Barista Block Training is Back at the Innovation Lab!

Our Barista Block Training is back! Offering two days of hands-on training for coffee shop owners, managers, and baristas, Barista Block covers general coffee knowledge, brew bar techniques, customer service, espresso and milk techniques. 

Barista Block is offered monthly at our Crimson Cup Innovation Lab, an SCA Premier Training Campus in Columbus.

“We are inviting our coffee partners to join us for two days of coffee knowledge immersion,” said 7 Steps Project Manager and Trainer Steve Bayless. “It’s a solid two days of barista technique, coffee knowledge, and customer service information, with lots of tasting and practice.”

Steve and Training and Innovation Manager Jacob Hill act as Lead Barista Block Instructors. Station Instructors include 7 Steps Customer Growth Rep Heather Syx, Customer Growth and Training Manager Susan McMillan, Customer Growth and Training Manager Devin Goodwin and Customer Growth Rep Lea Summerfield-Wechter.

Together, the Barista Block Instructors offer over 20 years of experience as coffee shop baristas, owners and managers.

Independent coffee shops that take part in our 7 Steps to Coffee Startup Success program can send teams to brush up their skills at this hands-on training.

So far this year, Barista Block trainees have represented owners, managers and employees from over ten 7 Steps coffeehouses from across the country, some traveling from as far away as Texas, North Carolina, and Indiana, as well as several shops in Ohio.

Offered at Ohio’s Only SCA Premier Training Campus

One of only 31 SCA Premier Training Campuses in the U.S., the 7,000-square-foot Crimson Cup Innovation Lab offers industry-leading equipment and instruction for coffee professionals. It also teaches Columbus-area consumers what goes into a terrific cup of coffee.

“Premier Training Campuses are SCA member companies or organizations whose facilities have been inspected and certified by the SCA,” said Crimson Cup Sustainability Director Brandon Bir, who is an SCA Lab/Campus Inspector. “The program recognizes these facilities offer an exceptional education setting for coffee education.”

Among other coffee industry qualifications, Brandon is the East Regional Coordinator for the SCA U.S. Chapter Committee, an Assistant Q Instructor for the Coffee Quality Institute, Authorized SCA Trainer (AST), SCA Specialized Instructor and SCA Lead Instructor.,

Besides offices for our executive, coffee buying and innovation teams, the Innovation Lab includes five separate areas for coffee evaluation, roasting and training:

• Classroom – a multi-purpose room used for classroom learning and meetings.
• Application Lab – used for training baristas on hot, iced, and frozen drinks, Modbar training and friendly barista competitions.
• Cupping Lab – used for analyzing coffee samples, ensuring coffee quality, establishing roast profiles, cupping classes, scientific analysis of brewed coffees and green coffee analysis.
• Roasting Lab – used for teaching roasting courses, analysis of coffee roasts, roast profile analysis, green coffee analysis and roasting experimentation.
• Employee Café – a gathering place for employees and guests.

To learn more about Barista Block training and sign up for an upcoming session, contact hsyx@crimsoncup.com.

We plan to add an advanced Barista Block 2 class in late 2022 or early 2023. Stay tuned!