.

5. Barista’s professional ethics and service

In this section, students will be exposed to the professional ethics and service knowledge required of a barista. Here are some important contents:

• Customer Service: As a barista, it is vital to provide good and friendly customer service. Students need to know how to communicate effectively with customers and be able to answer questions they may have about the origin of coffee beans, roast degree, etc.
• Hygiene standards: Hygiene standards are very important for baristas. Students need to understand how to maintain a clean working environment and master the correct cleaning and disinfection methods.
• Sustainability: Participants should understand the environmental and social impact of the coffee industry and understand how to promote sustainable development in their work.

By passing the SCA Junior Barista exam, students will receive an internationally recognized certificate that will help them seek better career opportunities in the coffee industry. In addition, by in-depth study of the above core content, students will be able to better understand and appreciate high-quality coffee and provide better service to customers.