Our School of Coffee
School of Coffee founder, Mané Alves, is a founding Coffee Quality Institute steering committee member and certified Q-grader and instructor. Having been intricately involved in the coffee industry for over twenty years, Mané is sought after from Japan and the Far East, to Brazil and Central America for his coffee knowledge and teaching abilities. Students and coffee professionals come from all over the U.S., Canada, and the world to our School of Coffee to attend Mané’s Q-grader/cupping classes and roasting courses. Working in conjunction with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), he has been teaching the “Q” Grader Courses since the “Q’s” inception in 2000. Mané, to his credit, has successfully taught thousands of “Q Graders” world wide.
Meet The Team
Mané Alves, Founder & Lead Instructor
With a background in wine making and viticulture, Mané translated that knowledge into Coffee and the pursuit of Quality – from tree to cup. He has been intricately involved in the specialty coffee industry now for over 25 years. A founding member of the SCA Technical Standards committee, he is actively involved with the SCA and CQI organizations. Mané teaches world-wide and often travels to source countries as an International Cupping Judge where his cupping skills are renowned and highly regarded.
Tom Alario, School Director & Coffee Instructor
Tom is our School of Coffee Director and lead instructor on all brewing tecniques -be they brewed coffee, French Press or Pourover. He was the prior Coffee Bar Manager at VT Artisan and knows what it takes to run a succesful café. Tom also sets the curriculum and runs the Barista Classes, and various Workshops
Teaching, Tech & Roasting Support
Linn is a retired University Professor and teaches beginning and intermediary roasting classes as well as assists in the SCA Classes. Josh and Anji work hands-on, day to day in our coffee production facility. Anji, Vermont Artisan Coffee's Roastmaster, is always more than willing to share her roast knowledge with students. Josh is a Q grader and technician extraordinaire.
Our State-of-the-art Facilities
Our School of Coffee is housed in a 15,000 sq. foot, custom designed coffee barn. We share space with our sister businesses; the coffee testing & R&D lab, a working coffee roastery called Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea, Co., and it's Coffee Bar.
The classroom is especially conducive to cupping coffees and learning sensory identification skills while our Roastery houses 6 different roasters to explore.
