Course Content, Schedule and Testimonies
School Motto
Uphold the Farmers
An ancient Chinese poem says it all - very few know the hard work of the farmer who toils in the field ("鋤禾日當午，汗滴禾下土。 誰知盤中飧，粒粒皆辛苦。). The wonderful taste of the drinks we consume are indeed the results of hard work and talents of these farmers. When we learn a skill in making or serving a beverage, we are in fact learning how to best represent the farmers and their efforts. This is the correct kind of attitude we hope to inculcate in our fellow learners.
School Objectives
We hope to leverage on the school platform to inculcate some values:
1. Good coffees and teas can be enjoyed on their own, and usually does not require sweetening or blending. Enjoy them "neat" to enjoy the flavour of the terrior, and the skills of the farmer, roasters and the other craftsmen involved in its production.
2. Sensory is a science and an art that can be learnt with patience.
3. Great tasting alcohols should be savoured slowly and not wasted by binging.
Founders/Trainers' Credentials
Course Content
Parchmen Academy of Coffee and Tea (PACT) holds professional training in the following areas:
1. Coffee - Held under the auspice of Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) where the certificate is recognised worldwide, and ASEAN Coffee Institute (ACI) (the educational arm of multi-nation ASEAN Coffee Federation) which together with China is leading growth in the world coffee market, especially in the specialty coffee industry. We are an authorised trainer of these international organisations. Each skill module has an examination component, consisting of both theory and practical exams.
2. Tea - Our proprietary content and syllabus, and certificate is issued under PACT. Each module has an examination component, consisting of both theory and practical exams. Our tea courses are international and we hold certification courses overseas as well.
Our courses are not registered under Skillsfuture although they are internationally recognised and reputable courses.
Coffee Certifications by SCA
Authorised by SCA, we organise the following modules as part of the Coffee Skills Program (CSP), with 3 levels of learning for each skill module and an introductory module. Each module is very focused on the subject matter at the foundation and intermediate levels, with cross-subject topics at the professional level to engender a broad knowledge base.
- Barista Skills: In a nutshell, you will learn to use the espresso machine and grinder to make an espresso, texture milk and pour latte art, learn about the art and science of running a cafe and the coffee beans from the producing countries. This module is suitable for new or existing baristas. Under SCA, there are 3 levels, namely:
Foundation - 1.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $400
Intermediate - 2 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $600
Professional - 3.5 days of learning, 0.5 days of exam, $1,200
- Coffee Sensory Skills: In a nutshell, you will learn to perform the international coffee cupping protocol and distinguish quality of coffee via sensory evaluations. This module is suitable for new or existing baristas, coffee buyers, QC fellow in a coffee company, and coffee roasters. There are 3 levels, namely:
Foundation - 1.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $400
Intermediate - 2.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $750
Professional - 3.5 days of learning, 0.5 days of exam, $1,400
- Coffee Roasting Skills: In a nutshell, you will learn to roast coffee, manipulate the roast level, implement a coffee roasting program and distinguish quality of coffee roasted via sensory evaluations. This module is suitable for new or existing coffee roasters. There are 3 levels, namely:
Foundation - 1.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $400
Intermediate - 2.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $750
Professional - 3.5 days of learning, 0.5 days of exam, $1,500
- Green Coffee: In a nutshell, you will learn the species and varieties of coffee, green grading, green coffee defects, the international coffee market, coffee contracts and transportation and coffee futures. This module is suitable for existing coffee buyers and roasters. There are 3 levels, namely:
Foundation - 1.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $350
Intermediate - 2.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $750
Professional - 3.5 days of learning, 0.5 days of exam, $1,300
- Introduction to Coffee: In a nutshell, you will learn about how coffee started, history and myth, and what specialty coffee is about. This module is suitable for anyone interested in coffee. There is 1 day of learning, with no exam, at $150.
Successful candidates get a certificate issued by SCA. Returning students get a 20% discount off stated course fees.
Coffee Certifications by ACI
Authorised by ACI, we organise Barista - Level 1 (junior level) and Level 2 (senior level) courses. The technical skills under ACI and SCA are fundamentally the same, with variation on the course content. ACI barista courses are more broad-based at the start, with topics ranging across SCA Barista Skills Foundation, SCA Barista Skills Intermediate, SCA Green Coffee and SCA Introduction to Coffee included in Level 1, as well as similar cross-topic inclusions at Level 2.
Level 1 - 2.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $550 (For a fee of $600, you will get a combo of both ACF and SCA certificates)
Level 2 - 2.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $1,000
Successful candidates get a certificate issued by ACI. Returning students get a 20% discount off stated course fees.
Tea Certifications
We are currently developing the range and depth of the modules. Currently available modules and levels are as follows:
- Tea Ambassador: In a nutshell, you will learn about how tea started, history and myth, and how to introduce teas to customers. This course is suitable for cafe/restaurant supervisors who are not involved in brewing or QC, but are in charge of hosting and serving. Currently available level is:
Foundation - 1.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $350
- Tea Sensory Skills: In a nutshell, you will learn to recognise the differences among the 6 classes of tea, namely, white, yellow, green. wulong, red and black, and also learn the broad steps of the international tea evaluation protocol. This course is suitable for new or existing baristas, tea sommeliers, tea buyers and QC fellow in a tea company. Currently available level is:
Foundation - 1.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $350
- Tea Brewing Skills: In a nutshell, you will learn to brew the 6 classes of tea to bring out their defining characteristics. This course is suitable for new or existing baristas, tea sommeliers, tea buyers and QC fellow in a tea company. Currently available level is:
Foundation - 1.5 days of learning, 0.5 day of exam, $350
Successful candidates get a certificate issued by PACT. Returning students get a 20% discount off stated course fees.
Casual Workshops
We often conduct casual workshops for coffee, tea, Japanese sake and food pairing in person or over zoom. We can also do team-building activities based on such themes. Drop us a message to discuss.
We also conduct such workshops at the various community centers/
Training Calendar 2023
Due to the increasing schedule, our calender is currently being worked out . For professional coffee and tea courses, they will be confirmed when the minimum signups have reached. Class size is usually minimum 4, maximum 8. If not, we may postpone the course, or combine classes. We will give students further instructions prior to the course. For workshops held under the community centres, class size is usually minimum 6, maximum 10. The community centre coordinator will give participants further instructions prior to the workshop.
Testimonies Across Various Courses
"Even having three years of roasting experience, reading roasting books and consulting with other far more experienced roasters, one may believe that knowledge of roasting is sufficient. I regretted not taking up this course earlier to reduce my three-year learning process after attending Dave's lesson. I'm thrilled to gain so much theory and practical knowledge from this course, which is directed by his enthusiasm and commitment. I intend to take the Professional Level in the near future in order to continue learning from a true professional mentor how to become a better roaster." - Kenn Tay
“I wanted to know what’s goes into a cup of coffee. I would recommend this course for anyone who want to know more about specialty coffee from the farm to your cup." - Richard Tay
"Besides drilling the technical knowledge and skills, it piqued my interest through the use of Cropster. This synergy between technology and the science of roasting ignited the curiosity to discover more about the art of roasting and attain consistency in every roast. A defining experience!" - Veronica
"Coffee roasting encompasses science, senses, mathematics and data analytics (DA) skills to discovery the trends between multiple roasting and interpretation of before, in process and after roasting of a green coffee bean." - Catherine Chong