Online WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits

This qualification teaches students a simple but comprehensive product knowledge of spirits to help prepare a person for jobs in hospitality or in other sectors of the spirits industry. Alongside knowledge of distillation, methods of production and key facts on the major spirit categories, this course also teaches students the basics of preparation and service of basic cocktails. You will be taught to critically assess spirits using WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting. As well as providing drinks professionals with the basic competencies required to do their job, this course will also appeal to the interested spirits consumer who wishes to learn more about their favourite tipple!

You will gain a deeper understanding of Distillation, Vodka, Whisky, Gin, Liqueurs, Aromatised Wines, Brandy and other Fruit Spirits, Tequila and Rum and how they are made.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS COURSE, PLEASE BOOK BY Fri 2nd July 2021. To book after this date please contact the wine school before booking to ensure we can accommodate you.

 What Can You Expect?

The course was designed with drinks trade professionals in mind, so you will learn a lot about how different spirits are made, how to accurately describe their aromas and flavours, and how to best serve them. The course has proven very popular with drinks enthusiasts who are not working in the trade because of the insight you gain in learning how spirits are made and particularly in learning how to taste them like a pro! Our teaching platform will be Zoom, so you can still enjoy all the benefits of a classroom experience, ask your teacher questions and taste along all together.

We recommend that you purchase up to 20 spirits (available from justminiatures.co.uk) to support the course learning. This is recommended, but it is not compulsory and not required in order to pass the exam (which is a multiple-choice theory exam), but it will make the course even more fun!

Successful students will receive a WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits certificate and lapel pin.

The exam can now be held remotely (online from your own home). The price of the remote exam is included in the cost of the course; however, you will need to arrange the date of this exam with your wine school. 15 working days’ notice is required to arrange an online exam, you’ll also be offered the opportunity to sit the exam in a classroom setting in the autumn if you would prefer.

PROGRAMME OUTLINE:

- The main categories of spirits
- Process of distillation including the role of pot still vs column stills
- Maturation of spirits
- Factors affecting the flavour of spirit including base material, fermentation, distillation, post-distillation activities and maturation.
- The WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits
- Service and sales of spirits including introduction to cocktails

To gain the qualification students need to successfully pass a multiple-choice paper of 50 questions
To view the course specification, click here

Your course will be taught on Zoom between 7 pm and 9 pm on Tues/Wed 13/14th + 20th/21st + 27/28th July, you’ll be sent a link to the meeting in the days before the course starts. The Zoom sessions will be recorded so that if you have to miss a session you can catch up in your own time.

We recommend that you purchase the same spirits for tasting as Laura, your course tutor, will be using so you can taste along together. A list of the 20 spirits tasted will be sent to you, all can be purchased on justminiatures.co.uk. Purchase of the spirits is optional, and you do not need to purchase all the miniatures- delivery is free on orders over £50.