KENYA COFFEE SCHOOL
Student Coffee Learning Journal Book
For Barista Skills, Coffee Science, Roasting & Mixology Students
Cover Page
Student Name: __________________________
Course / Cohort: ________________________
Instructor: _____________________________
Start Date: _____________________________
SECTION 1: ORIENTATION
1.1 Journal Purpose
This Coffee Learning Journal is designed to help you:
- Build strong sensory skills
- Track your daily progress and practice
- Record experiments scientifically
- Strengthen your coffee vocabulary
- Reflect on your learning journey
- Grow professionally as a barista or coffee scientist
1.2 Personal Learning Goals
Short-Term Goals (Next 4 Weeks):
Long-Term Goals (This Year):
SECTION 2: SENSORY JOURNAL
2.1 Daily Cupping Notes (Repeatable Page)
Date: ___________________
Coffee Name / Lot: _________________________
Origin: _______________________________
Variety: SL28 / SL34 / Ruiru 11 / Batian / Other __________
Process: Washed / Natural / Honey / Experimental
Roast Level: Light / Medium / Dark
Fragrance & Aroma
Notes: ________________________________________
Flavor Wheel Notes
- Sweetness: ______________________________
- Acidity (Type + Intensity): _______________
- Body / Mouthfeel: ________________________
- Finish: __________________________________
- Defects (if any): _________________________
Overall Impression:
Score (1–10): _______
2.2 Flavor Development Exercise (Repeatable Page)
Today’s Focus: (e.g., fruity, floral, spice, acidity)
Describe three flavors you detect and where you feel them on your palate:
- Flavor: ___________________ | Location on tongue: ______________
- Flavor: ___________________ | Location on tongue: ______________
- Flavor: ___________________ | Location on tongue: ______________
SECTION 3: BREWING & EXTRACTION JOURNAL
3.1 Espresso Extraction Log (Repeatable Page)
Date: __________________
Machine: __________________
Grinder: __________________
Variables
- Dose: ______ g
- Yield: ______ g
- Brew Time: ______ sec
- Water Temp: ______ °C
- Pressure: ______ bars
Adjustments Made & Why
Tasting Result
- Sweetness: Low / Medium / High
- Acidity: Low / Medium / High
- Body: Light / Medium / Heavy
- Notes: _______________________________________
3.2 Pour-Over / Filter Coffee Log
Method: V60 / Chemex / Kalita / Aeropress / Other
Grind Setting: __________________
Coffee: __________________________
Ratio: ______ g coffee : ______ ml water
Observations
- Bloom time: __________
- Drawdown time: ________
- Flow rate: Fast / Ideal / Slow
Flavor Notes
SECTION 4: ROASTING JOURNAL
4.1 Roast Profile Log (Repeatable Page)
Roaster Type: ____________________
Batch Size: ______ g
Green Coffee: ___________________
Milestones
- Turning Point: ______ °C @ ______ min
- Maillard Phase: ______ °C @ ______ min
- First Crack: ______ °C @ ______ min
- Development Time: ______ min
- Drop Temp: ______ °C
Roast Curve Sketch
(Blank space for hand-drawing)
Tasting Review (24 hrs, 48 hrs, 72 hrs)
SECTION 5: WATER, LAB & EXPERIMENT JOURNAL
5.1 Water Chemistry Test
Source (Tap / Borehole / Filtered): _____________
- TDS: ______ ppm
- Hardness: ______ mg/L
- pH: ______
Effect on Flavor:
5.2 Experiment Notebook
(Used for fermentation trials, brew ratio changes, roast experiments, etc.)
Experiment Title: _________________________________
Hypothesis: _______________________________________
Procedure: ________________________________________
Variables: _________________________________________
Findings: __________________________________________
Conclusion: _________________________________________
SECTION 6: FIELDWORK & FARM VISIT NOTES
6.1 Farm Visit Observation Sheet
Farm Name: __________________________
Region: ______________________________
Altitude: ____________________________
What I Observed
- Soil & terrain: _________________________
- Varieties grown: ________________________
- Processing style: _______________________
- Farmer challenges: ______________________
- Innovations seen: _______________________
Reflections
SECTION 7: REFLECTIONS & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
7.1 Weekly Reflection (Repeatable Page)
Week: ______________
- What I learned: ______________________________
- What challenged me: __________________________
- Mistakes I made & what I learned from them:
- New vocabulary I added: ______________________
- Goals for next week: _________________________
SECTION 8: FINAL PORTFOLIO
8.1 End-of-Course Reflection
- How my sensory skills improved:
- How my communication skills improved:
- What I am most proud of:
- Where I still need to grow:
- My career goal in coffee:
End of Coffee Learning Journal
Kenya Coffee School – Empowering the Next Generation of Coffee Professionals