Mom, I want to be a barista

What should I study and do if I want to work in the world of specialty coffee?

You may have wondered: how did my favorite barista get so good at it? A few years ago, the answer was simple, because almost everything was based on practice, practice, practice. You'd come in to work at a specialty coffee shop and get a few days of training. There were also some coffee tasting and brewing courses. But luckily all that has changed a lot, and there are now different options available to study specialty coffee.

In The Coffee Academy of Nomad there are courses for everyone, from the coffee lover who wants to improve his techniques at home to the professional who works or wants to start working in a coffee shop serving the best espressos.

Personalized barista course

Everything you need to know to work as a barista (and much more) awaits you in this barista course from The Coffee Academy at Nomad. You will learn special techniques to obtain the best results in each type of coffee beverage, as well as all the tricks to use the coffee machinery like an expert.

Whether you are a coffee lover with previous knowledge, an active barista or someone curious about specialty coffee, this is a good option due to the possibility of adapting the content to each student.

This course will cover topics such as the fundamentals of specialty coffee, the history and culture of coffee, cupping and sensory analysis, the selection of the best beans, the preparation of different coffee brewing methods, and the cleaning and care of the machines. Each student will have a tutor who will guide them step by step to become a barista.

Specialty Coffee Association course

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is an institution in the specialty coffee world. You may be familiar with their iconic flavor wheel poster, a widely used tool for determining which notes predominate in a cupping.

In addition, the SCA certifies three barista levels: basic, intermediate and professional. For example, the basic barista course lasts 7 hours, in which you will learn about coffee species, how to organize the workflow in the coffee shop, the use and maintenance of the espresso machine, coffee processing and sensory analysis, milk texturization, preparation of espresso-based drinks, cleaning and safety of the work environment, water quality and customer service.

Pre Q Grader

One of the best courses that a barista in training can take is the Q Grader course, which teaches how to judge the quality and characteristics of specialty coffee, such as aroma, flavor, body, balance and other sensory attributes, in order to be able to evaluate them.

It is an international certification that involves learning a standardized methodology and language, so that the evaluation can be understood by any coffee professional in the world. Being a Q Grader is one of the most promising professions in the world of specialty coffee.

To prepare you to obtain the Q Grader certificate, awarded by the Coffee Quality Institute, you can take our Pre Q Grader course . It lasts three days (from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), in which all the keys to pass the exam will be taught.

Latte Art Course

Those drawings on the coffee were one of the first things that caught the attention of many in specialty coffee shops. Behind every milk foam design there is a lot of preparation and hours of practice, so much so that today it is possible to become certified as a latte art expert.

At The Coffee Academy we prepare you for the different certificates of Latteart Grading System (LAGS), the leading academy in latte art training. There are different exams depending on the level of difficulty you want to overcome, and we offer a personalized masterclass of between 4 and 6 hours for you to learn the best techniques and achieve your goals. You will learn how to emulsify milk in a professional way and how to execute the designs of each level.

And we still have more courses, which you can check here.