Let's Talk About Barista School
Do you have to go to a barista school to be a great barista?
For many, working in specialty coffee is a dream job and a very inspiring experience. For others – it’s an extra income and a possibility to relax from studying or other challenging jobs. If you want to know how to become a barista – stay with us!
Whatever the decision, when you start thinking of being a barista, you want to know the most effective path towards your dream job. You might even think about investing in an expensive course or get a certificate.
Do you need to go to school to be a barista? The answer is no. You don't need to enroll in a sit-down program like being a hairstylist. However, you can enroll in a training course that can provide you with the necessary coffee knowledge.
What to Go to Barista School?
What is a Barista Certification Program?
Barista certification commonly means that a barista has taken a barista training course and successfully passed a test about coffee and barista duties. It proves that a barista is prepared to work in the food and beverage industry.
There are many barista certification programs, both online and offline. The most famous and respected course that a barista may decide to take is Specialty Coffee Association Barista Certificate Program. Within this program, one can find a series of classes on barista skills, each of them costing around $1000 with a certificate. It sounds like an excellent investment, but it can be challenging for an aspiring barista to dedicate such a significant amount of money to start a barista career. Are there cheaper ways to learn the coffee basics? We believe so.
The good news is that there is no government requirement for having a barista certification or a barista professional license. It means that you can learn how to be a barista on your own or through any barista training programs you find.
Just get some experience first. All coffee shops or restaurants offer a quick course for their new staff members about using the coffee equipment and brew great espresso. This might be a great place to get some initial experience. And then, when you acquire more expertise and can afford an expensive course, you may pursue an SCA certificate.
Going To Barista School: Take a Barista Training Course Online
You don’t need any formal training to become a barista to start a career in coffee. Despite that, you have many avenues to enter a specialty coffee scene, having only basic coffee background. You probably want to be a barista because you like coffee and know a thing or two about your favorite drink. That’s a great place to start! Your passion and your own fondness for coffee can propel you to learn about coffee.
Continue building your coffee knowledge with the information you have at your fingertips: you can find plenty of useful articles online and buy a few good books about coffee history.
Many aspiring baristas today have limited time to study because they have college deadlines due to or other part-time work to do. Keeping that in mind, we developed an online barista training guide course with a profound 300-page barista guide and upcoming video series accessible online from anywhere.
Your Barista School
Once purchasing The Beginning Barista Guide, you will learn:
- Coffee history and how it became the most traded commodity today.
- What’s so special about “specialty coffee,” and why it’s important to know coffee origins, processing methods, shipping, and storage practices.
- The chemistry of coffee roasting, as well as roasting levels and stages.
- Coffee palate and “lingo” development. After taking this course, you’ll most definitely talk like a coffee professional using specific coffee descriptors and terminology.
- The best practices of espresso preparation
- The main principles of manual coffee brewing include correct filtration, water quality, temperature, water to coffee ratio, etc.
- Milk steaming and basic latte art techniques and patterns
- How to create an effective barista workspace, prevent accidents, minimize waste.
- Handling food and drinks. Take care of your hygiene and the health of your customers. All you need to know to get Food handlers permit if required in your state.
- Cleaning and maintenance of expensive coffee equipment.
Being a barista can be fun, engaging, and open up new opportunities for you. Coffee is something you can develop a passion for and build on. Once you learn how to be a barista, you can transfer these skills to nearly every location worldwide. Whether you are in Seattle, Los Angeles, or Berlin, or Thailand (and everywhere in between!), you can confidently start your career in coffee.
Barista Training Academy
Brought to you by Barista Training Academy, “The Beginning Barista,” Your Ultimate Prep Guide to Getting Your First Job as a Barista” is an ultimate resource that is available online. It is affordable for anybody who is looking to start a career in the coffee industry. For more information, visit our blog.
