☕ 14-Day Coffee Quality Curriculum
Aligned to:
- Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)
- Kenya Coffee School (KCS) – CQA / ABCVA™ Framework
- Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)
Delivery Model: 4 days per week | Theory + Lab + Field
Certification Logic: Competency-based (not exam-only)
🔶 FRAMEWORK ALIGNMENT MAP (Quick View)
| Area | SCA | CQI | KCS CQA / ABCVA™ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Coffee | Green Coffee Skills | Q Grader Concepts | Origin-Centered Quality Assessment |
| Sensory | Sensory Skills | Q Arabica System | ABCVA™ Sensory Translation |
| Roasting | Roasting Skills | Roast Evaluation | Practical Market-Ready Roasting |
| Brewing | Brewing Skills | Brew for Evaluation | Buyer & Export Cupping Brewing |
| Espresso | Barista / Brewing | Espresso Evaluation | Trade & Calibration Espresso |
📅 WEEK 1 – GREEN COFFEE & CUP FOUNDATIONS
Day 1 – Green Coffee Foundations
SCA: Green Coffee – Introduction
CQI: Coffee value chain & quality impact
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Quality starts at origin
Core Competencies
- Coffee species & varieties (Kenyan context)
- Processing methods & quality impact
- Moisture, density, screen size
Lab
- Visual green analysis
- Sample identification & traceability
Day 2 – Green Coffee Classification & Defects
SCA: Green Coffee Grading & Defects
CQI: Defect system logic
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Kenya grades → global buyer language
Core Competencies
- Kenya grading (AA, AB, PB, C, TT)
- Primary vs secondary defects
- Storage & pre-export handling
Lab
- Defect counting
- Grade comparison: Kenya vs international systems
Day 3 – Cupping Fundamentals (Normal Cupping Lab)
SCA: Sensory Skills – Cupping
CQI: Q Cupping Protocol
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: From score → market value
Core Competencies
- Cupping setup & protocol
- Aroma, flavor, acidity, body, balance
- Calibration & bias control
Lab
- Full cupping of washed Kenyan coffees
- Group calibration discussion
Day 4 – Study Trip: Sagana
KCS Signature: Origin immersion
Focus
- Wet milling systems
- Fermentation control
- Drying & moisture management
Outcome
- Connect processing decisions to cup score & price
📅 WEEK 2 – ROASTING FUNDAMENTALS
Day 5 – Roasting Theory
SCA: Roasting – Fundamentals
CQI: Roast impact on evaluation
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Roast for honesty, not disguise
Core Competencies
- Heat transfer
- Roast phases
- Common roast defects
Day 6 – Practical Roasting Lab
SCA: Roast execution
CQI: Consistency & repeatability
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Sample roast discipline
Lab
- Sample roaster use
- 2–3 roast profiles of same coffee
- Roast logging
Day 7 – Roast Evaluation & Cupping
SCA: Roast evaluation
CQI: Roast defect identification
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Linking roast to buyer preference
Lab
- Roast color analysis
- Comparative roast cupping
Day 8 – Study Trip: Embu
Focus
- Estate & cooperative quality control
- Storage & logistics
Outcome
- How terroir + handling affect roast decisions
📅 WEEK 3 – BREWING & POUR OVER
Day 9 – Brewing Fundamentals
SCA: Brewing – Extraction Theory
CQI: Brewing for evaluation
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Brew clarity for cupping & buyers
Core Competencies
- Brew ratios
- Grind size & water chemistry
- Strength vs extraction
Day 10 – Pour Over: V60
SCA: Manual Brewing
CQI: Brew consistency
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Transparency brewing
Lab
- V60 recipe development
- Sensory comparison
Day 11 – Pour Over: Kalita
SCA: Flat-bed brewing
CQI: Comparative evaluation
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Matching brew method to coffee
Lab
- Kalita vs V60 tasting
- Extraction discussion
Day 12 – Study Trip: Gatanga
Focus
- Smallholder realities
- Quality incentives & pricing
Outcome
- Quality as an economic tool, not theory
📅 WEEK 4 – ESPRESSO CUPPING & CALIBRATION
Day 13 – Espresso Fundamentals
SCA: Espresso & Brewing Skills
CQI: Espresso evaluation principles
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Espresso as trade language
Core Competencies
- Espresso variables
- Grinder calibration
- Shot diagnosis
Day 14 – Espresso Cupping & Final Calibration
SCA: Sensory calibration
CQI: Comparative evaluation
KCS CQA / ABCVA™: Green → Roast → Brew → Cup
Lab
- Espresso cupping
- Filter vs espresso comparison
- Final calibration
🎓 CERTIFICATION & RECOGNITION
Participants Graduate With:
- KCS Certificate in Coffee Quality Assessment (CQA / ABCVA™)
- Skills mapped to SCA Green, Sensory, Roasting & Brewing
- Foundational readiness for CQI Q Grader pathway
- Origin-based competence valued by exporters & buyers
🔑 WHY THIS WORKS (Strategically)
- Matches global frameworks without being euro-centric
- Centers Kenya as the reference point, not an afterthought
- Trains producers, exporters, roasters & cuppers in one language
- ABCVA™ bridges scores → stories → sales