Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Courses

Learn Coffee the Calm Way

Our SCA-certified courses are designed to help you understand coffee from seed to cup – whether you’re a home brewer, a café professional, or simply curious about flavour.

Each course is taught in small groups in South East London for an unhurried, hands-on experience.

See below for our current offerings

SCA Introduction to Coffee

This half day course is a calm and comprehensive introduction to the world of specialty coffee - from seed to cup. Designed for new baristas, those starting out in the coffee industry, home brewers, and anyone curious about how coffee travels from origin to your cup, it combines essential theory with hands-on tasting and brewing.

UPCOMING DATES:

  • JANUARY 2026: 10:00 - 14:30 Tuesday 6th January @ Online
  • FEBRUARY 2026: 10:00 - 14:30 Tuesday 10th February @ The Coffee Centre London, Unit 1 Forest Hill Business Centre, SE23 3JF
  • MARCH 2026: 10:00 - 14:30 Tuesday 3rd March @ Online

Course Details

The Details

Duration: 4 Hours, with a short break

Trainer: Will Whiting (Authorised SCA Trainer)

Class Size: 2-6 participants in person, 2-4 participants online

Price

In person: £150.

Online: £125

There is an additional 25 EURO enrollment fee to be paid by students direct to the SCA (we will provide details on how to do this). This Fee enables you to register with the SCA, sit the short exam, and earn your official SCA certificate

Course Content

  • The journey of coffee from seed to cup: farming, processing, roasting, and brewing.
  • Arabica vs robusta – and how species, altitude, and process influence flavour.
  • Guided cupping session exploring flavour and aroma.
  • Overview of roast styles
  • Performing a sample roast.
  • Brewing fundamentals: ratio, grind, extraction, and water quality.
  • Introduction to sustainability and traceability in specialty coffee.
  • Final assessment: short multiple-choice exam (SCA requirement).

You’ll taste, learn, and discuss coffee in a calm, supportive setting designed to build confidence and curiosity.

Booking

Upcoming sessions are listed above. TFor more information, or to book your place, email will@calmcoffeeroastery.co.uk

Your Trainer - Will Whiting

Will Whiting is the founder of Calm Coffee Roastery and an Authorised SCA Trainer. A former Chartered Structural Engineer, he brings a rare mix of scientific thinking, sensory focus, and hands-on experience to coffee education.

His passion for specialty coffee began while living near Adelaide Central Market, eventually leading him to Monmouth Coffee in Bermondsey in 2018, where he worked across packing, delivery, barista work, and later joined the roasting team. In 2024 he founded Calm Coffee Roastery.

Will completed his SCA Roasting Professional certification with Morten Münchow of CoffeeMind in 2022, training under a rigorous, research-led methodology that shapes his approach to flavour and consistency. Shortly after, he became an Authorised SCA Trainer to share that structured and accessible style of learning.

As a trainer, Will focuses on making coffee education calm, clear, and enjoyable — blending sensory exploration with practical insight to help learners build confidence and understand the “why” behind flavour, whether at home, behind the bar, or in a roastery.

Why Study with the SCA?

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is the world’s leading organisation for coffee education, research, and industry standards. Their courses are recognised globally and are designed to give learners a clear, structured path into specialty coffee - whether you’re taking your first steps or looking to deepen your professional skills.

Studying with the SCA means learning within a framework that is trusted across the entire coffee value chain. Each course is built around rigorous, up-to-date research and delivered by Authorised SCA Trainers (ASTs) who meet high teaching and calibration standards. The SCA Coffee Skills Program is used by roasteries, cafés, importers, and producers worldwide to train staff and develop confident coffee professionals.

By completing an SCA course, you earn internationally recognised certificates that stay with you throughout your coffee journey. These certificates can help you progress through the wider Coffee Skills Program - from introductory courses all the way to advanced levels - and can support future career development in roasting, brewing, sensory analysis, or barista work.

Most importantly, SCA courses give you a solid foundation to understand coffee with clarity: how it’s grown, processed, roasted, brewed, and assessed.

It’s a structured, credible, and enjoyable way to deepen your knowledge of specialty coffee.

Contact Us

Interested in talking about coffee training? Please email us at hello@calmcoffeeroastery.co.uk