Qualifications
There is a lot of debate as to whether qualifications are a necessary step in gaining entry or progressing within the drinks industry. Even if this is the case, we want to make sure everyone has as much information about the courses and pathways available to them as possible.
Beer - Wine - Cider - Related
Beer
Cicerone
The Cicerone programme offers four levels of certification within beer, written for those working within the hospitality side of the industry. Covering beer styles, the brewing process, serving, storage, distribution and draught systems.
Levels
Certified Beer Server - Certified Cicerone - Advanced Cicerone - Master Cicerone
Website
Beer Judge Certification Program
The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) provides training on how to become a beer, mead or cider judge. Covering technical processes in beer production, off flavours and beer styles, in order to be able to judge beer.
Levels
Entrance Examination - Judging Examination - Written Proficiency Examination
Institute of Brewing and Distilling
The Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) offer four levels of certification within beer for those looking to start a career in brewing. Covering brewing operations in large or small breweries, and brewing science.
Levels
Foundations in Brewing - General Certificate in Beer - Diploma in Brewing - Master Brewer
The Beer and Cider Academy
The Beer and Cider Academy provides training on how to become a beer sommelier. Over four courses it covers beer history, food and beer pairing, off flavours, beer styles and a variety of brewing techniques.
Levels
Foundation - Advanced - How to Judge Beer - Beer Academy Sommelier
Website
Wine
WSET
The Wine and Spirit Education Trust is the big one for studying wine. Across four levels WSET teach students whether you’re looking to be a wine professional or you’re just interested in learning a little about wine. Covering all aspects of wine, from how it’s made to styles to tasting.
Levels
Level One - Level Two - Level Three - Level Four (Diploma)
Master Sommeliers
The Court of Master Sommeliers offers four levels of certification within wine, written for those working within the hospitality side of the industry. Covering tasting, theory, service, and with a little spirits and beer education, as well as global wine knowledge.
Levels
Introductory Sommelier - Certified Sommelier - Advanced Sommelier - Master Sommelier
Website
Masters of Wine
The Masters of Wine programme is some what infamous for it’s intensity. “The MW exam involves a series of theory papers and blind tasting examinations, plus an individual research paper on a subject that will contribute to the understanding of the world of wine.”
Levels
Stage One- Stage Two - Stage Three
Wine Scholar Guild
Wine Scholar Guild is more Eurocentric, covering education on wine and wine regions in Spain, France and Italy. You have the opportunity to study to become a French Wine Scholar, a Spanish Wine Scholar or Italian Wine Scholar.
12 online study modules
8 live webinars
100 question exam
Website
Cider
The Beer and Cider Academy
The Beer and Cider Academy provides training on how to become a cider pommelier. Over four courses it covers cider history, styles and how to identify them, food pairing, cider judging, retailing, glassware and cellar hygiene.
Levels
Foundation - Advanced - How to Judge Cider - Cider Academy Pommelier
Website
American Cider Association
The Beer and Cider Academy provides training on how to become a beer sommelier. Over two courses they cover orchard history, cidermaking, tasting, apple families and flavour, keeping and serving and food pairing.
Levels
Certified Cider Professional - Certified Pommelier
Website
Related
If you’re learning about drinks, it can’t hurt to learn a little bit about cheese! It’s always handy to have a little cheese knowledge in your back pocket for when you start looking at food and drinks pairing. The Academy of Cheese provides education across four levels. Covering cheese production, different styles, different locations, maturation, buying, distribution, health and safety and a whole lot more. Imagine being a Master of Cheese!
Levels
Associate - Member - Fellow - Master
WSET isn’t just a training programme for wine, you can also study spirits and sake. The spirits programme is across three levels where you can learn about the basics to indepth technical detail on distiling, the different styles of spirits and their flavour profiles.
The sake programme is across two levels, covering how sake is made, the industry, catagories, storage, selection and service.