The Local Taphouse in Melbourne is hosting a meet-and-greet for beer industry professionals with Ray Daniels, the founder and director of the world’s premier beer certification program on Monday, 31 August.
Based in Chicago but expanding internationally, the Cicerone Certification Program certifies and educates beer professionals, testing on five key areas: Keeping and Serving Beer; Beer Styles; Beer Tasting and Flavours; Brewing Ingredients and Processes; and Beer and Food Pairing.
To date, the programme has certified more than 50,000 individuals worldwide. In Australia, The Local Taphouse in Melbourne and Sydney are the first venues to have all front-of-house staff credentialed as Certified Beer Servers under the Cicerone program.
“It’s been very helpful in bringing all our front-of-house staff up to the same, stronger base level of beer knowledge. Staff members also now consider beer in a more academic way rather than just a hobby and enthusiastically embrace our more structured in-house training process,” The Local Taphouse co-founder Steve Jeffares told Beer & Brewer.
“Behind the bar, staff members have never been more confident when discussing beer with customers and each other. It’s been a really positive experience and well worth the investment.”
Brewers, publicans, importers, distributors and other beer industry professionals are invited to attend this informal event as Daniels talks about the program and answers any questions about beer, brewing and the American beer scene that people care to ask.
“I subscribe to the ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ theory. Ultimately, it will improve customers’ experience of craft beer if more venues have staff properly trained in beer knowledge and the Cicerone program is widely considered the best in the world,” Jeffares said.
“I think better educating people who sell beer will help underpin the immense future growth of the sector and there is much that can be done to improve the current situation. As the range of beers and styles in the marketplace continues to grow, beer training will become even more important, as will education of the consumer.”
Event Details:
Time & Date: 6-7pm, Monday, 31 August
Location: The Local Taphouse – 184 Carlisle St, East St Kilda
RSVP essential to steve@thelocal.com.au by midday 31 August.