WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust), the drinks education specialist, has announced the first course providers to offer its level 1 and level 2 Awards in Beer.
From February, WSET School London and TheDrinkSchool will be the first to offer in-person and online courses to trade professionals and people interested in expanding their knowledge of beer in the UK. In addition, Molson Coors has been approved to train its own team members.
Two other schools, W Wine School, based in Tel Aviv, and WineWise, in Antwerp, will be the first to offer courses in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region.
WSET School London will run level 1 courses from Friday, 14th February, and Level 2 courses from Monday, 19th February. These are now available to book.
WSET level 1 and 2 Awards in Beer will provide both trade professionals and beer enthusiasts with the product knowledge and tasting skills to become more beer confident.
Launching online and in person, the courses will explore the main types and styles of beer, key methods of production, tasting techniques, and food pairings.
Using WSET’s trademarked Systematic Approach to Tasting, students will be equipped with a universal language to describe what they’re tasting and a framework for assessing quality.
“2024 will be an exciting year for WSET as we expand into a new drinks category for the first time in 10 years,” said Rachel Webster, WSET global APP development director.
“Harnessing our experience as leaders in global drinks education, our new level 1 and 2 Awards in Beer will bring a unique and interactive approach to tasting and learning. We hope they will inspire both trade professionals and enthusiasts by equipping them with essential knowledge and skills.”
Natalya Watson, WSET business development manager, beer, added: “WSET’s longstanding reputation and global reach will bring beer education to a bigger audience than ever before.
“There’s long been a gap in the UK market for in-person beer courses that teach tasting alongside theory. These new courses will introduce students to a broad range of beer styles and develop their palates so they can discuss and describe beers with confidence.”
To celebrate the launch of its new beer qualifications, WSET is running a series of bitesize webinars exploring the world of beer. Taking place from 26th February to 1st March, the following webinars will be available to watch:
- 26th February, 3pm: What is beer made from?
- 28th February, 7am: How is beer made?
- 29th February, 4pm: How to choose the right beer glass
- 1st March, 11am: How do you taste beer?
