SCA BARISTA TEST LVL 1 COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
● Barista safety. Answer: Practices preventing burns, strains, and accidents in the café
environment
● Steam burn prevention. Answer: Always purge the wand before use; keep hands clear of
steam; tilt the pitcher away from the body
● Electrical safety. Answer: Never operate espresso machines with wet hands; report
damaged cables immediately
● Ergonomics in the café. Answer: Setting up the workstation to minimize repetitive strain
injuries, particularly in tamping
● Repetitive strain injury (RSI). Answer: Injury from overuse of muscles or joints; baristas
are susceptible at the shoulder and wrist
● Grip tamping. Answer: Holding the tamp with fingers curled and wrist straight to prevent
injury
● Slip and fall prevention. Answer: Keeping floor areas dry, especially around the espresso
machine and dishwashing area
● Chemical safety (cleaning). Answer: Using approved chemicals at correct dilutions; never
mixing cleaning agents; storing safely
● COSHH. Answer: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health; UK legislation requiring safe
handling of cleaning chemicals
● First aid in the café. Answer: Knowing the location of the first aid kit and the procedure for
reporting and treating minor injuries
● Food hygiene. Answer: Practices ensuring beverages are prepared safely, including
handwashing, clean equipment, and correct milk storage
● Milk storage temperature. Answer: Fresh milk should be stored at 1–4°C (34–40°F) to
prevent bacterial growth
, ● Milk pasteurization. Answer: Heat treatment of milk to kill harmful bacteria; all
commercially sold milk is pasteurized
● Cross-contamination prevention. Answer: Using dedicated equipment for dairy and
non-dairy milks; cleaning pitchers between uses
● Allergen management. Answer: Identifying and communicating allergens to customers;
using separate equipment for allergen-sensitive customers
● Waste reduction. Answer: Minimizing coffee and milk waste through accurate dosing,
proper dialing in, and good workflow
● Recycling. Answer: Sorting café waste correctly, including coffee grounds (compostable),
packaging, and glass
● Coffee grounds disposal. Answer: Used grounds can be composted or repurposed;
should not be flushed in quantity
● Cleaning schedule. Answer: A documented daily, weekly, and monthly plan for cleaning
all café equipment
● Daily machine cleaning. Answer: Backflushing with water after service and with detergent
per manufacturer schedule
● Portafilter cleaning. Answer: Rinsing with hot water after each shot; soaking in backflush
solution during cleaning
● Steam wand cleaning. Answer: Wiping immediately after each use and purging; deep
cleaning with milk cleaning solution
● Grinder cleaning. Answer: Wiping hopper daily; purging with cleaning pellets; dismantling
and brushing burrs weekly or monthly
● Group gasket. Answer: The rubber seal around the group head that prevents leaks;
requires replacement when worn
● Shower screen. Answer: The perforated metal screen in the group head that distributes
water evenly; cleaned during backflushing
● Descaling. Answer: Removing limescale from boilers and pipes using a descaling solution;
frequency depends on water hardness
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
● Barista safety. Answer: Practices preventing burns, strains, and accidents in the café
environment
● Steam burn prevention. Answer: Always purge the wand before use; keep hands clear of
steam; tilt the pitcher away from the body
● Electrical safety. Answer: Never operate espresso machines with wet hands; report
damaged cables immediately
● Ergonomics in the café. Answer: Setting up the workstation to minimize repetitive strain
injuries, particularly in tamping
● Repetitive strain injury (RSI). Answer: Injury from overuse of muscles or joints; baristas
are susceptible at the shoulder and wrist
● Grip tamping. Answer: Holding the tamp with fingers curled and wrist straight to prevent
injury
● Slip and fall prevention. Answer: Keeping floor areas dry, especially around the espresso
machine and dishwashing area
● Chemical safety (cleaning). Answer: Using approved chemicals at correct dilutions; never
mixing cleaning agents; storing safely
● COSHH. Answer: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health; UK legislation requiring safe
handling of cleaning chemicals
● First aid in the café. Answer: Knowing the location of the first aid kit and the procedure for
reporting and treating minor injuries
● Food hygiene. Answer: Practices ensuring beverages are prepared safely, including
handwashing, clean equipment, and correct milk storage
● Milk storage temperature. Answer: Fresh milk should be stored at 1–4°C (34–40°F) to
prevent bacterial growth
, ● Milk pasteurization. Answer: Heat treatment of milk to kill harmful bacteria; all
commercially sold milk is pasteurized
● Cross-contamination prevention. Answer: Using dedicated equipment for dairy and
non-dairy milks; cleaning pitchers between uses
● Allergen management. Answer: Identifying and communicating allergens to customers;
using separate equipment for allergen-sensitive customers
● Waste reduction. Answer: Minimizing coffee and milk waste through accurate dosing,
proper dialing in, and good workflow
● Recycling. Answer: Sorting café waste correctly, including coffee grounds (compostable),
packaging, and glass
● Coffee grounds disposal. Answer: Used grounds can be composted or repurposed;
should not be flushed in quantity
● Cleaning schedule. Answer: A documented daily, weekly, and monthly plan for cleaning
all café equipment
● Daily machine cleaning. Answer: Backflushing with water after service and with detergent
per manufacturer schedule
● Portafilter cleaning. Answer: Rinsing with hot water after each shot; soaking in backflush
solution during cleaning
● Steam wand cleaning. Answer: Wiping immediately after each use and purging; deep
cleaning with milk cleaning solution
● Grinder cleaning. Answer: Wiping hopper daily; purging with cleaning pellets; dismantling
and brushing burrs weekly or monthly
● Group gasket. Answer: The rubber seal around the group head that prevents leaks;
requires replacement when worn
● Shower screen. Answer: The perforated metal screen in the group head that distributes
water evenly; cleaned during backflushing
● Descaling. Answer: Removing limescale from boilers and pipes using a descaling solution;
frequency depends on water hardness
