Top 7 Best Online Coffee Barista Courses, Classes + Certificates
Are you seeking out the best online coffee/ barista courses to master the art of making divine coffee? Well, you’re in the right place!
Below are some fantastic online coffee courses that will help you to better understand the process of what goes into a good cup of joe.
From these skills, you will be gaining an in-demand skill which can be used throughout the world, or in the comfort of your own home. Let’s begin!
Top 7+ Free Best Online Coffee/ Barista Courses, Classes + Certificates 2024
1. Skillshare: From Plant to Cup: Brew an Amazing Cup of Coffee (Skillshare)
First on my list is an outstanding Skillshare course that is taught by Michael Phillips, the 2010 World Barista Champion. So if you want to learn from the best, this is the course for you!
In total, there are 11 lessons in the course which will cover the following topics: coffee theory; brewing tools; grinding your beans; selecting your ingredients; making your recipe; brewing your coffee; tasting coffee, and enjoying your brew.
One of the standout modules was how to correctly grind your beans for certain brew methods from pour over, french press, cold brew, drip, Aeropress and tons more!
By the end of this course you will have all the skills you need to brew an amazing cup of coffee by hand. Anyone can learn the techniques being taught in this course and it’s easily one of the best online coffee/barista courses if you want to be able to consistently brew great coffee at home.
Strengths:
- Very popular: 21,199 students
- Suitable for beginners
- 2-month free trial
- Low time commitment – 11 lessons, less than an hour!
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2. Skillshare: Become Great With Coffee: From Beginner to Barista (Skillshare)
If you’ve ever thought about working in a coffee shop and are wondering about what you need to know, this course will give you a great basic barista education. You’ll learn about the history of coffee and what the coffee-making process entails as well as various methods for making coffee.
You’ll get great video lessons on the following coffee making methods: V60 pour-over, French press, Aeropress, Bialetti percolator: Moka pot, cold brew, and the proper espresso. You’ll also learn how to foam up milk the right way and the proper technique for pouring coffee.
On top of brewing methods, this course also covers latte art in great detail. Some patterns taught are how to make rosetta, a heart, swan, butterfly, and a tulip! This is hands down one of the top online barista courses available!
Strengths:
- Great course for learning about latte art and latte art drawing
- Low time commitment: 25 lessons, 1h3m
- Can access this course for free with a 2-month free trial
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3. Udemy: Become a Coffee Expert: How to Make the Perfect Cup (Udemy)
Next up on my list is a great course for any coffee enthusiast who wants to become a coffee expert. Taught by coffee expert Richard Hardwick, students will be in capable hands as he walks you through the origins of coffee to a final product.
This course kicks off by teaching you about the origins and history of coffee as well as what kind of beans to use. The next section focuses on types of beans, regions, and methods of grinding. After that, you’ll get to the most extensive section of the course which focuses on brewing.
The lessons in this section cover the following methods: siphon method; Aeropress method; Chemex method; and the V60 method. Along with brewing, You’ll learn the correct method for making espresso, americano, flat white, latte, cappuccino, and more. Overall, a great online barista class!
Strengths:
- Low time commitment, can be completed in less than a day: 31 lectures, 1h47m
- Popular: 4,227 students
- The course includes activities that will allow you to practice the skills demonstrated in the course material
- Certificate of completion
- Video modules
4. Udemy: Masterclass: Start your Coffee Shop Business (Udemy)
Moving on is an interesting course that is geared towards students that are interested in starting their own coffee shop business. So if you already have some coffee experience under your belt and want to open your own cafe, this might be the course for you!
In total, this course is 3 hours in length which includes 38 lectures that are all in video format and on-demand. As for the course material, it is divided into the following five sections: how to get the capital you need; industry trade secrets; product development; market analysis; and business operations.
Some notable topics covered in the lessons include: sources of financing and financial planning; facilities and equipment; your initial budget; the product development process; creating and evaluating your prototype; market sizing; location and competitor analysis; and ensuring quality product.
Overall, this is one of the best online coffee/barista courses for those who have an entrepreneurial bug, plus a love of coffee!
Strengths:
- Specific focus: entrepreneurship/building your coffee business
- Comprehensive content: 38 lectures, 3h20m
- Suitable for all levels, no prior experience necessary
- Lifetime access to all course materials
- Strong 4.2 star rating
5. Udemy: Greek Coffee Expert (Udemy)
This Udemy course will teach you the art of making Greek/Turkish coffee (it has been referred to as both Greek coffee and Turkish coffee throughout history). It’s a great technique to add to your coffee repertoire and you’ll be able to impress your friends, guests, or customers with your worldliness.
This course is divided into six sections: history of “Greek” coffee; how “Greek” coffee is made; culture of “Greek” coffee; preparation of “Greek” coffee; health benefits of “Greek” coffee; and a video demonstration of how to make “Greek” coffee.
By the end of the course, you will know how to make Greek/Turkish coffee for yourself! It’s sure to become a special treat that you’ll look forward to time and time again.
Strengths:
- Specific focus: Greek/Turkish coffee
- Very low time commitment: 7 lectures, 30m
- Brief end of course quiz
- No pre-requisites necessary
6. Udemy: Coffee Shop Business Plan Template with Example & Financials (Udemy)
This goal of this Udemy course is to help you create an effective business plan for your coffee shop business. Upon completion of the course, you’ll be left with a wealth of knowledge that will help you make smart decisions and a professional business plan that will help you get up and running!
This course really gets into the nitty-gritty. You’ll learn about crucial elements of starting a business such as your company description; market analysis; marketing & sales strategy; break-even analysis and EBITDA; and start-up/expansion costs & funding.
There are also several lessons that focus solely on cash flow statement projections; income/profit & loss statement projections; and balance sheet statement projections. You’ll also learn how to do both 1 year monthly projections and 3-year summaries for all of the aforementioned.
Strengths:
- This course comes with supplementary material/templates that will be useful to your planning process
- Low time commitment: 22 lectures, 44m
- Lifetime access to course materials
7. Udemy: Coffee Latte Art 101 (Udemy)
This course will teach you how to make photo-worthy latte art! Whether you are a barista or a home enthusiast, latte art never fails to make the person drinking the coffee feel a little extra-special. Learn how to make someone’s day without fail by mastering the latte art techniques in this course!
This Udemy course will start off by teaching you the proper milk steaming technique including achieving the correct milk temperature and milk steaming troubleshooting. You will also be taught how to hold the steaming pitcher (yes, there is a right and a wrong way).
After you master milk, there is a lesson that will teach you about the basics of pouring latte art. Then there are a series of tutorials that will teach you how to pour a heart, how to pour a rosetta, how to pour a tulip, how to pour a wave tulip, and how to pour a beautiful swan.
You might not be Van Gogh by the end of the course, but with practice and patience, you can learn to consistently deliver a foamy and frothy work of art!
If you are looking to become a master in the kitchen, you can also see my guide on the best online cooking classes!
Strengths:
- “Bestseller” on Udemy
- Low time commitment: 15 lectures, 44m
- The course includes brief quizzes that will help test your knowledge
- Course material includes suggestions on for home equipment you can acquire on a budget so that you can make beautiful latte art in the comfort of your own home
- Beginner level
