The Beer Academy has re-launched itself as the Beer & Cider Academy, with a fresh look, a new cider offering and a leading presenter. The new name and new look was presented to an invited audience at London’s Hawkes Cidery and Taproom on October 26th, where President of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling Katherine Smart announced the news before handing over to Gabe Cook, aka The Ciderologist, who held a cider and food matching session as well as presenting the route to Pommelier.
Autumn 2017 will bring about updates to the Beer & Cider Academy’s beer offerings, with updates to the Foundation Course, Advanced Course and the How to Judge Beer Course – a new look with new content and new tutors. The first element of our new cider content, the Foundation Couse, will be held in London in December and is available to book through the Beer & Cider Academy website at www.beerandcideracademy.org Next year will see the Advanced Cider Course in January and a detail How to Judge Cider Course.
Gabe Cook is a global cider expert who is trying to change the way we think and drink cider. He’s worked for all sized and types of cider maker, from traditional farmhouse producers up to the world’s largest. Now he’s bringing the good news to all via the Beer & Cider Academy in a mission to ensure the world understands just how rich, varied, complex and downright fabulous cider and perry can be.
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Notes to editors
The Beer & Cider Academy is a subsidiary of the IBD and was founded as the Beer Academy in 2003 by a small group of beer enthusiasts and quickly attracted support from brewers (large and small), beer retailers, trade associations and consumer groups who enabled the Academy to put together a series of courses and training materials delivered by a small number of experienced and knowledgeable tutors with a real passion for beer.
To date, over 4,000 people have attended Academy courses together with a further 10,000 who have enjoyed talks and beer tastings at venues like the BBC Good Food Show, the Great British Beer Festival and the British Museum as well as in pubs and bars up and down the country. We now have 166 Beer Sommeliers from seventeen countries, many of whom make a living from their beer knowledge. With the launch incorporation of cider, we are now looking forward to training Cider Pommeliers with equal success.
The Institute of Brewing & Distilling (IBD) is the world’s leading professional body for people working in brewing and distilling. The organisation originated as the “Laboratory Club” in 1886 and now has an international membership of over 5000 people based in close to 100 countries worldwide.
Further information: Natalie.Michel@ibd.org.uk