The Top 3 Best Barista Schools in the United States

If you dream of owning your own coffee shop one day, you need to start with learning your craft. Dreaming of creating the perfect coffee experience for your customers is one thing. But making that dream a reality requires more than just buying an espresso machine and renting a space. Attending one of the best barista schools will help you reach your goals
A lot goes into running a successful coffee shop. From creating the right atmosphere to choosing the perfect beans to how you brew each cup, there’s a lot to learn before you become a professional barista. It will take both skill and knowledge to succeed in this business — and these barista schools can help you with both.
The 3 Best Barista Schools in the Country
But training like that doesn’t just come from anywhere. Brewing the perfect coffee, pulling espresso shots, and steaming milk with just the right density foam is not something you learn in home economics class. It’s not something you can glean from an espresso machine demonstration at Williams-Sonoma.
To be a professional barista with impeccable barista skills, you need courses that are designed to put you at the top of the coffee game. You need knowledge that gives you an edge over your competition and an appreciation for all the coffee has to offer. Here are the 3 best barista training programs in the US.
1. The Seattle Barista Academy
If you want to learn about coffee there’s really no better place in the country than Seattle. The Seattle Barista Academy offers one-on-one professional barista training that’s inspired by a hands-on approach.
You get instruction from the top coffee professionals in a state-of-the-art facility. And you also get to learn virtually every aspect of running a coffee shop. You’ll get to train on commercial espresso machines, learn about various coffee brewing methods, and tour coffee roasting facilities.
But running a coffee shop is more than just knowing how to brew coffee, and the Seattle Barista Academy knows that all too well. That’s why you’ll also learn about what equipment best suits your needs, how to set up a bar that flows efficiently, and how to manage and operate a store successfully.
2. The Texas Coffee School
The Texas Coffee School offers barista training courses on just about anything. You can learn latte art, you can learn how to conduct a proper coffee tasting. And you can learn everything there is to know about pulling the perfect espresso shot and steaming perfectly aerated milk every time.
The two-day comprehensive barista training class features 14 hours of hands-on experience in preparing espresso drinks, maintaining bar equipment, and learning classic recipes.
But this barista training school also offers courses for people with eyes on a bigger prize. You can take courses in coffee shop management or a 3-day coffee business overview course. In these classes, you’ll learn how you can open a coffee shop of your own. It’s a feat that may seem insurmountable, but with their training and tips, you’ll see that owning your own coffee shop is completely attainable.
You can register for all of these classes online, and select from any number of available dates. You can check out the detailed curriculum for each course and pick the one that best matches your coffee training goals.
3. The IBCA
The International Coffee and Barista Academy offers a wide variety of barista training classes on anything from latte art to the perfect grind to coffee basics. You don’t need to be an expert or even an intermediate-level barista to be able to make the most of their training sessions.
You can take barista classes that begin at a foundational level, teaching you bar and drink basics. Then work your way up to intermediate and professional level classes that will help you refine your barista skills into those of a near coffee master.
Of course, what is also nice about IBCA is that, unlike some barista schools, they offer courses for general enthusiasts. You don’t have to be pursuing a career in coffee to study at the IBCA. For example, you might just have a love of coffee, and you might want to find ways to brew better coffee at home.
You can register for workshops, gain a little knowledge and confidence, and wow your friends and family. You can also participate in coffee tastings. These will help refine your palate and be better at understanding the flavors of the coffee you drink. Just like learning about fine wine, being able to talk intelligently about coffee is a skill that is handy to have.
Find the Right Barista Schools for Your Goals
Barista schools are great places to sharpen your barista skills in pursuit of both personal and professional goals. Perhaps you want to learn how to open and manage your own coffee shop one day. Or perhaps you just want to gain a better working knowledge of coffee brewing processes. Whatever your goals, there are plenty of training programs like these listed here that can help you achieve them.
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