Level 1 Award in Beer

Have you ever wished you knew more about beer? Can you tell the difference between an IPA and a pilsner? A brown ale and a porter? The WSET Level 1 Award in Beer gives you a hands-on introduction to beer’s styles, ingredients, production and culture – no experience needed. 

Perfect for anyone curious about beer, our WSET Level 1 Award in Beer introduces you to the essentials of beer, from key ingredients and the basics of brewing to ales, lagers, and sour styles.   

Through a short and interactive course, you’ll learn the foundations of beer production, styles, service, food pairing and tasting. 

Upon completion of your beer training course, you’ll gain a globally recognised qualification and the knowledge to help you explore the world of beer in greater depth. 

You can join us at our central London location for training in-person, or for online classes – whatever suits you. 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

The WSET Level 1 Award in Beer provides a great introduction to the world of beer. Learning though sight, smell and taste, you'll become familiar with a range of beer styles and how they are made. 

If you work with beer, you’ll be able to answer customer queries with confidence and provide helpful recommendations. If you’re learning for fun, you’ll feel inspired to explore new styles and know how to get the most out of every glass. 

What's covered?

 

The main ingredients used to make beer: 

  • Malt and other sugar sources, water, hops and other flavourings, yeast

 

The main production steps used to make beer 

  • Malting, brewing 

 

The principles of successful beer storage, service, and food pairing: 

  • Beer storage and service: Keeping beer fresh, glassware, pouring keg beer, opening and pouring bottled beer, service temperature 
  • Common beer faults: Staling, light strike (skunking), bacterial infection 
  • Food and beer: Preferences, sensitivities, interactions, applications and other considerations 

 

The characteristics of a range of key beer styles 

  • Malt-driven styles: American or international pale lager, Munich helles, blonde ale, Munich dunkel, brown ale, porter and stout, barley wine 
  • Hop-driven styles: traditional Czech or German pilsner, bitter, American pale ale, American IPA, hazy IPA 
  • Yeast driven styles: weissbier, dubbel, tripel, saison, witbier 
  • Sour styles: Berliner weisse, geuze (gueuze) 

 

COURSE DELIVERY

Available in-person or online, the Level 1 Award in Beer requires: 

  • 6 hours or guided learning with a WSET course provider 
  • This is a fully guided course, meaning there are no private study requirements 
  • A 45-minute exam 

We also offer the course through WSET’s Online Classroom – our interactive e-learning platform where you complete the course at your own pace over four weeks, under the guidance of an expert educator. 

 

Available to study in these languages: 

  • English

The course was great! Solid information and really interesting.

Katie, Level 1 Award in Beer

COURSE INFORMATION

Entry requirements 

There are no entry requirements for this qualification – it is suitable for complete beginners. 

You must be of legal drinking age in the UK to participate in any alcohol tasting. However, this is not a barrier to successfully completing the qualification. 

 

Assessment 

Your learning will be assessed by a closed-book exam of 30 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 45 minutes. Exams will be available both online and in-person. 
 
You'll receive your results approximately four weeks after the exam. On successful completion of the examination you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin, and will be able to use the associated certified logo. 

WSET is committed to making our exams fair and accessible and ensuring that no candidate is placed at a disadvantage. If you have any special requirements or need to request reasonable adjustments, please do discuss this with us. 

 

Course specification 

For more information and full details on the course requirements, please download the Specification below. 

 

When can you enrol? 

To register your interest in booking a WSET beer course, please complete the below form. 

 

STUDY OPTIONS

Day release course - £250

Location: WSET School London

Duration: 09:00am-5:00pm on one day (includes exam)

Private study: Not required. There are recapping and revision exercises throughout the day

 

What's included?

  • Workbook
  • Beer samples
  • 6 hours of tuition
  • Exam
  • Exclusive offers via our Student Deals Card

Evening course - £250

Location: WSET School London

Duration: 6:30-8:30pm once a week for three weeks (includes exam)

Private study: 11 hours. This format gives you the most time to pre-read and recap topics between classes

 

What's included:

  • Workbook
  • Beer samples
  • 6 tasting glasses
  • 16 hours of tuition, with access to additional resources on WSET's Online Classroom
  • Exam
  • Exclusive offers via our Student Deals Card

 

Designed for those who are unable to study in the daytime. A popular choice for beer enthusiasts and trade professionals with demanding daytime jobs.

Saturday course - £250

Location: WSET School London

Duration: 10:30am-2:00pm over two consecutive Saturdays (includes exam)

Private study: Not required, but this format gives you the flexibility to pre-read or recap topics between classes

 

What's included:

  • Workbook
  • Beer samples
  • 6 hours of tuition
  • Exam
  • Exclusive offers via our Student Deals Card

 

A popular option for those want to explore the local area or those who are unable to study on weekdays.

Enhanced online course - £210

Location: Online via WSET's Online Classroom, with an online exam*

Duration: 4 weeks self-guided study to be completed around your schedule

Private study: At least three hours a week

 

What's included:

  • Workbook
  • Beer samples
  • 6 hours of tuition
  • Exam
  • Exclusive offers via our Student Deals Card

 

Enhance features:

  • Revision videos
  • Flash cards
  • Exam tips

 

Technology requirements:

We recommend that you use a laptop or desktop device and have a reliable internet connection. To sit your exam online you will also need one additional smart device such as a smartphone or tablet

 

Suited for those who need a flexible study option, international students or those far aware from our classroom centres.

 

*More information on how online examinations work will be shared with you once you enrol. If you are a student in Mainland China or the UAE, it's not possible for you to take the exam online due to technological restrictions.

Book a Level 1 Award in Beer course

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