General certificate in brewing

[Craig George]

Has anyone on here done this qualification from the institute of brewing and distilling? Do you have and info on what it was like? how hard it was to complete or if it was worth doing at all?

I'd like to delve a bit deeper into brewing and i'm trying to find out if this course will be a good idea as a next step up from home brewing. Hopefully, it'll possibly get me some part-time work in a brewery too. The reports from previous candidates makes it seem like its a pretty hard qualification with nearly 50% of candidates failing the exam. The exam isn't until next May/April and the course starts on 1st November so there's plenty of time to learn everything as the suggested study time is 60-80 hours.

 

[Lesinge]

Hi there Craig - been a long time since you asked this question. Did you do this after all? I just got my result from this years exam and passed so very happy.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It looks like he gave up waiting for an answer -
Last seen Jul 23, 2020

 

[hoppyscotty]

This is timely as I've been pondering some form of formal schooling in this craft and give this forum a break from my silly questions. Think I've got alot of the techniques and theories down and reasonably well practiced, but it's all learned parrot fashion and I'd just like to understand a bit more of what exactly is going on and why what I do works when I do it.

Would you recommend this course?

 

[CJV8]

I did this when I was still working as a brewer. Useful from a pro perspective but I'm not sure of the value for home brewing, although that depends how you go about getting the qualification. I just did distance learning where I studied the material and took the exam, but if you were to spend time in a class at least that gives you the opportunity to ask questions. If you can get hold of the study material it's worth a read though.

 

[Dutto]

This is timely as I've been pondering some form of formal schooling in this craft and give this forum a break from my silly questions…..

No such thing as a “silly question” on this Forum!

After over 50 years of “Home Brewing” I still have questions to ask! (Before the jokers on this Forum ask, “No, it’s not because I’m becoming senile!)
:hat:

 

[MmmBeer]

I have also passed this course and it helped me get work as a brewer. As @CJV8 said, it is a bit over the top just for home brewing and expensive.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I also took this exam a long while ago, it was a pathway to studying for the full AME (now called diploma I think) within the brewery . I remember that a good few of the multiple choice questions were dubious enough, in that there were a number of right answers , just that one was more right, than the others. Which made it easier to answer if you were actually working as a brewer, rather than exclusively studying from notes or text books

 

[Lesinge]

This is timely as I've been pondering some form of formal schooling in this craft and give this forum a break from my silly questions. Think I've got alot of the techniques and theories down and reasonably well practiced, but it's all learned parrot fashion and I'd just like to understand a bit more of what exactly is going on and why what I do works when I do it.

Would you recommend this course?

Yes I would recommend this course if you are interested in the science behind brewing and the functions of a brewery. As a home brewer I can take a lot of the science and apply it to my practice but from the workings of a commercial brewery I could also learn. For example I am much more aware of water and waste management and since doing the course have put in a plan to reuse the water I was wasting especially in the cooling and washing phases of brewing. In some ways its hard to know what others will get out of it as I love to know everything about anything I am interested in and get qualified in the subjects I am looking at. hence I have some real left field qualifications that get my family to ask "so what will you get out of that?".

For me its a recognition of my understanding of a hobby and craft i love even though I will probably never work in a commercial brewery and today as I pitched my yeast i thought of all the daughter yeast buds I was creating.

 

[Lesinge]

I also took this exam a long while ago, it was a pathway to studying for the full AME (now called diploma I think) within the brewery . I remember that a good few of the multiple choice questions were dubious enough, in that there were a number of right answers , just that one was more right, than the others. Which made it easier to answer if you were actually working as a brewer, rather than exclusively studying from notes or text books

When I did the Microsoft Excel exams as part of the Microsoft Professional qualification back in the day there was a question that had the wrong answer and it annoyed me then and still annoys me now that they let it stay in the exam. I took it over 25 years ago and still can't forget how wrong it was!

 

[Dutto]

When I did the Microsoft Excel exams as part of the Microsoft Professional qualification back in the day there was a question that had the wrong answer and it annoyed me then and still annoys me now that they let it stay in the exam. I took it over 25 years ago and still can't forget how wrong it was!

I will never forgive Mr Ellis (long dead now) ‘cos he gave a penalty against me when I carried the ball outside the penalty area!


A wrong call at the time …

… a wrong call ever since and …

… a wrong call that cost us the match!

It was about 70 years ago, but it still rankles!
:hat:

 

[Nicks90]

When I did the Microsoft Excel exams as part of the Microsoft Professional qualification back in the day there was a question that had the wrong answer and it annoyed me then and still annoys me now that they let it stay in the exam. I took it over 25 years ago and still can't forget how wrong it was!

They are still doing it, I did the Microsoft azure fundamentals qualy 2 years ago and one of the questions was actually wrong in its description, meaning none of the answers were right. That same question is still in the course!

 

[Lesinge]

I will never forgive Mr Ellis (long dead now) ‘cos he gave a penalty against me when I carried the ball outside the penalty area!
A wrong call at the time …
… a wrong call ever since and …
… a wrong call that cost us the match!
It was about 70 years ago, but it still rankles!

Yep and one of my bosses left without saying goodbye...I am over it...I hardly ever think about it.....grrrr

 

[Lesinge]

They are still doing it, I did the Microsoft azure fundamentals qualy 2 years ago and one of the questions was actually wrong in its description, meaning none of the answers were right. That same question is still in the course!

Where is the quality control! I had to answer the wrong answer to get it right according to them...now you have to remember something thats wrong to answer correctly!

 

[Dutto]

Yep and one of my bosses left without saying goodbye...I am over it...I hardly ever think about it.....grrrr

At my own farewell party, my Senior Operator turned up with EVERY “iou” I had written on his *** packets in my attempts to give up smoking over the previous 5 years!

They added up to just over 200 ****, which is why Brian had decided not to contribute to my going away present!

Miserable sod! I should “unfriend” him, but after over 50 years it would be a bit mean!

 

[foxy]

No such thing as a “silly question” on this Forum!

After over 50 years of “Home Brewing” I still have questions to ask! (Before the jokers on this Forum ask, “No, it’s not because I’m becoming senile!)
:hat:

Congratulations Dutto you are never to old to learn. I would like to see more old codgers take the same approach.

 

[Lesinge]

At my own farewell party, my Senior Operator turned up with EVERY “iou” I had written on his *** packets in my attempts to give up smoking over the previous 5 years!
They added up to just over 200 ****, which is why Brian had decided not to contribute to my going away present!
Miserable sod! I should “unfriend” him, but after over 50 years it would be a bit mean!

Thats dedication!