SCA SENSORY SKILLS
Course: 5 points
Duration: 1 Day
Course fee: R4000
SCA Sensory Foundtion
The SCA Sensory Intermediate course builds on the foundational level by deepening your understanding of how sensory science applies to coffee evaluation and quality control. You’ll explore more advanced concepts such as the physiology of taste and smell, the impact of coffee origin, processing, and roasting on flavour, and how to apply sensory analysis techniques in a professional setting.
Through structured tastings, triangulation tests, and descriptive analysis exercises, you’ll refine your ability to identify, quantify, and communicate flavour attributes with accuracy and consistency. The course also covers sensory panel management, calibration, and the use of the SCA cupping protocol to evaluate coffee objectively. By the end, you’ll have enhanced sensory acuity, stronger evaluation skills, and a deeper understanding of how sensory data supports coffee quality assessment and product development.
What to Expect:
- Deeper understanding of how taste, aroma, and mouthfeel influence coffee flavour
- Exploration of how origin, processing, and roasting affect sensory attributes
- Hands-on sensory exercises, including triangulation and descriptive analysis
- Advanced calibration and tasting practice using the SCA cupping protocol
- Development of consistent sensory vocabulary and communication skills
- Introduction to sensory data interpretation and quality control applications
- Strengthening sensory accuracy, discrimination, and evaluation consistency
Course: 5 points
Duration: 2 Days
Course fee: R5200
SCA Sensory Intermediate
The SCA Sensory Intermediate course builds on the foundational level by deepening your understanding of how sensory science applies to coffee evaluation and quality control. You’ll explore more advanced concepts such as the physiology of taste and smell, the impact of coffee origin, processing, and roasting on flavour, and how to apply sensory analysis techniques in a professional setting.
Through structured tastings, triangulation tests, and descriptive analysis exercises, you’ll refine your ability to identify, quantify, and communicate flavour attributes with accuracy and consistency. The course also covers sensory panel management, calibration, and the use of the SCA cupping protocol to evaluate coffee objectively. By the end, you’ll have enhanced sensory acuity, stronger evaluation skills, and a deeper understanding of how sensory data supports coffee quality assessment and product development.
What to Expect:
- Deeper understanding of how taste, aroma, and mouthfeel influence coffee flavour
- Exploration of how origin, processing, and roasting affect sensory attributes
- Hands-on sensory exercises, including triangulation and descriptive analysis
- Advanced calibration and tasting practice using the SCA cupping protocol
- Development of consistent sensory vocabulary and communication skills
- Introduction to sensory data interpretation and quality control applications
- Strengthening sensory accuracy, discrimination, and evaluation consistency
Course: 5 points
Duration: 3 Days
Course fee: R7000
SCA Sensory Professional
The SCA Sensory Professional course is the highest level of sensory training within the SCA Coffee Skills Program, designed for experienced tasters and professionals who manage or lead sensory analysis in the coffee industry. This advanced course delves deeply into sensory science theory and its application to coffee quality control, research, and product development. Participants explore complex topics such as sensory panel design, statistical data analysis, sensory bias, and the use of advanced descriptive and discriminative testing methods.
Practical sessions focus on developing and managing sensory panels, creating and validating flavour references, and applying scientific rigor to cupping and sensory evaluation. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to design, implement, and interpret sensory tests at a professional level, confidently lead sensory programs within your organization, and contribute to maintaining consistency and quality across the coffee supply chain.
What to Expect:
- Advanced study of sensory science and its application to coffee quality assessment
- Deep exploration of flavour perception, sensory bias, and calibration techniques
- Designing and managing sensory panels for consistent evaluation
- Conducting and analyzing descriptive and discriminative sensory tests
- Applying statistical methods to interpret sensory data
- Refining sensory vocabulary and accuracy in flavour identification
- Using sensory insights for product development and quality control
- Gaining the skills to lead sensory programs and ensure consistency across the coffee value chain