For Information on each course - scroll down
Coffee School Founder -Oliver James;
Although he’s been pouring shots for 25 years, Oliver got serious about coffee 12 years ago, and started training students at Cairns Coffee School 10 years ago. He would describe himself as insatiably curious and a loves the learning process.
Oliver now mostly upskills barista's to be effective trainers, consults to cafes and is running experimental coffee processing on coffee farms in Mareeba and Ethiopia. Oliver runs the 3 day course based in Cairns and Mareeba.
Some of his more impressive accomplishments are:
Reigning champion Cairns Barista Competition, Certified world barista competition judge, Founder of Caffiend, Co-founder of Tattooed Sailor Coffee Roasters, Founder of Cairns Coffee School and Lifelong learner of all things coffee.
Head Trainer -Gina Oliver;
Gina is a natural learner and excellent trainer -she has been making coffee since 2009, and Specialty Coffee since 2015. For Gina, her passion for coffee is driven by the fact "coffee, and the coffee industry is in continual change, so there is always something to learn".
Gina loves the similarities between the coffee and wine industry -"how there's different varieties, and processing methods, and styles of roasting that all effect the flavour in the cup"
"I think the course we teach is very broad and in-depth, we teach the old and the new processes of making coffee, and really explain the why we do things, and not just instructions on the way WE do it" Gina explains.
Our coffee school receives loads of positive feedback, with students often saying how the didn't realise how exciting the industry is, and how much there is to learn!
Who You Are
You love coffee. Maybe you know a little, maybe you know a lot - either way, there’s always more to discover.
Level up your skills and knowledge, from cherry to cup.
Have you already booked in your course with one of our trainers? Please pay here.
Menu
Each training is a minimum of 3 hours. The price is $165 in a group, or $300 one-on-one. Buy all three Barista Courses for a discounted price of $425 in a group or $640 one-on-one.
Barista Basics - Part 1
No pre-requisites. (Already booked in a date? Pay for your Course here).
| History, social influence and global economics of coffee |
| Introduction to farming, processing, grading, and storing green beans |
| Introduction to roasting and blending |
| Introduction to extraction theory -grinding, dosing & tamping techniques |
| Introduction to milk science and texture, latte art |
| Coffee menu and recipes |
| Machine maintenance |
Latte Art & Milk Science Course
Ideally have completed Barista Basics - Part 1. (Already booked in a date? Pay for your Course here).
| Re-cap Barista Basics, dialling in and extraction |
| In-depth analysis of coffee menu, influence of cup shape & size |
| Skills and bar layout for producing high volume coffee orders |
| Advanced milk texturing and latte art, with lots of practice, practice, practice! |
Barista Basics - Part 2
Must have completed Barista Basic Part 1 and Latte Art & Milk Science Course. (Already booked in a date? Pay for your Course here).
In this class, we focus the flavour of coffee -how it is developed, and how we perceive it. This is a key skill in the barista profession, to effectively dial-in and monitor the consistency of your coffee throughout the day. Topics include single origins, processing methods and farm level influence, introduction to roasting, sensory development with sensory kit and flavour wheel, coffee evaluation methods including cupping and competitions. Must have completed Barista Basics Part 1.
The Grand Tour
Cherry to Cup Tour -a full coffee immersion experience!
3-day course $2250 per person, minimum 2 people, maximum 6. Please contact us for larger groups.
| DAY 1 - At our cafe and roastery, all 3 courses above on the first day, learning barista and roasting skills. |
| DAY 2 - Farm trip to Mareeba - growing, harvesting, traditional and experimental processing methods, varietals, regions, flavour profiles. |
| DAY 3 - Morning - at our cafe and roastery - a deep dive into sensory development. |
| DAY 3 - Afternoon - tour of Cairns influential cafe's and visit other roasters. |
| Price includes lunch and refreshments on each day, and travel costs to/from Mareeba. |
We can tailor your barista training to include:
- Filter coffee training
- Competition introduction & training
- Cupping sessions
- Café consulting
Got questions? We’ve got answers. Contact us to get your coffee adventure brewing.
