Comprehensive Online Barista Training


Barista training is difficult and expensive. Consistency is key. Train baristas before they ever touch an espresso machine.

Set up in minutes. Cancel anytime.

OBT Dashboard Preview
how-to-make-latte-art

The End of Traditional Barista Training

You (or one of your baristas) currently train your staff

You know how important drink consistency is amongst your baristas…

You know that losing an employee costs over $5,000 on average

You want to give your customers the best experience possible…

But here you are, training your baristas the same way it’s always been done, hoping they’re retaining everything you’re teaching them, and paying an extra person to be on staff again and again, each time someone new gets hired. You’ve got a business to run, and staff training has you feeling like you’re in groundhog day, going through the motions again and again.

Coffee Certification Program

american barista and coffee workshops

All Graduates Receive A Certificate Of Completion Backed By The American Barista And Coffee Workshops in Portland, OR

The Best Investment for Your Cafe

It’s easy to get overwhelmed

…when you’re running a coffee shop (or multiple coffee shops). You know that other cafe’s training systems must not have their owner’s pulling their hair out. You’ve taken management classes, read countless articles and seen plenty of businesses that no matter who is working, every barista consistently turns out amazing drink after amazing drink.

But a streamlined, easy-to-replicate training system for your cafe, for every single one of your baristas? Well, that can seem like a pipe dream. Instead, you’re…

  • Training someone new every couple of months (“why can’t baristas just stay content in their jobs?”)
  • Going through the motions again and again with your staff. (“how many times do I need to remind them that soy milk gets steamed differently!?”)
  • Worried that when you’re not around, the quality of drinks that your staff are serving are sub par, and your customers are having a subpar experience. 

…sound about right?

how-to-steam-milk

Make the Best Coffee Consistently

It’s one thing to have barista knowledge yourself. But knowing how to pass that knowledge on to each and every member of your staff?

For many of us, owning a coffee shop with the goal of attracting loyal customers who rave about our business, leave us positive reviews, and tell their friends about us bit like walking into a hardware store and thinking, “I have no idea how, but I think it’s possible to build a house with all this stuff.” 

Power drills, screws, lumber, and aisles and aisles of who knows what.

Or, in your case, espresso extraction recipes, equipment maintenance, milk steaming, cold brew, teas, lattes, cappuccinos, cortados, and on and on. 

Hi there, we’re Bellissimo Coffee Advisors and we’re the creators of Online Barista Training

We’ve been helping people succeed in the coffee industry for over thirty years, and for the last fifteen have been hosting in-person coffee trainings at our facility in Portland, Oregon. 

online-barista-training-teaser-video

Over the years, we’ve helped thousands of coffee shop business owners and independent baristas better understand how to go from A to Z on everything they need to know how to be the best barista possible. Whether you’re a coffee veteran or have never brewed a pot of dark roast in your life. 

We kept hearing from people over the years, “we love your trainings in-person in Portland, but we can’t afford to fly all of our baristas to your barista school.” We wanted to create a product that would help our clients in the best, most cost effective way possible. We want their businesses to thrive.

Deliver the Best Customer Service

More than just theory, included is an entire practicum.

…when you’re running a coffee shop (or multiple coffee shops). You know that other cafe’s training systems must not have their owner’s pulling their hair out. You’ve taken management classes, read countless articles and seen plenty of businesses that no matter who is working, every barista consistently turns out amazing drink after amazing drink.

Online Barista Training is not just how to use all the coffee equipment, and theory behind drink making. 

Instead, it’s a complete tried-and-true framework on how to take your baristas and the products your coffee shop serves, packaged into a ton of intuitive, easy-to-follow automated lessons that train your baristas to be the smartest versions of themselves, discover how to talk coffee with your customers in the simplest way possible without sounding arrogant and educating your clientele about what drinks are best for them, to consistently deliver amazing customer service that will turn your customers from casual coffee drinkers to raving fans of your business.

Quite a lofty promise, right? But the long and short of it is that there are a lot of coffee shop options to choose from. Your customers need a great reason to choose YOUR cafe versus your competitors. 

So if you’re struggling not just with barista training and the labor involved, but what your customers are needing to expect when they come into your cafe, then this course is for you.

Inside the Online Barista Training Course

No matter if you’re a seasoned barista trainer and cafe owner, or you’re ready to jump right in and learn all things coffee skills from the included hours of in-depth barista training video lessons, written trainings, and chapter-by-chapter quizzes and a final exam that concludes with a certificate of completion authorized by Bellissimo Coffee Advisors and The American Barista and Coffee Workshops.

Module 1

The Barista Workstation

In this module we cover the fundamentals of what every proper barista station should include, and take a dive into understanding the tools needed as well as explaining how to use them. Here we map out the basic necessities behind every coffee bar workstation, and show how not only to use the tools, but maintain them and know how to know what you’re talking about like the pros do.

Video Modules, Reading, Quizzes, and Exam on

Optimal Workstation Setup
Espresso Grinders
Types Of Espresso Machines
Individual Mechanisms And How To Use Each
The Group Head, Screens And Block
Coffee Freshness And Storage
layout-for-coffee-shop

Module 2

How Espresso Is Made

Espresso flow is the lifeblood of every coffee drink. This crucial step is often looked at as the way to tell if a barista knows what they’re doing. It won’t matter how beautiful your drinks look if you can’t get your drinks to taste right. This is what separates a specialty coffee barista from a typical chain cafe barista.

Video Modules, Reading, Quizzes, and Exam on

Espresso Grinding
Espresso Distribution
Tamping
Extraction
Color, Acidity Correction
Troubleshooting Imperfect Shots
espresso-recipes-done-right

Module 3

How To Steam Milk

Latte art gets all the oohs and ahs, but that can’t be done without knowing how to steam velvety thick milk with microbubbles. Learn how to steam milk to perfection without burning it, giving it too much or too little air, and get that perfect steaming “tearing paper” sound. If your milk is screaming loud, or you hear splashing bubbles in your pitcher – you need this lesson. Bonus: learn how not to waste milk, saving the company potentially lots of money on inventory. 

Video Modules, Reading, Quizzes, and Exam on

Portion Control
Milk Steaming 123
The Perfect Temperature
Problem Solving: Not Enough Foam
Problem Solving: Too Much Foam
online-barista-training-milk-steaming

Module 4

Make Espresso, Lattes, Cappuccinos, and Mochas

Workflow And Step-By-Step Drink Building

Workflow is key to managing your time and movements behind the bar. The goal for every efficient barista is to develop a routine that is repeatable for every beverage and duty at the workstation. A barista can minimize movements through repetition, organization, and knowledge of what steps must come first. The way that a barista learns these skills? They need to know how to make the drinks first. This module covers the most common drinks that should be found on every cafe menu.

Video Modules, Reading, Quizzes, and Exam on

Workflow
Step By Step
Espressos & Macchiatos
Cappuccinos & Lattes
Lattes, Mochas, & Americanos
Iced Drinks
Hot Chocolates & Steamers
how-to-make-a-cappuccino

Module 5

How to Make Latte Art

Want to really dazzle your customers with professionalism and give social media users something to buzz about? Latte art gets people excited unlike any other barista skill possible, and is how the casual coffee drinker oftentimes decides is what separates a $2 coffee from a $6 coffee. If you want to raise prices and income, your baristas need to know what makes people excited to drink, and come back for again and again. This module will teach your baristas how to take their game to the next level with lessons on the most common latte art designs.

Video Modules, Reading, Quizzes, and Exam on

Overview
Basics
Etching Herringbone
Etching Spiderweb
Soft Heart
Hard Heart
Rosetta
Tulip
online-barista-training-latte-art

Module 6

Pour Over, French Press, Chemex

Exploring Manual Brewing Methods

In this module, you’ll learn the extraction process and virtues of differing brewing methods, and how to speak the language of each. From pour overs, chemex, and the french press, it’s crucial to understand the nuances of how to make great coffee in each. Learn key variables, coffee/water ratio, dialing in for each

Video Modules, Reading, Quizzes, and Exam on

Brew Methods
Brewing Basics
Pour Over
Chemex
French Press
online-barista-training-manual-brewing

Module 7

Cleaning & Maintaining Your Espresso Machine

Perhaps one of the least glamorous parts of a baristas job might be the most important to the owner of the business. Espresso machines and coffee equipment are often very expensive. It’s crucial that every barista knows both how to maintain what they work with, not only for longevity purposes, but for consistent drink quality too. Drinks made in uncleaned machines lose their quality and freshness, and need to be cared for throughout the day, NOT just at the end of their shifts. This module explains how to care for your equipment in the best ways possible. 

Video Modules, Reading, Quizzes, and Exam on

Overview
Tools
Pour Over
Backflushing Espresso Machine
Cleaning The Grinder
how-to-clean-your-espresso-machine

Module 8

Coffee Certification Final Exam

The Final Exam of Online Barista training is required to complete your barista certification process. It comprises of twenty challenging questions taken from information gleaned in the other modules, and upon successful completion the barista will be rewarded with a certificate of completion that they can be proud of, certified by Bellissimo Coffee Advisors based out of Portland, Oregon.

The Final Exam of Online Barista training is required to complete your barista certification process. It comprises of twenty challenging questions taken from information gleaned in the other modules, and upon successful completion the barista will be rewarded with a certificate of completion that they can be proud of, certified by Bellissimo Coffee Advisors based out of Portland, Oregon.

coffee-certifications-exam

Online Barista Training is designed to work for baristas of all skill and experience levels.

New baristas will learn the right way, the first time. Experienced baristas will learn how to correct bad habits, and advanced theory they likely were not taught in the first place.

We won’t sugarcoat things: this course covers everything that a barista needs to know. It’s not something you can guess your way through. But don’t let that worry you, especially if you’re short on time. Our modules are specifically designed to be intuitive and simple to follow and understand. 

The readings are short, the videos are specific, and the quizzes are designed to be easy IF you had been following along. We don’t hide information or pull out trick questions. 

Solo barista? We can handle that!

how-to-become-a-barista

We offer two different accounts. Both a “Coffee Retailer” account as well as an “Individual Barista” account. If you’re by yourself, an Individual Barista account can access ALL of the above features including…

  • Account access for one (1) barista
  • Comprehensive Barista education
  • Full access to training platform and curriculum
  • Access to new videos, webinars and content updates
  • Career development
  • Certificate of completion

3 months for $49.95
$14.95/month after the first 3 months

Subscription auto-renews, cancel anytime

Have a Team to Train? Check Out Our Best Offer

Retailer Accounts come with TONS of bonus materials 

Added functionality lets you monitor the progress of up to 15 of your baristas – each with their own unique log-in

As a coffee shop owner, you’ve got different needs than your baristas. And we haven’t forgotten you. It’s vital that your baristas are equally well trained across the board, yes, but it’s even more important that YOU have the skills necessary to tell when the quality of their work is up to par, or when it is lacking. After all, the drinks are being served to YOUR customers.

Retailer accounts are the bread and butter of Online Barista Training, and we have incentivized you with as much as possible to make the decision an easy one. 

Every retailer account comes with the ability to create unique log-ins for up to 15 baristas. Perfect for a cafe owner with a staff they need to train. The ability to monitor your baristas progress allows you to say, “we require all of our staff to complete and PASS this online training before ever setting foot behind our bar” and have a way to track each and every barista’s course completion.

In ADDITION to the eight standard barista modules described above, retailer accounts have access to additional Advanced Barista modules, and Business and Management modules

Retailer Account Additional Materials Include…

Additional Barista Modules

Retailer Account Only

Advanced Latte Art
Batch Brewing
Cold Brew
Advanced Barista Techniques
Coffee Origin
Roasting
Barista Competition
Cupping

Business & Management Modules

Retailer Account Only

Coffee Shop Startup
Employee Management
Employee Recognition
Hiring Strategies
Workflow And Communication
Marketing + Social Media
Menu Planning
Labor Costs

Get Instant Access To The Entire Retailer Account 

Online Barista Training is now open for enrollment. Join the thousands of other cafe owners who have committed to providing training for their baristas from the comfort of their own home, on their own time. Save yourself thousands on training labor expenses.

A Tried-And-True Framework For Establishing Consistency Amongst Cafe Staff
8 Complete Modules Of Barista-Specific Videos, Reading Materials, And Quizzes
Additional 13 Modules For Retailers That Can Be Assigned To Each Of Your Baristas, As Needed.
Create Unique Log-Ins For Each Barista
See Their Test Scores. Monitor Their Progress And Ensure They Pass The Exams! 
Anytime Access To All The Content
Free Updates As We Continually Grow And Update Online Barista Training In The Future
Access To An Exclusive Email List And Blog Content Designed To Help Cafe Owners Succeed

Retailer Subscription

Train Your Entire Team

manage-your-coffee-shop-team

If you own a coffee shop with any number of baristas, you need to train them well to keep your customers coming back again and again. The traditional way of training is broken. For the cost of a few hours of labor, you can train your entire staff to make the best coffee in your area.

  • Account access for up to fifteen (15) baristas
  • Managers can see the results of their employees to hold everyone accountable. 
  • Full access to barista training platform and curriculum
  • Additional advanced barista segments 
  • Special segments on coffee shop ownership and management
  • Access to new videos, webinars and content updates
  • All baristas receive official certificates of completion 

(Save 20% when you sign up for an annual subscription!)

Subscriptions auto-renew, cancel anytime

More than 15 employees? $3.95 per additional account per month

Barista Subscription

Teach Yourself How To Make Coffee Like A Pro

beautiful latte art

Whether you’re training to perfect skills you already know or if you’ve never seen coffee made before in your life, this course is for everyone. Broken down into simple, easy-to-follow lessons complete with video, written materials, quizzes and exams – you’ll leave here knowing more than 80% of the baristas in the world. 

  • Account access for one (1) barista
  • Comprehensive Barista education
  • Full access to training platform and curriculum
  • Access to new videos, webinars and content updates
  • Career development
  • Certificate of completion

3 months for $49.95
$14.95/month after 

Subscriptions auto-renew, cancel anytime

Who’s behind this course?

Bellissimo Coffee Advisors, based out of Portland, Oregon, has been educating coffee shop owners for over 30 years. 

BruceMillettoHeadshot

Bruce Milletto is recognized by the press and the coffee industry internationally as the voice of the specialty coffee industry. He has been interviewed by, or quoted in: the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, Kiplinger’s, Starbucks Annual Report, Forbes, the Economist, Harvard Management Update, Crain’s Business Review, the Seattle Times, the Washington Post, Business Week and Entrepreneur.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) named Bruce Milletto one of its 20 “Coffee Luminaries,” and he appeared in Gourmet Retailer’s 25th anniversary issue on the list of the 25 individuals who helped shape the specialty coffee industry.

MattMillettoHeadshot

Matt Milletto has extensive experience in retail coffee, and has opened and managed multiple coffeehouses. Matt has personally trained more than 2500 new coffee retail business owners and barista trainers/managers over the past 20 years. He regularly speaks at Coffee Fest, SCA, and other industry trade shows and has been quoted in numerous newspapers and industry magazines, including the Wall Street Journal.

Matt is the current President the Oregon Coffee Board and a recipient of Portland Business Journal’s 2018 40 Under 40 Award. Through Bellissimo Coffee Advisors, he founded BaristaExchange.com and is also a head judge for all CoffeeFest Latte Art Competitions. Matt is the director and developer of Online Barista Training, and coordinates all consulting services with Bellissimo’s clients and past graduates. In 2009, Matt partnered with his father, Bruce to open Water Avenue Coffee, Portland’s premiere Micro-Roaster and Retail coffee operation.

New baristas will learn the right way, the first time. Experienced baristas will learn how to correct bad habits, and advanced theory they likely were not taught in the first place.

We won’t sugarcoat things: this course covers everything that a barista needs to know. It’s not something you can guess your way through. But don’t let that worry you, especially if you’re short on time. Our modules are specifically designed to be intuitive and simple to follow and understand. 

The readings are short, the videos are specific, and the quizzes are designed to be easy IF you had been following along. We don’t hide information or pull out trick questions. 

Join over 1,000 of the world’s top coffee businesses, small coffee shops, and top baristas in learning barista skills in the most cost effective and efficient way possible 

ghirardelli chocolate
jones coffee roasters logo
handlebar coffee shop
prana chai
stumptown
dry bones mudhouse logo
torani
cappuccine
la marzocco logo
verve coffee roasters
ritual coffee of bellissimo coffee advisors
intelligentsia
Scroll to Top