Course: Brewlab Certificate in Practical Brewing

Duration: 3 weeks (15 teaching days)

Venue: Brewlab, Unit 1 West Quay Court, Sunderland Enterprise Park, SR5 2TE
Cost: £3750. A £400 deposit to secure your place. Includes VAT.
Accommodation: Included in the course fee. Self-catering student style through the University of
Sunderland.

Introduction

Focusing on the theory and practice of brewing, the Certificate in Practical Brewing has an
emphasis on traditional procedures. It provides up-to-date knowledge of modern brewing
processes, with a strong practical element through laboratory work, brewery visits and placement
brewing opportunities.

The course is targeted to assist new brewers, individuals who want to gain and develop skills in
brewing, providing a starting point for a long term career. It also supports experienced brewers
looking to obtain skills and knowledge of British beers as a specialist product.
The study programme may also provide preparation for professional examinations such as the IBD
General Certificate in Brewing.

Aims

The Certificate in Practical Brewing aims to provide you with theoretical and practical experience
of British brewing through classroom and laboratory activities and via placement work in
production breweries. The programme gives a variety of opportunities to pursue each of these
areas to the depth you require.

Objectives

As a result of undertaking the Practical Brewing course you will:

• Gain an overview of the brewing process

• Understand the theoretical processes involved in the production and fermentation of
worts for brewing British beers
• Have seen and discussed the particular features of the different styles of British beers

Brewlab Ltd, Unit 1, West Quay Court, Sunderland Enterprise Park, Sunderland, SR5 2TE
Telephone: 0191 549 9450 Fax: 0191 549 4048
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.brewlab.co.uk
 • Have seen the production of British beers on both large and small commercial scales
• Have participated in the commercial production of beer and discussed their production and
dispense with brewery and retail staff
• Have considered traditional and contemporary brewing in terms of product type and
quality
• Be able to analyse beers for basic chemistry and microbiology using standard methods and
to assess the flavour characteristics of British ale styles
• Have developed skills and experience in the taste assessment of British beer styles
• Understand and implement Food Safety Systems
• Have experienced and discussed the major features of British Brewing History and
considered how these have led to the character of British Beer today
• Have participated in a small scale bottling workshop
• Have received business start up planning, sales and marketing advice to assist setting up a
microbrewery

Topics

Course work covers:

• The brewing process • Business start up

• Raw material science • Marketing and sales
• Brewery Plant Design • Recipe formulation
• Cellar Management • Taste training
• Food Safety systems
• Microbiology
• Practical brewing
• Brewing history

Course components

Practical Brewing is a combination of theoretical and practical instruction in brewing, supported by

placement brewing experience on site in British breweries.

The main course components are:

Brewery History

Participants study the history and development of brewing procedures and British breweries,
relating technological advances to beer styles. Visits to traditional breweries provide contact with
experienced brewers and historians.

Brewing Technology

This module provides a strong theoretical basis for the course, covering the full brewing process
from ingredients to packaging. Theoretical treatment covers recipe formulation, wort production,

Brewlab Ltd, Unit 1, West Quay Court, Sunderland Enterprise Park, Sunderland, SR5 2TE
Telephone: 0191 549 9450 Fax: 0191 549 4048
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.brewlab.co.uk
boiling, yeast metabolism and fermentation systems. In addition we review the construction and
engineering of brewing plant and equipment. Quality control and assurance is emphasized.
Traditional and modern approaches to brewing British ales are illustrated with practical work and
demonstrations.

The following modules supplement this instruction, providing detailed tuition in additional areas
relevant to the brewer.

Business Start Up

Tutors give advice on the practicalities of setting up a business, from conducting market research,
writing a business plan, and the requirements of operating a micro brewery.

Cellar Management

Procedures are covered for cellar design and layout, cask handling, keg handling, hygiene and
dispense procedures. Participants visit working cellars providing opportunities to discuss beer
dispense in a variety of systems and environments.

Marketing and Sales

Basic marketing skills are covered to help participants plan their marketing and sales strategy,
taking into account their strengths, the competition, different methods of promoting a business
and the importance of e marketing, including website development.

Microbiology

Instruction is given in the use of the microscope and aseptic techniques. Yeast and bacteria are
considered for their growth and brewing spoilage characteristics. Practical work is undertaken to
develop basic microbiological skills.
Practical work

Practical work is a major component of the course and mini brews are conducted by individual
students. This takes place at Brewlab, where brewing is conducted for research and for
commercial production. Day placements in local British breweries, including the 100 litre Darwin
Brewery in Sunderland, enable participants to follow larger scale production on site.

Taste Training

Programmed sessions provide instruction in beer flavour assessment. This provides the
opportunity to develop skills in a variety of tasting procedures including flavour profiling and
difference assessment. British beer features are highlighted and comparisons made between beer
style characteristics.

Brewlab Ltd, Unit 1, West Quay Court, Sunderland Enterprise Park, Sunderland, SR5 2TE
Telephone: 0191 549 9450 Fax: 0191 549 4048
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.brewlab.co.uk
Visits

Visits may be made to major establishments involved in the brewing industry, such as maltings,
equipment suppliers and fabricators. Evening social visits are arranged with breweries to allow the
opportunity to meet British brewers in informal settings and to experience the historic production
plants associated with acclaimed British beers.

Working placements may be arranged in British breweries for participants who wish to extend
their stay and develop more extensive day to day experience of working practice. This is a unique
element of the Practical Brewing course. In addition you make friendships which can give you long
term contacts for future visits and professional support.

Please enquire for further details.

Placement options and support

Placements in working breweries are a valuable and acclaimed component of Brewlab’s Certificate
and Diploma courses. Conducted in our collaborating breweries placements offer opportunities to
view and participate in commercial brewing and gain unique experience of working practices.
As an addition to our extended course provision Brewlab can offer to arrange for more extensive
brewery placements after completion of Brewlab Certificate and Diploma programmes. These
placements would be with collaborating breweries in the UK or overseas and would offer day to
day experience in production for periods of up to four weeks or in some funded options for up to
six months.

Placements are free of charge and participants would not receive an income. However, they
would contribute to day to day brewing operations in exchange for developing first-hand
experience and knowledge of the brewing industry. Participants would be responsible for their
own accommodation but Brewlab would be able to offer assistance in sourcing suitable options.
Extended placements can be arranged in advance of commencing the Certificate or Diploma
courses or during the programmes.

Funding options may be available to eligible participants to cover accommodation and living
expenses in some instances. Please contact us for details of options and locations.

Teaching and learning strategies

The Certificate in Practical Brewing is taught as a three week programme, with timetabled sessions
and placements. The third week provides additional opportunity to gain practical brewing skills, to
study microbiology and review small scale bottling techniques. Practical work forms an important
aspect of the course and you will learn brewing procedures and laboratory methods. Certificates
of achievement are awarded to successful students at the end of the course, which is comparable
to NVQ level 2.

Brewlab Ltd, Unit 1, West Quay Court, Sunderland Enterprise Park, Sunderland, SR5 2TE
Telephone: 0191 549 9450 Fax: 0191 549 4048
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.brewlab.co.uk
Accommodation

Accommodation is included in the course fee. It is self-catering student style provided for the
duration of the course.

Each room has a single bed, desk, washbasin, wardrobe, Wi-Fi access. Communal areas are
cleaned once a week.

There is a shared kitchen, lounge, bathrooms and shower facilities. There are no TV’s in the rooms.

Brewlab Ltd, Unit 1, West Quay Court, Sunderland Enterprise Park, Sunderland, SR5 2TE
Telephone: 0191 549 9450 Fax: 0191 549 4048
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.brewlab.co.uk