There are 4 mandatory courses that need to be undertaken before applying for a Beer Sommelier Assessment and they are detailed below:

1.  BIIAB Award in Beer and Cellar Quality Or Cask Marque Cellar Management Certificate
   • Duration: 1 Day
   • Providers: Skills & Education Group (various training providers) Or The Cask Marque Trust
   • Where to Book: Cask Marque Cellar Management Training*
   • Pre-requisite Learning: None
2. WSET Level 2 Award in Beer
   • Duration: 28 Hours of Study
   • Provider(s): Wine & Spirit Education Trust
   • Where to Book: WSET Level 2 Award in Beer
   • Pre-requisite Learning: None
3. Guild of Beer Sommeliers How to Judge Beer and Understanding ‘Off Flavours’
   • Duration: 1 Day
   • Provider(s): The Guild of Beer Sommeliers
   • Where to Book: Guild of Beer Sommeliers: How to Judge Beer and Understanding ‘Off Flavours’ Course
   • Pre-requisite Learning: WSET level 2
4. Guild of Beer Sommeliers Beer and Food Pairing Course
   • Duration: 1 Day
   • Provider: The Guild of Beer Sommeliers
   • Where to Book: Guild of Beer Sommeliers: Beer and Food Pairing Course
   • Pre-requisite Learning: None

The courses can be taken in any order, except for the How to Judge Beer and Off Flavour Training, which WSET level 2 in Beer is a pre-requisite.

*Other providers of ABCQ courses are available.

Candidates will be required to submit a Portfolio of Evidence prior to the assessment (in a format of their choosing).

Examples of evidence are listed below:

• Evidence/dates of completion/certification of all beer education courses
• Details of beer books read/ written, as appropriate
• Evidence of beer presentations or beer dinners you have hosted (eg, photos, testimonials, event plans, media coverage and/or social media posts)
• Evidence of beer and food menus created
• Details of beer lists created for bars, restaurants or events
• Details of breweries visited
• Client/employer testimonies
• Examples of published articles/features about beer authored by the applicant
• Details of beer flavour descriptions written
• Experience managing or working in beer focused hospitality venues

Examples of print, video, on-line, photographic, and audio evidence should highlight the applicant’s achievements to date.

Once the courses have been completed and the portfolio submitted, applicants can apply for the Beer Sommelier assessment. This is a one-to-one viva voce examination of the applicant’s beer knowledge and experience (typically lasting 75-90 minutes). This will be conducted by Alex Barlow, Master Brewer, and observed by an accredited Beer Sommelier.

Applicants are expected to be able to identify, describe and communicate the features of a beer they have just tasted in a clear, confident, and accurate manner; to identify the nature and style of that beer; to suggest and justify suitable food pairings for that beer. The assessment is designed to test these skills and the candidate’s ability to identify notable flavour faults.

The format is consistent for every candidate and includes the following areas of assessment:

• discussion of the candidate’s portfolio
• candidate to lead the examiner through a tasting of 15 different beers, discussing their notable characteristics, beer family and style, and to suggest food matches when prompted
• correctly identify flavour feature or faults among 6 spiked samples of a base beer
• suggest beer pairings for a handful of dishes identified by the examiner from a sample menu

 

Applicants will find out immediately whether they have passed. Verbal feedback will be given suggesting areas to focus on and develop.

To book an Assessment Day, please email info@beer-sommelier.org.uk with your applicant checklist to request a date.

It is strongly recommended that all Beer Sommelier applicants supplement the mandatory qualifications with self-study.

The Guild has compiled a list of additional learning resources aligned to each topic covered in the assessment.

Beer Storage, Handling and Service
Cask Marque Beer Pro 1 and Beer Pro 2 (cask-marque.co.uk/training )
Certified Cicerone® (cicerone.org )
Cellar & Bar Management Manual (Cask Marque, 2023)
Cellarmanship: Patrick O’Neill (CAMRA Books, 2020)
Draught Beer Quality Manual (Brewers Association, 4th Edition)
Draught Beer Quality for Retailers (Brewers Association, 2nd Ed)

The Brewing Process and Ingredients/Beer Styles
Certified Cicerone® (cicerone.org )
IBD Essentials in Brewing (ibd.org.uk/courses/essentials-in-brewing-course/ )
IBD Foundation in Brewing (ibd.org.uk/ibd-qualifications/brewing qualifications/foundation-in-brewing/ )
Doemens Biersommelier Training (doemens.org/en/beer-sommelier )
BJCP Guidelines (bjcp.org/bjcp-style-guidelines )
The Oxford Companion to Beer: edited by Garrett Oliver (Oxford University Press, 2012)
Beer: Taste the Evolution in 50 Styles: Natalya Watson (Kyle Books, 2020)
Beer A Tasting Course – A Flavour-Focused Approach to the World of Beer: Mark Dredge (Dorling Kindersley, 2022)
World Beer Guide: Roger Protz (CAMRA Books 2021)
Tasting Beer: Randy Mosher (2nd edition, Storey, 2017)
Modern British Beer: Matthew Curtis (CAMRA Books, 2023)

How to Judge Beer Quality/Off Flavour Identification
Off Flavour Sensory Training Kit (https://shop.siebelinstitute.com/intermediate-sens-training-kit)
BJCP Guidelines (bjcp.org/bjcp-style-guidelines )
The Oxford Companion to Beer: edited by Garrett Oliver (Oxford University Press, 2012)

Beer and Food Pairing
Certified Cicerone® (cicerone.org )
Doemens Biersommelier Training (doemens.org/en/beer-sommelier )
Beerology Mastering Beer and Food Pairing (beerology.thinkific.com )
The Brewmaster’s Table: Garrett Oliver (Harper Collins, 2003)
Beer and Food: Mark Dredge (Dog and Bone Books, 2014)
Beer, Food, and Flavour: A Guide to the Tasting, Pairing and the Culture of Craft Beer by Schuyler Schultz (Skyhorse Publishing, 2012)
Food and Beer by Daniel Burns and Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso (Phaidon Press 2016)
Tasting Beer: Randy Mosher (2nd edition, Storey, 2017)
Cheese and Beer: Janet Fletcher (Andrews McMeel, 2013)
Beer Pairing: The Essential Guide from the Pairing Pros: Julia Herz and Gwen Conley (Voyager Press, 2015)

What pre-assessment criteria do I need?

Candidates will be expected to complete and pass four mandatory training courses prior to booking their assessment in the following order:

• BIIAB Award in Beer and Cellar Quality
• WSET Level 2 Award in Beer
• Guild of Beer Sommeliers Off Flavour Training course
• Guild of Beer Sommeliers Beer and Food Pairing course
• Further study is also highly advised in addition to the above courses.

Applicants will be required to submit a Portfolio of Evidence prior to the assessment and there is also an optional multiple choice test to assess their knowledge.

 

How long does the assessment take?

A typical assessment will take 75 to 90 minutes.

 

How often are the assessment days?

Every quarter. Dates will be published on the Guild of Beer Sommelier’s website.

 

What is the cost of the Assessment Day?

The cost is from £325.00 per candidate.

 

When do I find out if I’ve passed?

Immediately. The assessor will share feedback with you on the same day. If you do not pass, the assessor will suggest areas to focus and develop on.

 

What do I get if I pass?

A Beer Sommelier pin badge, certificate, access to use the Guild of Beer Sommeliers digital assets and automatic entry into the Guild of Beer Sommeliers.

 

Are assessment days only held in the UK?

Currently, assessment days will only be offered in London and Sheffield

 

However, if we receive applications from several candidates who are based in a particular region or an overseas territory. We may arrange an additional satellite assessment centre in these locations.

 

What qualifications are considered equivalent to the mandatory qualifications stipulated?

The equivalent qualifications can be found here and will be accepted as long as they have already been undertaken and passed. The table below shows equivalent qualifications and any additional course required to be taken pre-assessment:

 

Is the Beer Sommelier assessment accredited by a qualifying body/organisation?

The Guild of Beer Sommeliers is the awarding body having taken over from the Beer Academy (which started the Beer Sommelier qualification as part of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling).

 

The Beer Academy’s Chief Sommelier Examiner, Alex Barlow, is a founding member of, and maintains the same examining role within the Guild of Beer Sommeliers.

 

Is funding and/or sponsorship available for the training courses and assessment?

The Guild operates under the umbrella of Cask Marque, a not-for-profit organisation and is unable to offer part or wholly subsidised training courses or assessment days.

 

However, if you currently work within the beer, pub or hospitality sector, the programme may be beneficial to your continuous professional development and advantageous commercially.

 

We recommend you speak to your employer, and we can provide support for your appeal.

 

Can I use an existing Beer Sommelier as a mentor?

You can reach out to any of the accredited Beer Sommeliers listed in our directory and ask for guidance and advice.

Some may be open to offering their expertise and time free of charge, but please respect the fact that many of our members are self employed or freelance and therefore may ask for a fee for their services.

 

Is the online multi choice test compulsory?

No.

The on-line multi choice test is an optional extra. You might want to consider using this resource to test yourself in readiness for your assessment and check your level of knowledge.

It gives you a good indication of areas and topics which you might need to develop ahead of the assessment.

 

What happens if I fail the assessment?

Applicants will find out immediately whether they have passed or failed.

 

If an applicant fails to achieve the required assessment criteria, verbal feedback will be given suggesting areas to focus on and develop.

 

Candidates can re-book a further assessment when they have worked on their areas of development.

 

Applicants should note that the assessment fee will not be reimbursed in the event of a failed assessment and will be required to pay the fee for subsequent assessments.

The Advisory Board have put together an on-line multi choice test that will give you a good indication of areas and topics which you might need to develop ahead of the assessment.

It’s an optional extra that you might want to consider using to test yourself in readiness for your assessment and check your level of knowledge.

You can book the pre-assessment here