Master the art of coffee with Sprocket Roasters

There’s something universally satisfying about a well-made coffee. Whether you’re preparing it behind a cafe counter or in the comfort of your own kitchen, the ritual of grinding, extracting, and steaming is as meditative as it is energising. 

For those keen to master the craft, Newcastle Coffee School, brought to you by the talented team behind Sprocket Roasters, offers an accessible, hands-on pathway into the world of coffee. 

Run by Ross and Chelsea, and led by head trainer Derrick, Newcastle Coffee School has been operating since 2008 but has officially stepped into a new chapter with the launch of their dedicated space. 

Derrick, Chelsea, and Ross

Located upstairs from their roastery and retail space on Wyong Road in Lambton, the coffee school has developed into a purpose-built space – featuring a well-equipped training hub that hosts both group and private sessions. 

The school is designed for everyone from total beginners to industry professionals looking to polish their skills. 

“We have people that may already work in the industry and want to finesse their skills, as well as just regular people who may want to understand their own machine or have an interest in understanding more about coffee in general,” Derrick said. 

The group classes are held fortnightly on Saturdays in small groups (maximum of eight people), with private classes available during the week or on alternate Saturdays. 

Each student is guaranteed their own group head and access to commercial machines, freshly roasted beans (from the downstairs roastery), and ongoing support. 

Derrick, who brings more than 30 years of hospitality experience and holds an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and a Cert IV in Training & Assessment, builds confidence through practical, step-by-step instruction. 

The classes cover espresso extraction, grinder calibrations, milk texturing, machine cleaning, and, of course, how to create the five most popular cafe-style coffees – flat whites, lattes, cappuccinos, long blacks, and espressos. Less common orders like piccolos, macchiatos, and ristrettos are also on the menu. 

Plus, for those enamoured with Instagram-worthy latte art, Derrick assures it’s achievable for those keen students. 

While the course doesn’t offer formal accreditation at this stage, that’s entirely the point. It’s been developed for everyday people, those who don’t necessarily have time to complete week-long classes but want tangible skills they can use right away.

The space has also become a valuable training ground for local cafes and restaurants.

“We have something called 'Train the Trainer Program,' where we=e get all the supervisors from the cafes that we work with and train them from the ground up, so they can pass that onto their staff.”

Businesses can also rent the room for private staff training sessions or just book in to use the machines for solo practice time – perfect for budding baristas trying to land their first job in a busy cafe setting. Secondary schools can also rent out the room if hospitality teachers need additional coffee machines for their students to practice on.

“So far, the classes are attracting a wide range of people. There’s no age limit – we’ve had kids as young as 12 from a Scout class, and people as old as 90 take the course – coffee is not ageist,” Chelsea said. 

Those budding at-home baristas are also encouraged to bring their own machines in so they can get hands-on training with the exact setup they’ll be using at home.

“Everyone is buying these beautiful and expensive machines, then they get home and they’re not sure how to even use it,” Derrick said.

Looking ahead, the team hopes to expand its offering to school groups, workplace team-building days, and even fun weekend activities. 

“I think a lot of offices around Newcastle are looking for points of difference when it comes to team-building sessions. This is a great opportunity, and it can be a useful skill set, especially if they have a coffee machine in the office,” Chelsea said. 

As the Newcastle Coffee School continues to evolve, the team remains focused on keeping it accessible, practical, and most importantly, enjoyable.