SET Course – Decameron Coffee, Shenzhen – December 9-12, 2026

DESCRIPTION

Over the four-day course, you will participate in:

• In-depth lectures and discussions on CoE, specialty coffee, and what makes CoE coffee unique.
• Various sensory exercises are designed to help you grow in perceiving and understanding aroma and taste. These exercises will be the start of learning to calibrate with the group.
• Tastings are designed to demonstrate the importance of the correct cupping procedure and the effects of different variables on cup profiles.
• Understanding common defects in coffee.
• Learning about the CoE method for scoring coffee.
• Calibrating with a diverse group of cuppers over multiple cupping sessions.
• Introduction and discussion around CoE’s unique way of evaluating cuppers’ skills and confidence.
• A test designed after the program CoE uses to select National Jury members.

What you will receive:

• Priority consideration for 2027 CoE observer seats.
• A detailed report explaining the data gathered from you cupping test.
• Certificate of Completion.
• Limited edition CoE cupping spoon.

Classes will begin at 9:30 and finish around 5:30 pm with an hour break for lunch, which will be provided. Be prepared to experience the Cup of Excellence (CoE). Students will cup many different coffees, processes, and cultivars, practice the logistics and cupping protocol of a CoE cupping, and take an exam just like National Jury sensory professionals. This will show you how you are calibrated with the rest of the jury and your sensory confidence with representative scores samples.

In the first two days, we focus on CoE cupping, the protocol of identifying qualities, identifying common flavor attributes, scoring, and a common language. We then will advance to expose all participants to a technical approach to our quality variables, different varietals, and some common defects. Sessions include lab, lecture, and active discussions. We will also provide coffees from other countries for you to taste and learn about; processed naturals and honey/pulped naturals & varieties, etc. The third day will be filled with multiple cupping and calibration sessions. The fourth day of the class will be the “test” with three cuppings back-to-back.

We’ll be actively standing during cupping and seated for discussions, so please wear comfortable clothing and shoes. No use of perfume or cologne allowed. Please bring a notebook and, if you like, samples of your roasted beans. You’ll have the opportunity to see other coffees from other attendees.

You will receive a CoE cupping spoon, and other fun things at the beginning of the class. Upon completing the course, you will receive a certificate of completion signed by your instructor.  Within one week, you will receive your testing results. The information you receive will be in the same format as those who undergo a CoE national jury testing.

This experience is intended to share the Cup of Excellence program with you, improve your cupping and sensory evaluation skills, and share with others in a jury setting. This is the best way to learn and calibrate your sensory skills. Thank you for joining us.

INSTRUCTOR: Alex Pond

Alex Pond is an award-winning professional in the coffee industry with two decades of experience. He is the founder of Elio Coffee, a micro-roaster and consulting firm based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to fulfilling the educational needs of the global coffee community. From 2018 to 2024, Alex served as the Senior Education and Project Manager for the prestigious Cup of Excellence (COE) and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence. Before joining COE, he spent nearly seven years as the Lead Education and Quality Officer at Heart Coffee in Portland, Oregon.

During his time at COE, Alex developed and expanded the Sensory Education Training (SET) program, reaching hundreds of students worldwide. He introduced them to the COE scoring philosophy and provided a pathway to become an International Judge for the Cup of Excellence. Alex created a global calibration class called SET VC during the COVID-19 pandemic, which remotely calibrated students in nearly 20 countries, fostering education and community while deepening their understanding of coffee excellence.

Alex began his career as a barista. In 2009, he won the SCA (formerly SCAA) Northwest Regional Barista Competition and went on to compete in the semifinals of the United States Barista Competition. Alex has also served as a sensory judge for both the USBC and other regional competitions.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

This SET course requires 12 students to register for the class to run (maximum 18 students). Once you have registered for the course, we will send you updates on the status of the class and how registration is proceeding.

SET Courses are eligible for a 100% refund for 31 days before class starts. Between 30 and 16 days before the start of class, the courses are eligible for a 50% refund. From 15 days before the beginning of the system, it is nonrefundable unless CoE cancels the course. Refunds requested over 90 days after the initial date of purchase will only be issued in the form of credit for future purchases on the CoE and ACE website.

If students are late or do not show up for class, CoE cannot ensure their cupping data will be included in group discussions, calibrations, or post-class reports, nor to grant the student a Certificate of Completion.