SCA BARISTA INTERMEDIATE COURSE ACTUAL EXAM
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
● Arabica Varieties. Answer: Typica & Bourbon are the parent varieties
● Flavour Profile: Africa. Answer: Citric, Floral, & Fruity
● Flavour Profile: South America. Answer: Nutty & Chocolatey
● Flavour Profile: Asia. Answer: Spicy, Earthy
● Processing Methods. Answer: Washed: High acidity, lighter body Natural: Low Acidity,
high/heavier body Semi washed/pulped natural: In between
● Washed. Answer: Higher Acidity, lighter body
● Natural. Answer: Low Acidity, high/heavy body
● Semi-washed/pulp natural. Answer: In between
● Darker Roasted Coffee (Roast Profiles). Answer: Have higher solubility, therefore a
higher extraction rate when making espresso
● Lighter Roasts(. Answer: =Less Solubility - Light Roasts produce smaller beans, but have
higher density
● Degassing. Answer: The release of Carbon Dioxide after roasting
● Cool storage Temps = ? (Coffee Freshness). Answer: Allow for slower degassing. Hotter
temperatures =faster degassing
● Worst Packaging Material?. Answer: Paper bags - they allow coffee to oxidize faster
● Espresso made from coffee roasted the same day will have large foamy crema, and
taste astringent. Answer: Workflow in direction of Customer Flow? (6 steps)
● 1. Ordering Area/Register/Till 2. Grinder 3. Knockbox 4. Espresso Machine 5. Milk
jugs/rinser, milk fridge 6. Drinks recieving area. Answer: When referring to grinding coffee,
what does retention refer to?
, ● How much ground coffee remains in grinder between doses. Answer: Accurately label
3 types of grinder
● Flat, Conical, Roller. Answer: How would you expect the flow rate of a hot shot from a hot
grinder to be different from a cool grinder?
● The espresso flow rate would be slower. Answer: True or false, firmly tamping the coffee
is more important in preventing channeling than good distribution of the coffee in the basket?
● False. Answer: How could an espresso extraction be affected if distribution and tamping is
performed badly?
● Increased chance of channeling and unbalanced extraction. Answer: Brew Ratio
Calculation
● Yield/dose Brew ratio is expressed as dose:yield. Answer: EBF Calculation
● Espresso Brew Formula (Dose/Yield)x100 EBF is expressed as a percentage. Answer:
TDS
● Is the concentration of total dissolved solids present in the cup, measured by a
refractometer Extraction % is calculated as (Yield x TDS) / dose=extraction %. Answer:
You make a double espresso with 16g dose and 40g yield. What is the EBF?
● (dose/yield)x100 = Extraction % (16/40)x100 = 40%. Answer: An espresso is made with
17g dose and 34g yield. What is the Espresso Brew Ratio?
● yield/dose 34/17 = 2 (1:2). Answer: What information does a refractometer provide?
● TDS. Answer: You make a double espresso with 17g dose and 34yield. The TDS is 10%.
Using the formula (yield x TDS)/dose, what is the indicated extraction%?
● (yieldxTDS) / dose (34x10)/17 = 20%. Answer: What does the formula "(yieldxTDS)/dose"
calculate?
● Extraction. Answer: An espresso made from medium roast beans has a 14% extraction.
Which dominant taste would you consider most likely?
● Sour (14% is under extracted, so therefore is sour). Answer: Identify Body, Heart, and
Crema
● Body=Sour, Heavy Heart=Sweet, Medium Crema=Bitter, Light. Answer: Body
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
● Arabica Varieties. Answer: Typica & Bourbon are the parent varieties
● Flavour Profile: Africa. Answer: Citric, Floral, & Fruity
● Flavour Profile: South America. Answer: Nutty & Chocolatey
● Flavour Profile: Asia. Answer: Spicy, Earthy
● Processing Methods. Answer: Washed: High acidity, lighter body Natural: Low Acidity,
high/heavier body Semi washed/pulped natural: In between
● Washed. Answer: Higher Acidity, lighter body
● Natural. Answer: Low Acidity, high/heavy body
● Semi-washed/pulp natural. Answer: In between
● Darker Roasted Coffee (Roast Profiles). Answer: Have higher solubility, therefore a
higher extraction rate when making espresso
● Lighter Roasts(. Answer: =Less Solubility - Light Roasts produce smaller beans, but have
higher density
● Degassing. Answer: The release of Carbon Dioxide after roasting
● Cool storage Temps = ? (Coffee Freshness). Answer: Allow for slower degassing. Hotter
temperatures =faster degassing
● Worst Packaging Material?. Answer: Paper bags - they allow coffee to oxidize faster
● Espresso made from coffee roasted the same day will have large foamy crema, and
taste astringent. Answer: Workflow in direction of Customer Flow? (6 steps)
● 1. Ordering Area/Register/Till 2. Grinder 3. Knockbox 4. Espresso Machine 5. Milk
jugs/rinser, milk fridge 6. Drinks recieving area. Answer: When referring to grinding coffee,
what does retention refer to?
, ● How much ground coffee remains in grinder between doses. Answer: Accurately label
3 types of grinder
● Flat, Conical, Roller. Answer: How would you expect the flow rate of a hot shot from a hot
grinder to be different from a cool grinder?
● The espresso flow rate would be slower. Answer: True or false, firmly tamping the coffee
is more important in preventing channeling than good distribution of the coffee in the basket?
● False. Answer: How could an espresso extraction be affected if distribution and tamping is
performed badly?
● Increased chance of channeling and unbalanced extraction. Answer: Brew Ratio
Calculation
● Yield/dose Brew ratio is expressed as dose:yield. Answer: EBF Calculation
● Espresso Brew Formula (Dose/Yield)x100 EBF is expressed as a percentage. Answer:
TDS
● Is the concentration of total dissolved solids present in the cup, measured by a
refractometer Extraction % is calculated as (Yield x TDS) / dose=extraction %. Answer:
You make a double espresso with 16g dose and 40g yield. What is the EBF?
● (dose/yield)x100 = Extraction % (16/40)x100 = 40%. Answer: An espresso is made with
17g dose and 34g yield. What is the Espresso Brew Ratio?
● yield/dose 34/17 = 2 (1:2). Answer: What information does a refractometer provide?
● TDS. Answer: You make a double espresso with 17g dose and 34yield. The TDS is 10%.
Using the formula (yield x TDS)/dose, what is the indicated extraction%?
● (yieldxTDS) / dose (34x10)/17 = 20%. Answer: What does the formula "(yieldxTDS)/dose"
calculate?
● Extraction. Answer: An espresso made from medium roast beans has a 14% extraction.
Which dominant taste would you consider most likely?
● Sour (14% is under extracted, so therefore is sour). Answer: Identify Body, Heart, and
Crema
● Body=Sour, Heavy Heart=Sweet, Medium Crema=Bitter, Light. Answer: Body
