Roasting Intermediate/Professional
The structure and focus of the SCA Roasting Intermediate and Professional modules, which train roasters to move from operational competence to mastery of profiling and production systems.
- Coffee Basics Nerds
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Article 3 of 12 in Careers, Certifications & Competitions/
Roasting Intermediate
- Audience: Roasters with some practical experience.
- Focus: Building technical depth and consistency.
- Key Topics:
- Heat transfer dynamics (conduction, convection, radiation).
- Identifying stages: drying, Maillard, development.
- Controlling Rate of Rise (RoR) and avoiding defects.
- Roast profiling basics—designing and repeating curves.
- Sample roasting and production consistency.
- Practical Assessments:
- Roast curve matching.
- Sensory triangulations across different roast levels.
- Written exam covering theory.
Roasting Professional
- Audience: Experienced roasters aiming for leadership or head roaster roles.
- Focus: Mastery of complex roasting systems, QC integration, and business impact.
- Key Topics:
- Advanced thermodynamics—gas, airflow, drum speed adjustments.
- Profile development tailored to green density, moisture, and processing.
- Data logging and curve analysis.
- Sensory evaluation tied to roast chemistry.
- Production planning, scaling from sample to full capacity.
- Safety, maintenance, and energy efficiency strategies.
- Practical Assessments:
- Designing and executing unique roast profiles.
- Linking sensory outcomes to roast curve choices.
- Defect recognition and corrective planning.
Certification Points
- Intermediate: 10 CSP points.
- Professional: 25 CSP points.
- Both contribute toward the SCA Coffee Skills Diploma.
Career Relevance
- Intermediate: Builds competence for consistent roasting operations.
- Professional: Prepares roasters for management, R&D, and teaching roles.
- Both levels increase credibility and employability in specialty roasteries.
Summary
The Roasting Intermediate module develops consistency and foundational profiling skills, while the Professional module equips roasters for mastery—integrating advanced thermodynamics, sensory science, and production planning into a complete roasting strategy.