There are a host of friendly coffee shops in Fairfax County to get some Vitamin C (caffeine). The moment you step inside, the rich aroma of coffee draws you in. From charming cafes and local roasters to international spots featuring Middle Eastern blends and Café con Leche, there is always a cafe to stumble upon. Each one offers its own twist, but you can always expect delicious specialty lattes, bold coffee beans, and robust flavors. But sometimes it is not enough to just sit down with your cup of joe; instead, why not dive into the world of coffee? Luckily, many of these cafes feature coffee education classes for all guests. Leave it to the experts to guide you through crafting the perfect espresso shot or mastering the infamous tulip latte art.
🟢: Beginner
🟡: Intermediate
🔴: Advanced
Cervantes Coffee
📍Springfield, VA
Courtesy Cervantes Coffee
Take a first-class journey to the origins of high-quality Arabica coffee with Cervantes Coffee. Their classes offer a unique coffee experience, including five different lessons tailored for coffee enthusiasts, along with a coffee tour. Make sure to call or email Cervantes to schedule your class!
🟢 Coffee Tour: Inspired by Cervantes Coffee's beginnings, when they started sourcing small amounts of coffee from Bolivia and Peru, this tour offers a unique opportunity to meet the farmers and see firsthand how they acquire their beans. Last but most importantly, end the tour with a coffee-tasting session.
🟢 Introduction to Coffee Roasting: A fan favorite class, go through the roasting process starting from the beginning, picking the best green coffee at origin. This course highlights key definitions, measurements, coffee farming, and understanding the qualities and uniqueness by region. Afterward, take home a souvenir of freshly roasted coffee.
🟡 Coffee Brewing Techniques: If you want to brew coffee at home but aren't sure which method will recreate the taste of your favorite cup from Cervantes, let the guru guide you through three techniques (pour-over, French press, and AeroPress) to help you create a tip-top cup of coffee.
🟡 Hand Crafted Espresso Preparation: Gain in-depth, hands-on experience with espresso preparation in one of Cervantes' most popular classes. Using their signature espresso blend, you'll learn how to achieve the perfect espresso extraction. You'll also be equipped with skills that can be applied to any espresso machine you encounter.
🔴 Advanced Coffee Cupping: How do professionals in the coffee business judge coffee quality? Well, first it takes understanding coffee origins, which is covered through Cervantes' presentation about grading and the characteristics of roasted coffee. You'll conduct a thorough analysis of coffee quality, roast level, and profile using cupping control forms. By the end of the class, you'll feel confident comparing coffees from three different origins.
🔴 Latte Art and Milk Chemistry: Did you know Cervantes won the bronze medal in the category of milk-based drinks in the Golden Bean National Competition in 2019? Uncover why in the Latte Art and Milk Chemistry class, where you can sample their signature espresso blends and learn about the science and art behind crafting excellent lattes.
Explore all the class offerings here.
Caffe Amouri
📍Vienna, VA
Show off your barista skills! Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting, adding these Caffe Amouri experiences to your bucket list is a must. Caffe Amouri offers consumer classes for an in-depth, hands-on learning experience, all led by Specialty Coffee Association Certified Professionals. Classes are relatively small to ensure everyone has one-on-one time with these coffee experts. All classes cover various aspects of the coffee fields.
🟢 Roasting Basics: Get the basics down with Roasting Basics taught by a Roast Master and a Q Grader to learn the essential roasting principles, plus gain hands-on experience by roasting your own batch.
🟢 Coffee Processing: From beans to brews, learn how farmers can impact the nature of coffee's aroma and flavor using different processing methods from a Columbian farmer! Of course, there will be a guided tasting to judge for yourself.
🟡 Espresso Essentials: Learn how to grind, dose, tamp, extract, and calibrate to achieve the perfect espresso shot.
🔴 Milk Steaming and Latte Art: Cappuccino and lattes are a scientific art, each equally challenging. A certified barista will instruct how to texturize milk, pour, and then design like the heart, tulip, and rosette.
Explore all the class offerings here.
Rare Bird Coffee Roasters
📍Falls Church, VA
Courtesy Rare Bird Coffee Roasters
Ever wondered what makes a cup of coffee exceptional? Rare Bird Coffee Roasters' cuppings & classes have all the answers. Watch and learn the masters at work.
🟢 Brewing for Beginners: Master brewing ratios, extraction, and methods step by step.
🟢 Espresso for Beginners: If you want to make lattes at home, you first need to know the FUNdamentals process of espresso making. This course walks you through the equipment and tactics for espresso drinks.
🟢 Cupping Session: Get your taste palate ready as you asses coffee based on industry standards.
🟢 Latte Art for Beginners: Learn the groundwork for milk steaming and free pouring and remember it's okay if your first attempt at a heart looks more like a blob. Practice makes perfect!
Explore all class offerings here.
With countless tours and courses available, you can become a true coffee connoisseur or a stay-at-home barista. Whatever your brewing ambitions are, these experiences will teach you all you need to know about your hot beverage. Make sure to tag us along your journey on social media using #FXVA and @VisitFairfax.
