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SCA Sensory Skills: Foundation

SCA Sensory Skills: Foundation

COFFEENØW

SCA Sensory Skills Foundation

COFFEENØW, in collaboration with Flow Float, is excited to welcome Neo Cheung from Hong Kong for a special SCA Sensory Skills Foundation course in Toronto.

This 1-day intensive program is designed for those who want to build a structured foundation in coffee sensory evaluation. Participants will explore how we perceive taste, aroma and flavour, while developing the essential sensory skills and vocabulary used by coffee professionals.

Through a combination of theory and practical exercises, participants will learn the fundamentals of sensory perception, aroma recognition, taste identification, coffee evaluation and cupping.

This course is ideal for baristas, roasters, café owners, coffee professionals and enthusiasts who want to develop a more systematic approach to tasting and describing coffee.

Complete the course and work toward your SCA Sensory Skills Foundation certificate.

1 Day · Foundation Level · SCA Certificate

COURSE INFORMATION

Dates: October 12, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM 
Location: COFFEENØW
Unit 12, 185 Riviera Dr, Markham, Ontario

Course: SCA Sensory Skills — Foundation + Intermediate
Format: 1-Day Program
Course Fee: CAD $800 (EARLY BIRD -> CAD $750)/person

WHAT IS SENSORY SKILLS?

Great coffee evaluation goes beyond simply saying, “I like it” or “I don't like it.”

Sensory skills give coffee professionals a structured way to understand, evaluate and communicate what they experience in a cup.

Throughout this intensive program, participants will explore how our senses influence coffee perception and learn how to identify, differentiate and communicate sensory characteristics with greater accuracy and consistency.

The course combines theory, tasting, cupping, sensory exercises and practical calibration.

FOUNDATION — BUILD YOUR SENSORY FOUNDATION

The Foundation level introduces the essential concepts behind sensory evaluation.

Participants will begin developing a structured approach to tasting coffee and understanding how our sensory system responds to different stimuli.

Topics and exercises may include:

  • Introduction to sensory analysis
  • Understanding taste, aroma and flavour
  • Basic sensory physiology
  • Sweetness, acidity, bitterness and other taste perceptions
  • Aroma recognition
  • Coffee flavour vocabulary
  • Introduction to professional coffee tasting
  • Identifying differences between coffees
  • Basic sensory testing and practical exercises
  • Communicating sensory experiences more clearly

The goal is to move from simply drinking coffee toward understanding why a coffee tastes the way it does.

MEET YOUR TRAINER — NEO CHEUNG 

Joining us from Hong Kong, Neo Cheung is a specialty coffee educator, sensory professional, competition judge, coach and competitor with extensive experience in coffee education and professional certification.

His credentials include:

  • SCAA CQI Q-Grader Certification
  • SCAA CQI R-Grader Certification
  • SCAE Authorized Trainer
  • SCAE Barista Certification Certifier
  • SCAE Grinding & Brewing Certification Certifier
  • SCAE Cupping & Sensory Certification Certifier
  • SCAE Green Bean Certification Certifier
  • SCAE Roasting Certification Certifier

Neo also brings extensive competition experience as both a competitor and judge.

His career highlights include becoming the 2024 China Coffee Cupping Competition – Hong Kong Champion and 2025–26 Hong Kong Runner-up, alongside judging and coaching experience across barista, sensory, AeroPress, siphon, latte art and other coffee competitions.

His combination of education + sensory + competition experience brings a practical perspective to the classroom beyond theory alone.

WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?

This intensive program is ideal for people who want to develop a more professional and systematic approach to tasting coffee, including baristas, roasters, café owners and managers, coffee buyers, QC professionals, competitors and coaches, and serious coffee enthusiasts.

You don't need to be a competition-level coffee professional to start developing better sensory skills. The program begins with Foundation concepts before progressing into Intermediate material.

📍 COFFEENØW
Unit 12, 185 Riviera Dr
Markham, Ontario

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT CAD $750 (email us and pay via e-transfer enjoy a tax waive discount)

Limited seats are available to maintain an effective environment for tasting, sensory exercises and calibration.

Same coffee. Deeper understanding.

Date
HK$4,345.00 HKD
HK$4,635.00 HKD HK$4,345.00 HKD
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