The Crown's Classes and Events

Have you ever wanted to learn how your favorite baristas make those beautiful designs? Now’s your chance to learn from our talented staff on how milk and espresso come together to make art.

This class will cover the basics of pulling shots, steaming milk, introductory latte art and advanced latte art. Spots are limited to four people so that our instructors will be able to work with everyone individually, so sign up quickly!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

Get ready for an immersive coffee experience when the 9th annual San Francisco Coffee Festival® kicks off. Enjoy specially curated exhibitors, including the Bay Area’s top coffee roasters, as they share with you some of the best coffee, teas, eats, and more, in the country. Want to learn more about coffee? Just ask the master roaster at their booth, or attend one of the many educational panels. But it’s all about the coffee vibes, right? Sway along to a soundtrack provided by some of the best bands and entertainment in the Bay, while you taste endless coffee at the iconic Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture’s Festival Pavilion. Think about your ideal coffee event experience: this is it.

Come visit The Crown at SF coffee fest! Every year we plan a special menu to keep you on your toes. Roasting is on the-go with Allio bullet and our Head Roaster, Doris Garrido, hosting demos all day and handing out free samples. Merch and roasted coffee will also be available for purhcase. Be sure to ask us about our education program and private training. Hope to see you there!

Tickets sell out. So sign up soon!

Puchase a ticket here: https://www.sfcoffeefestival.com/

This is a 3-Day course suitable for any coffee professional along the chain (from growers to baristas) willing to learn about the main processing methods, how they are carried out, and how they impact coffee flavor. This course aims to empower the consuming side of the coffee value chain to understand the language of, the basic biological principles of, and the intricacies and challenges of safely and consistently processing quality coffee. This course includes live lectures, discussion, and individual or group cuppings. To be certified, attendees must pass a multiple-choice online exam. Attendees are given a 4-day window to complete this online exam after the conclusion of the course.

The age limit for all CQI courses is 16 years of age.

Sign up on our website and register on the CQI website here : https://database.coffeeinstitute.org/course/8181

About the course:

Q Processing: Level 1 Generalist will cover the following and more:

• Coffee Processing History
• Coffee Anatomy, Focusing on the fruit
• CQI’s Anatomy-Based Coffee Processing Methods Classification
• Myth-busting of commonly held assumptions and stereotypes of processing styles
• 3 Comparative cuppings, Emphasizing processing nuances
• Biology of fermentation and how this applies in coffee processing
• Coffee Drying, focusing on water in a seed and how it is removed
• Challenges and the future of coffee processing

About the Educator:

Evan Gilman is an avid generalist and coffee lover. His 20+ years in the coffee industry have taken him from barista, to trainer, to Q Insructor, CQI Processing Generalist Instructor, and SCA-Licensed AST. Evan spent time in Southeast Asia getting to know the specialty coffee supply chain, from Sumatra, Bali, Flores, and Sulawesi in Indonesia, to Northern Luzon in the Philippines. As Creative Director, he teaches certified educational content, designs for print and web, purchases coffee from Southeast Asia, and curates the Gallery at The Crown. He is also the chief editor of the blog at royalcoffee.com, and curator of the Gallery at The Crown. His passions range from Balinese gamelan to heavy metal, from photography to communications design, and from baking to brewing.

9am-5pm 11/12 - 11/13

What would a more accessible coffee community look like?

On Saturday, November 14^th, we’re delighted to co-host the Deaf Hack initiative:

a nationwide movement to create more job opportunities for D/deaf and hard of hearing individuals through free barista training at established cafes, organized by artist Chella Man.

Come by for coffee, art, and a conversation about who gets a place behind the counter.

THE DAY’S LINEUP

☕ 10 AM-12 PM · Intro to Espresso

🥛 1-3 PM · Milk Steaming & Latte Art

💬 2-3 PM · Accessibility talk with Chella Man, open to everyone

Both workshops are free to those in the deaf community, led by The Crown’s training team, and interpreted in ASL. No experience is needed.

Come out to support the community and learn some sign language!

Reserve your spot: link in bio

Share with those in the bay area curious about Deaf culture, sign language, and accessibility!

#DeafHacks #DeafBaristaDay #

Tickets for the talk: https://getpie.app/plans/35f96f4b-311d-4282-98fb-85923c5c160c?inviter=e72e5e97-5331-4501-aa57-76d3628f6494&utm_campaign=event&utm_link_source=pie&utm_platform=ios

1. Workshop Spotlight

Your first dialed-in shot. Your first latte art heart. A chance to get behind the machine and make it happen.

As part of Chella Man’s Deaf Barista Pop-Up on November 14, we’re offering two free workshops for D/deaf participants, led by The Crown’s barista training team with interpretation.

☕ INTRO TO ESPRESSO · 10 AM–12 PM

Learn how grind, dose, and time shape flavor, then practice pulling and tasting shots on our professional equipment. Just six spots available.

☕ MILK STEAMING & LATTE ART · 1–3 PM

Get hands-on with silky microfoam, dairy and non-dairy milk, and free-pour designs, from hearts to tulips and rosettas. Just four to six spots.

Small groups. Plenty of practice + room to ask questions.

Saturday, November 14 here at The Crown.

Reserve your workshop spot: [link]

Chella’s Story+ afternoon invite

1. As a teenager, Chella Man was repeatedly turned down for barista jobs after coffee shops learned they were Deaf.

The Deaf Barista Pop-Up grew from their desire to revisit that experience and rewrite it.

On November 14, we’re welcoming Chella to The Crown for a day that brings coffee training, accessibility, and their artistic practice into the same space.

Join Chella from 2–3 PM for a conversation about accessibility in coffee culture, followed by a live art performance from 3–5 PM.

What would a more accessible coffee community look like? Come be part of the conversation.

Saturday, November 14 at The Crown.

Join us for a cupping of the top 30 lots from this year's Indonesia Cup of Excellence.

These lots are available for purchase by auction, and this is an opportunity for serious buyers to taste lots before the auction goes live on December 1st at 1pm UTC.

If you'd like to join, please send an email to egilman ~at~ royalcoffee.com for admission.

The Indonesia Cup of Excellence consists of the top 30 coffees that scored above an 87 by the Cup of Excellence International Jury. These coffees have each been cupped a minimum of five different times during the cupping process.

You can read more about the auction and the competitors here: https://allianceforcoffeeexcellence.org/indonesia-2026/

International Jury Week: October 19 – 23, 2026

COE Auction: December 1, 2026 13:00 UTC

Intro to Coffee is an entry-level “seed to cup” interactive presentation and tasting designed to be fun and engaging and delicious!

Geared for coffee enthusiasts or new professionals looking for background information, the presentation covers coffee history, botany, farming and processing, trade and logistics, and a baseline introduction to roasting, brewing, and sensory evaluation techniques.

You’ll also be treated to a custom flight of pour-over coffee designed to augment the lecture and spur discussion.

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

Have you ever wanted to learn how your favorite baristas make those beautiful designs? Now’s your chance to learn from our talented staff on how milk and espresso come together to make art.

This class will cover the basics of pulling shots, steaming milk, introductory latte art and advanced latte art. Spots are limited to four people so that our instructors will be able to work with everyone individually, so sign up quickly!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

Esta es una clase presencial dirigida por la tostadora principal de The Crown Doris Garrido, los participantes pueden esperar una combinación integral de teoría y práctica. A lo largo de cuatro horas se abordarán temas fundamentales como la operación de maquinaria de tueste, el proceso de identificación de las fases del tueste, los cambios que suceden a nivel químico durante el tueste, la interpretación de las curvas de tostado y el análisis estratégico de perfiles de café.

La clase está limitada a cuatro personas para asegurar una experiencia directa en los equipos Diedrich IR5 o Allio Bullet.

Los alumnos podrán llevarse muestras de su propio tueste para evaluar los resultados en casa.

La trayectoria de Doris Garrido tiene sus raíces en la producción a gran escala y el control de calidad riguroso de The Crown. Su labor abarca desde el muestreo inicial en máquinas como Ikawa, Proaster, pasando por pruebas de lotes pequeños en el Diedrich IR5 hasta la producción a escala en la Loring S15 Falcon. Bajo su supervisión, en los últimos años se han procesado 4 cafés verdes únicos y aproximadamente 15,000 libras de cafe toastado

No se requiere experiencia previa para participar. ¡Te invitamos a traer tu curiosidad y todas tus dudas!

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In this in-person class, led by The Crown’s Head Roaster, Doris Garrido, students can expect a healthy mix of theory and practice. Concepts like operating roasting machinery, understanding roast curves, what is happening on a chemistry level, reading the phases of roasting and how to approach coffees will be covered in this four hour class.

Class size is limited to four people to allow time for hands-on practice on both the Diedrich IR-5 or Bullet. Students have the opportunity to take home samples of their roasts to taste at home.

Garrido’s expertise is rooted in experience and production, overseeing the quality of incoming Crown Jewels from sampling on Ikawa and Proaster machines, to trialing in small batches on the Diedrich IR-5, and finally at-scale on the quarter-bag Loring S15 Falcon. For the past 4 years, nearly two-hundred unique green coffees and almost 15,000 lbs of roasts have gone through this process under her oversight.

No experience necessary to fully appreciate this class. Bring your curiosity and questions!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

Gold Star Tacos is popping up at The Crown for breakfast tacos on homemade torillas and kolaches from 9:30am-1pm.

Buy your loved one the gift of education this season! Classes range from roasting, latte art, tastings and more. The Crown also offers private education and this gift certifcate can be redeemable towards private training as well.

This gift is perfect if you don't see the class you are looking for on our upcoming schedule. Classes are released quartley so your loved one can wait for the upcoming courses later in the year.

This gift certifcate can not be used at the cafe. Only for education at The Crown. If you do not recieve an email with your gift certificate in 24 hours after purhcase please email us at thecrown@royalcoffee.com

Ticket classes:

$25

$50

$75

$100

Have you ever wanted to learn how your favorite baristas make those beautiful designs? Now’s your chance to learn from our talented staff on how milk and espresso come together to make art.

This class will cover the basics of pulling shots, steaming milk, introductory latte art and advanced latte art. Spots are limited to four people so that our instructors will be able to work with everyone individually, so sign up quickly!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

In this in-person class, led by The Crown’s RHead Roaster, Doris Garrido, students can expect a healthy mix of theory and practice. Concepts like operating roasting machinery, understanding roast curves, what is happening on a chemistry level, reading the phases of roasting and how to approach coffees will be covered in this four hour class.

Class size is limited to four people to allow time for hands-on practice on both the Diedrich IR-5 and Bullet. Students have the opportunity to take home samples of their roasts to taste at home.

Garrido’s expertise is rooted in experience and production, overseeing the quality of incoming Crown Jewels from sampling on Ikawa and Proaster machines, to trialing in small batches on the Diedrich IR-5, and finally at-scale on the quarter-bag Loring S15 Falcon. For the past two years, nearly two-hundred unique green coffees and almost 15,000 lbs of roasts have gone through this process under her oversight.

No experience necessary to fully appreciate this class. Bring your curiosity and questions!

Designed by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) to empower experienced professionals in the science of coffee evaluation, the Q Grader course is an advanced training and certification path. Over six intensive days, you will refine theoretical understanding and practical application of the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), the industry's current standard evaluation system.

This course is intended for coffee professionals with solid prior experience in cupping, sensory evaluation, and green coffee analysis. Through a rigorous program of theoretical lessons, practical activities, and exams, you will learn to identify and document every attribute of coffee to determine value.

By passing all the exams you will earn the Q Grader license, a key milestone demonstrating competence in coffee evaluation to the international market.

Purchase your ticket here, and then complete your registration at sca.coffee: https://specialtycoffee.my.site.com/s/course-detail?id=a1VVw00000BpXq1MAF

Course Outline:

Six days of instruction, theory, practice, and exams. Lectures, tastings, and hands-on throughout, with plenty of time for discussion and retakes (if needed).

Coffee and snacks provided each day, with generous time to find lunch in the center of the lovely Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Master the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA): Explain the fundamental theoretical concepts of the CVA and advise on its strategic implementation in any professional context.
• Conduct Comprehensive Coffee Analyses: Accurately perform the system's four key assessments to create a comprehensive profile for any coffee:
• Physical: Analyze green coffee to classify its color, moisture, size, and defects.
• Descriptive: Document the flavor profile by precisely quantifying aromatic notes, flavor, acidity, sweetness, and mouthfeel.
• Affective: Evaluate the impression of quality of a coffee according to your personal taste or the preferences of specific markets.
• Extrinsic: Document the attributes outside of the coffee that create value, such as origin, production, certifications, or the story behind the coffee.

Exams Schedule:

This course includes 9 exams (8 practical and 1 written) based on the curriculum in the course. Each student has a maximum of two attempts for each exam during the course week, and the opportunity for a third attempt at a separate course within one calendar year. If any exam is not passed after the third attempt, the student will fail and must retake the course.

December 7-12 2026, 9am-5pm

Join us for the newest addition to The Crown’s original curriculum.

The Crown is excited to offer a new introductory level class focused on the art of Espresso! In this class, we’ll cover a brief history of espresso, the tools of the trade, theory around flavor, and the variables that contribute to the flavor of espresso. The class will include breaking into small groups and dialing in espressos together.

Come learn how to use professional equipment and learn how your favorite baristas dial in espresso in this two hour class!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

Have you ever wanted to learn how your favorite baristas make those beautiful designs? Now’s your chance to learn from our talented staff on how milk and espresso come together to make art.

This class will cover the basics of pulling shots, steaming milk, introductory latte art and advanced latte art. Spots are limited to four people so that our instructors will be able to work with everyone individually, so sign up quickly!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

Gold Star Tacos is popping up at The Crown for breakfast tacos on homemade torillas and kolaches from 9:30am-1pm.

Have you ever wanted to learn how your favorite baristas make those beautiful designs? Now’s your chance to learn from our talented staff on how milk and espresso come together to make art.

This class will cover the basics of pulling shots, steaming milk, introductory latte art and advanced latte art. Spots are limited to four people so that our instructors will be able to work with everyone individually, so sign up quickly!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

Join us for the newest addition to The Crown’s original curriculum.

The Crown is excited to offer a new introductory level class focused on the art of Espresso! In this class, we’ll cover a brief history of espresso, the tools of the trade, theory around flavor, and the variables that contribute to the flavor of espresso. The class will include breaking into small groups and dialing in espressos together.

Come learn how to use professional equipment and learn how your favorite baristas dial in espresso in this two hour class!

Scholarship opportunities are available. If you are interested, email Chris at ckornman@royalcoffee.com.

In this in-person class, led by The Crown’s RHead Roaster, Doris Garrido, students can expect a healthy mix of theory and practice. Concepts like operating roasting machinery, understanding roast curves, what is happening on a chemistry level, reading the phases of roasting and how to approach coffees will be covered in this four hour class.

Class size is limited to four people to allow time for hands-on practice on both the Diedrich IR-5 and Bullet. Students have the opportunity to take home samples of their roasts to taste at home.

Garrido’s expertise is rooted in experience and production, overseeing the quality of incoming Crown Jewels from sampling on Ikawa and Proaster machines, to trialing in small batches on the Diedrich IR-5, and finally at-scale on the quarter-bag Loring S15 Falcon. For the past two years, nearly two-hundred unique green coffees and almost 15,000 lbs of roasts have gone through this process under her oversight.

No experience necessary to fully appreciate this class. Bring your curiosity and questions!