There are numerous educational resources available for those interested in gaining professional prestige in the beer, wine and spirits industries – courses with real possibilities to acquire work in the beverage world, often in very respectable roles.

Bettering oneself and the whole industry

Across Canada, many people starting in the industry need the provincial serving certification – Ontario’s Smart Serve, Alberta’s ProServe, etc. – to be considered for any alcoholic beverage job.

“Any level of possession [of a beverage education certification] is vital on one’s resume,” said Roger Mittag, founder and CEO of the Prud’homme Beer Certification course, Canada’s top beer education program. “From retail like the LCBO [Liquor Control Board of Ontario] to the brewing industry to certain training, there are chances to further one’s education. About one quarter of the student body in the Prud’homme [program] are consumers that simply want to transition into the beverage industry and need at least the vocabulary to succeed within it.”

“You need to have a trade-focused organization,” said Paul Miles, executive director of the Independent Wine Education Guild (IWEG). “That’s what we offer: a not-for-profit school that is professionally goal-oriented in nature, has strong product knowledge and works to help students realize their professional goals.”

About one-quarter of the student body in the Prud’homme [program] are consumers that simply want to transition into the beverage industry and need at least the vocabulary to succeed within it.

Roger Mittag, Prud’homme Beer Certification

Since its establishment in 1977 by a group of LCBO employees, IWEG, like Prud’homme, was founded on industry people wanting to improve industry excellence. In the decades since its inception, IWEG has diversified its educational portfolio. “We realized we had to offer further education to particular students, so now we offer courses in wine, spirits, sake and, most recently, beer,” Miles said.

Rigorous yet rewarding

While it’s true that the alcohol education courses can be fun, they are far from traditional coursework. “The Prud’homme course is four levels,” said Mittag. “The first level covers ingredients, brewing, pouring, serving, glassware, how to serve – the fundamentals. But in level two, there is more in-depth studying of beer history and ingredients, plus insights into Canadian beer trends and profitability. By part three, the student is into sensory evaluation, doing blind taste testing and understanding the malting process, yeast and going [on] tours of yeast labs and micro-malters.”

By the end of the four levels, students must show what they have learned to their instructor. “At level four, we cover beer and food pairing with a project on portfolio management,” said Mittag.

Students can expect similar levels of study at IWEG. “We offer a two-year, quasi-university course,” Miles said. “It’s rigorous, but we cover everything: drink history, production techniques, types of wine and spirits, tasting education and the ability to make recommendations in any professional beverage setting.”

What’s in store

There are rewards to having beverage education under one’s belt. “The current head buyers of the LCBO are mostly WSET [Wine & Spirit Education Trust] level four,” Miles said. “That and other consultants to the wine industry are level three. Now, in the post-COVID-19 era, wine education is often required in restaurants. It’s been tough for both parties to operate and some students to attend, but there are opportunities for the restaurants and establishments subsidizing their workers’ drink education.”

Today’s graduates of spirits education have a lot of opportunities, but must be ready to both study and work hard. “I had a natural palate for tasting, but all the theory study was so exacting and specific,” said Tess Krossing-Masse, certified sommelier and events planner at Steam Whistle Brewing in Toronto. “The memorization of all the facts one needs to really know was difficult.”

It’s rigorous, but we cover everything: drink history, production techniques, types of wine and spirits, tasting education and the ability to make recommendations in any professional beverage setting.

Paul Miles, Independent Wine Education Guild

Coming from a family of winemakers, Krossing-Masse developed a love of wine tasting early and was able to take a wine-beer-spirits course during her tenure studying events management at George Brown College. Eventually, she gained her sommelier designation via the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers and began working in city wine bars while also freelancing as a sommelier at events.

“You’re providing knowledge to attendees,” she said. “I encourage aspiring sommeliers to try things. For young people, I try to gauge their knowledge and recommend which direction they need to take their education. For example, Grape Witches in Toronto, where they can sample wine and get some education too. For older aspirants, say 50-year-olds, I point them to Wine Academy or Vintage Conservatory to whet their palates.”

Also in lieu of the post-pandemic marketplace, there are options for study interfaces. “We had to put Prud’homme into an online format,” Mittag said. “It took a while and the first three levels are live, but level four can be done virtually. That’s something new we added.” Like the industry it represents, Canadian beverage education is study with heart.

“When you see the light going on in a student’s head, that they understand the intricacies of what they’ll be working with, and getting rid of the myths they might have had beforehand, that’s a real reward for us,” said Mittag. “We want to be inclusive and welcoming to lay people,” said Miles. “Courses help others get ahead in their careers. It gives them power and [students] can get ahead in what they love to do.”

Blood Brothers Brewing

Toronto, Ont.

Blood Brothers Brewing started in 2015 in an 800-square-foot unit located inside a larger industrial building, but by 2016 it had already outgrown the meagre space. The team knew that to make the brewery profitable, they would need to move.

Luckily, they found a post-industrial space in a century-old horse barn-turned-automotive-garage down the street. Pulling from their network of friends, and a shoestring budget, they hired Borien Studio for the buildout. Leaning into Blood Brothers Brewing’s request of cult, church and horror elements, Borien Studio built a bizarre yet gorgeous alter using brass, reclaimed materials and the Japanese technique of preserving wood through charring, called Shou Sugi Ban, to create a unique, grand space.

After a year or so, the Blood Brothers Brewing team added a large altarpiece of timber and brass behind the main bar, and a custom brass chandelier designed by friends and neighbours, Sixpenny Architectural Fabrication.

Submitted by Blood Brothers Brewing

Kilter Brewing Co.

Winnipeg, Man.

Kilter Brewing Co. creates tropical, exploratory beers. They wanted their taproom to reflect those elements in every possible way through the design. Customers are welcomed into the taproom by lush greenery and a wide variety of seating and décor options that cater to different preferences.

Their space features cozy couches, papasan egg chairs that swing and floor-to-ceiling wallpaper with tropical plants and flamingos. Their bar is completely canopied with green vines, plants and string lights. The back of the taproom features mix-and-match coloured tables surrounded by barrels filled with different beers that have been aging for several years.

The presence of a large glass overhead door at the front of the taproom creates an open-air environment that allows for a seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor space.

Submitted by Kilter Brewing Co.

Container Brewing Ltd.

Vancouver, B.C.

Container Brewing Ltd., located in East Vancouver, opened on Nov. 22, 2019. Container is a brewery that blends passion for craft beer with a commitment to community and diversity.

It was built largely in part by its co-founders Terry Brown and Dan Webster. The design’s intention was to create a bright, minimalist space with a West Coast feel. Incorporating reclaimed wood from the demolition and overhaul of the building, along with indoor planters, helped to realize this vision.

Hand-built tables and benches give warmth to the space, which is made up of unique socializing opportunities through a “nook,” group seating, a bar top and built-in tables for smaller groups. Exposed brick and rafters help bring an old-time industrial feel to the space and connect the lounge experience with the production that takes place on the premises.

Throughout the lounge there are artifacts from the construction of the brewery, which include photographs of found objects and equipment, old bottles and office items left behind. Anything of interest or novelty was incorporated into the aesthetic. Behind the bar is the sole literal nod to the name of the brewery. A corrugated cladding embodies a shipping container and serves as a magnetic menu board.

Submitted by Container Brewing Ltd.

Steam Whistle Brewing

Toronto, Ont.

Steam Whistle Brewing’s taproom creates a rustic feel that is authentic to the brand. The team used natural materials like wood to create a rustic and warm ambiance along with industrial elements like exposed beams, metal fixtures and concrete surfaces to reflect the idea of traditional brewing. They installed warm and ambient lighting to create a cozy atmosphere and showcase artwork of past beer cans along with memorabilia from the brand’s history.

Submitted by Steam Whistle Brewing.

Quidi Vidi Brewery Co.

St. John’s, N.L.

Quidi Vidi Brewery Co. was founded by Dave Fong in 1996. Before that, the brewery was a fish plant, a history which inspired the theme of its taproom.

Quidi Vidi Brewery sits on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is a 15 minute boat ride away from cod fishing. Fresh cod caught by the brewery’s team are prepared and served in the taproom, which can seat 220 people and consists of three sections: the main and original taproom inside the brewery – which includes the main bar with 16 beers on tap – the upstairs patio and deck, and the seaside deck.

The upstairs patio and deck has a clear roof and is weather-proofed with heaters so customers can sit “outside” 365 days a year and overlook the water. The seaside deck is the brewery’s lower deck, which is at water level. The light fixtures took some effort to source, but the ropes and hooks tie together the taproom’s connection to the sea.

Submitted by Quidi Vidi Brewery Co.