Kochi | A brew school in Kerala which trains baristas

The Brew School in Kochi offers comprehensive barista training, focusing on theory, practical skills, and industry knowledge.

The aroma of coffee leads my way as I make my way up the stairs to The Brew School (TBS) at Kadavanthra junction. Situated on the second floor of Daffodils, a building on KP Vallon Road, it looks more like a chemistry laboratory than what one expects ‘barista school’ to be. The ‘classroom’ has all kinds of equipment required to make coffee - V60 drippers, all manner of kettles, French presses, coffee grinders, drip scale and coffee cups of varying sizes. 

A dozen-odd students listen intently as an instructor shows them the right way to make a cappuccino: the ratio of coffee powder and water, the quantity — all of which goes into the making of that perfect cup of coffee. The ‘school’ is compact yet spacious — there is a practical classroom for baristas, another for students of mixology, and one for theory classes. What sets The Brew School apart is that this is the only such training institute for baristas in Kerala.

Lessons transition from theory to practical lessons about coffee, starting from its history to brewing various types of coffee.  

Co-founders Manoj KP and Vipin Sarin, with their years of experience in the hospitality industry as employees and consultants, put their heads together to set up TBS in June 2024. Combined, they bring in the experience of having worked at brands such as KFC, Burger King, McDonalds and Pandhal Cake shop and cafe. The school is affiliated with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), a global coffee trade association based in the US. 

As part of their job as consultants in the hospitality industry, Vipin and Manoj realised the need for trained baristas especially due to the growing consumption of coffee, burgeoning coffee shops and the resultant demand for staff who understand the beverage. 

“First off, there are few standardised learning platforms and, most are three-four day workshops, which are seldom comprehensive because of the duration. There is only this much you can learn over three days about making coffee,” says Vipin, a trained barista (SCA-certified) and sommelier. He is the training manager of TBS while Manoj is the principal. Few baristas are trained, they usually pick up skills on the job rather than understand the alchemy of coffee. 

“There is a lot more to coffee than getting the guest what they ask for. Of course, that is a barista’s job but if you know more you can take the experience one step further. A smart barista can also educate the guest about coffee and, if need be, even personalise that cup of coffee. But for that they have to know how coffee works. A barista who learnt on the job would know the textbook mocha, cappuccino, latte… but a trained one would be able to tweak it to suit the guest,” Vipin says.