Barista Training Portland: 5 Best Courses in 2024

By Brooke Davis •  Updated: 09/03/21 •  6 min read

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Who doesn’t love coffee? The day won’t just start without a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Whether you make your coffee yourself or go to your local coffee business, the love of coffee is universal. It’s even possible you’re considering making a career out of it. 

So if you’re an aspiring barista in Portland, you’ll probably need a few basic barista skills.

What if we told you that you could learn from the best and be the best barista in town? You could give the baristas of Portland a tough competition with the proper training. Let’s have a look at the best barista training Portland courses.

Portland and Coffee 

The birthplace of Stephen Hawking is known for many things. From aerial trams, Japanese gardens, Museum of Science and Industry to the Multnomah Falls, Portland has it all. But one thing you might not be aware of is Portland’s love of coffee. 

Portlanders know how to make a mean cup of coffee. The best way to make your name with the tough competition of Portland coffee roasters is by hard work, practice, and professional training.

Tag along, and you’ll be an expert in no time! 

If you’ve made it this far, then congratulations. Down below, we’ve listed the five best barista classes in Portland. This list includes courses that require physical attendance at a training barista workshop as well as courses held online.

So even if you can’t find the time to get out of the house. You can now take a few hours out of your busy routine for a quick lesson online barista training

5 Best Barista Training Portland Courses

Top Contender: American Barista and Coffee School 

American Barista and Coffee School Portland

American Barista and Coffee School, or ABC for short, was founded nearly 20 years ago. Their program was created by a Specialty Coffee Association luminary, Bruce Milletto.

It’s the best place to learn to make coffee like a Portlander. Since Portland boasts one of its two campuses, you get to improve your coffee knowledge and study the art of coffee making straight from the experts in their espresso lab. 

But that’s not all that ABC does. If you’re a student at ABC, you’ll get to learn the basics of running a specialty coffee industry business, marketing, how to design your bar, the best coffee-making equipment, and a lot more. ABC also organizes competitions where you can hone your skills in latte art preparation and make things even more enjoyable.

So your inner barista will genuinely come through and shine. 

However, there’s one thing you should know before you set your heart at ABC. Their courses aren’t cheap. But if you want the best comprehensive barista learning experience, there’s no better place than ABC. It will all be worth every penny you spend. 

Starting From Scratch: Nossa Familia’s Barista Basics Class 

Nossa Familias Barista Basics Class

Are you trying to kick-start your barista career with little to no professional experience? Are you a coffee-making amateur who wants to improve their latte art? The first thing is that everyone has to start somewhere. 

For All newbies, Nossa Familia’s Barista Basics Class is your go-to. Learn everything starting from the plantation all the way to the cafe. Careful espresso extraction and perfecting your milk steaming to get that nuanced flavor is an art you can learn here.

Get the complete coffee workshops experience with the courses at Nossa Familia’s labs and practice your grinding coffee skills on their top-of-the-line advanced espresso machines. 

So start your career as a barista from scratch. Cover the very basics and work your way to the top. With Nossa Familia’s Barista Basics Class, you’ll know all you need to know about the coffee business. 

In the Suburbs: Alex and Associates Barista Training Academy 

Alex and Associates Barista Training Academy

For all those who are on the journey to becoming coffee business entrepreneurs pay close attention. Alex and Associates Barista Training Academy is the best place for you to turn your dreams into reality.

At Alex and Associates, you get training programs for setting up your coffee shop so you can become a successful coffee business entrepreneur. And there’s no way you can get your sales up if you can’t make a good cup of coffee.

The best part is that the coffee workshops are held very close to downtown Portland. They’re in Troutdale, so at best, you’ll have to take a short drive there.

Amazing Discount: Clive Coffee’s Home Barista Class

Clive Coffee's Home Barista Class

As the name suggests, Clive Coffee’s Home Barista Class is online barista training for those who want to make a coffee-house quality drink right at their home.

But who said you couldn’t use the same skills at a coffee-house as well?

At Clive Coffee’s Home Barista Class, you get a 2-hour detailed lecture covering everything from espresso shots to milk steaming and latte art. It’s worth noting that their staff include an authorized Specialty Coffee Association Trainer.

But wait, there’s more. You get yourself a copy of Clive Coffee’s book: The Craft of Espresso. To make things even more exciting, you get a chance to avail a 15% discount on Clive showroom coffee accessories. 

Highly Recommended: Stumptown’s Barista Training Program

Barista Training Portland

Stumptown is a well-known specialty coffee industry institution in Portland. However, they’re not offering any barista courses at the moment. 

But there’s still a way to land yourself a spot for extensive barista training programs at Stumptown HQ.

All you need to do is do these things.

First, you could either start a career at Portland’s most prestigious exporting coffee business enterprise. Or the second option is, offering Stumptown coffee to guests at your own business. 

Stumptown is known for training the best baristas in all of Portland. So be sure you don’t miss out on a chance of becoming one of their trainees.  

Final Thoughts 

Being a barista is one of the most exciting careers you could pursue when in Portland. And while the competition is intimidating, Portland offers aspiring baristas great learning opportunities.

With its many institutes committed to the art of coffee making, you can tell that Portlanders take their coffee education very seriously. 

If you are genuinely committed to a successful career as a barista and aren’t tight on cash, the best place is the American Barista and Coffee School.

Their graduates only have great things to say about them.

You’re essentially investing in your career. And at the ABC, we believe that’s guaranteed to pay off. 

Brooke Davis

Hi everyone, my name is Brooke and I’m a Barista and freelance writer. I love brewing coffee and my favorite coffee drink is without doubt an Americano (espresso with added hot water). When I’m not busy making or writing about coffee you’ll find me hanging out at the beach with friends in California where I am currently residing. Follow me on: Linkedin

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