Art is not a stagnant entity. It’s always growing and improving, and is unique from individual to individual. Coffee roasting, similarly to sculpting or writing, is an art, every roastmaster possessing his or her own way of determining what makes a perfect roast. Much like a painter determines their own best stroke. Still, no matter your beliefs, methodology, or skill level, a roastmaster can always benefit from a high-quality coffee roasting education. The San Franciscan Roaster Company has partnered with Bald Guy Brewing to create an educational institute for roastmasters both new and experienced. The Coffee Roasting Institute was founded with the goal of providing a thorough coffee roasting education so that new roastmasters can learn the techniques needed to master their art and so experienced roastmasters can sharpen their skills and expand their horizons in coffee roasting.

Our Teaching Methodologies

At the Coffee Roasting Institute, you will never be bored with a slideshow presentation. We use a hands-on teaching approach that allows you to develop and further your knowledge of coffee roasting by using one of our roasters. We believe in learning by doing, and that’s just what you get at the Coffee Roasting Institute.

About the Courses

The Coffee Roasting Institute offers six courses plus a “build your own box” course that allows you to personalize what you would like to learn during your course. We’ve designed the courses so they can be as helpful to you as possible, no matter your skill level.

We’ll begin by talking a little bit at the beginning of the course, discussing your experience, current skill set, and comfort level with coffee roasting before diving on in. Each course will take you directly into roasting and we’ll be there as a guide throughout this process.

The courses we offer include:

• SCA Roasting Foundation- The SCA Roasting Foundation course is a one-day class designed for people who are new to the art of coffee roasting or who do it as a hobby. After covering information about roasting, cupping, and flavor profiles, you’ll have the opportunity for hands-on experience using an actual coffee roaster. You’ll learn the step-by-step process of coffee roasting using one of our amazing roasters.

• SCA Roasting Intermediate- Our intermediate classes are good for those who would like to expand their knowledge and skills in coffee roasting. Our intermediate course is three days and puts emphasis on the art and science of coffee roasting. The course covers central coffee roasting techniques, cupping, sensory development, and more.

• SCA Roasting Professional- The professional course at the Coffee Roasting Institute goes into even more detail about coffee roasting. We’ll discuss the process of how the beans get from the farm to the cup, expert coffee roasting techniques, and more. Before taking this course, students must pass the foundation and intermediate courses. The entire three-course package is perfect for coffee roasters of all skill levels.

• SCA Barista Foundation- If you’re one of the many coffee roasters who would like to open your very own coffee shop. Our barista foundation workshop covers the basics of working at an espresso bar. This includes using an espresso dial, mastering milk techniques, and pulling a perfect shot. This course is open to both coffee roasters looking to add being a barista to their repertoire and coffee enthusiasts looking to break into the coffee industry.

• Sensory Basics- This class breaks down everything you want to know about using your senses while roasting coffee. As you know, you use four of your five senses during the coffee roasting process, all of them except for touch. You’ll learn more about aromas, flavor profiling, and cupping.

• Green Coffee Basics- If you’re interested in learning about the importing, exporting, farming, and life cycles of coffee, this class is for you.

Education & Roast Development

A big feature of our education program is cupping. Whether you’re familiar with cupping or not, you’ll become quite acquainted with and well-trained in the process. While coffee roasting itself is an art, the development time of coffee can become its own art as well within the whole process. The development time during coffee roasting is just one technique we roastmasters can use to accentuate the flavor of your roasts. Different roast times allow for different flavor profiles to be highlighted, something you can see through roasting and cupping the coffee. This is something covered in many of the courses offered at the Coffee Roasting Institute.

Applying Your Education to Your Personal Art of Roasting

As an experienced roaster, you probably have already mastered your own special technique for how you use our machines to roast your coffee. But like we mentioned before, art is never stagnant. There is always room to develop your knowledge and skills further. An education, especially in coffee roasting, is invaluable and we encourage you to take advantage of our courses. We hope to see you soon at the CRI-Blue Ridge Campus! We promise it’s worth the trip!