The American Barista and Coffee School

Upcoming Classes

Featured Graduate

The 5-day startup training has helped me solidify my plan, organize tasks and set goals/timelines for opening my coffee shop and prioritizing the work that needs to be accomplished. I am confident that I have the tools and resources to be successful. I look forward to an ongoing business relationship with Bellissimo for training and consulting services.

Teresa Sepmeyer | Woodburn, OR

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Coffee Classes for the Consumer

This in-depth course will teach you about coffee from seed to cup and give you at-home barista skills. You have the option to attend for either two or three days.

During the two day class, you will learn the difference between specialty coffee and the coffee your parents drank every day, be introduced to the secrets of using a French Press, Vacuum Pot, Mocha Pot, Drip Coffee Maker and Pour-Over Device, cup coffees from the world's coffee producing regions, get hands-on experience with a variety of home coffee and espresso preparation techniques on the newest and best home equipment available on the market, and take a guided tour of a coffee roastery.

The optional third day class will give you hands-on experience in advanced barista techniques, teach you how to pair the right coffee with the food, and let you experiment with the many flavors that can be added to various coffee drinks.

Class Dates:
January 18-20

Class Cost:
  • 2-day $940
  • 3-day $1,330
A $500 deposit is required at the time of registration.
Receive $100 off if balance is paid 30 days prior to class.

Download Workshop Schedule   Download Registration Form
Workshop Overview

Day 1

  • Coffee Meet and Greet: Class introduction and overview of course contents.
  • Introduction and Overview to Specialty Coffee: Learn the difference between specialty coffee and the coffee your parents drank each day. Learn about the bean in addition to coffee roasting and blending. Learn how small subtleties can ruin great coffee.
  • The Passionate Harvest:  Watch a one-hour film that will take you around the world and teach you about coffee from seed to cup.
  • Origin Coffees [the world's growing regions]: Learn about the world's coffee-growing regions and how taste differs in each. Specific types of coffee and cultivars are discussed.
  • Lunch: [Provided by Clark Lewis, named best new Portland restaurant]
  • Introduction to Cupping Coffee: In the sensory lab, you will learn how to properly cup coffee.
  • Hands-on Cupping Lab: With professional cuppers, you will cup a dozen different coffees, learning about the flavor profiles of coffees from different regions.
  • Discussion and Q & A: A wrap-up of the day's activities and an overview of day two.
  • Roastery Tour: Take a guided tour of a coffee roastery, where you will learn what happens to coffee from the time it arrives in the warehouse until it is packaged and ready for sale.

Day 2
  • Overview of Home Coffee Preparation Methods: Discussion and overview of the various methods of preparing great coffee at home.
  • Secrets to Using a French Press, Vacuum Pot, Mocha Pot, Drip Coffee Maker and Pour-Over Device: Demonstration followed by hands-on practice of the various tricks and methods used to properly grind coffee for each preparation type. Learn many commonly overlooked subtleties that can make good coffee great coffee.
  • Introduction to Espresso: Learn how small mistakes can ruin great espresso, even when using the best coffee and the most expensive machine. The blending process used by roasters to produce complex flavors will be explained.
  • Lunch: [Provided by Belllissimo, with students preparing their own panini sandwiches in the school]
  • Introduction to Espresso
  • What makes perfect espresso drinks
  • The visuals and taste profiles
  • The perfect grind
  • The perfect extraction of espresso coffee
  • The art of steaming and foaming milk
  • The pour
  • Tasting different espresso blends
  • Introduction to specialty espresso drinks
  • Hands-on Practice using Different Home Espresso Machines: A number of different home espresso machines will be available for hands-on practice for students to learn to make the perfect cappuccino or latte. Machines vary from medium-priced to the most expensive on the market.

Students taking the two-day course will be presented with their diplomas.

Day 3  [Optional]
  • Advanced Techniques - Making Fancy Pours: Students learn how the best baristas in the world make fancy pours, including the heart and the rosetta.
  • Lunch [Walk to a nearby restaurant)]
  • Advanced Specialty Coffee Drinks: Students experiment with the many flavors that can be added to various coffee drinks. A demonstration is followed by hands-on practice on how to make your coffee drink a work of art in a glass.
  • Pairing the Right Origin Coffee with the Right Food: What coffee goes best with a steak dinner? Seafood? Just like wine, certain origin coffees can compliment your food, not detract from it.
  • Discussions — Q & A: Q & A followed by diploma presentation.