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They're sticky about their rules. EUR20 on cro.ie sets you up as a sole trader if you are that keen on the course.

I also did the 4 day brewing course in Sunderland and loved it. If you have a passion for it do it. It isn't cheap for a four day course when you include flights etc. but I really enjoyed it. I am dabbling away since. The fourth day is a practical day and very useful. If you have ever been on a dairy farm you realise how similar the equipment is and that you do a lot if cleaning tanks just like a dairy farm. The complexity isn't major, quality ingredients and good combinations are key to success. A good teacher is also key. If you want to go commercial with brewing anyone with good FMCG experience is also a useful person to tap into. They will tell you the reality of above and below the line expenditure on getting a product to a successful position in the market place. Happy brewing <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

Iv just finished my course and I loved it. <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->
Can be a bit hard at the start and im not looking forward to exams. <!-- s:( --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_sad.gif" alt="" title="Sad" /><!-- s:( -->
But the lecturer Tim O Rourke knows his stuff.Also the class was made up of very nice group of people.
Id recommend to anyone interested in beer.

I'll "Second" the recommendation for the BrewLab 4 day course. I also disagree about it being expensive; compare the cost to any other similar programs of similar lengths anywhere else (Germany, US, or Canada) and you'll find that it's many times cheaper than the alternative options. -I wouldn't sign up if I couldn't get into the final onsite brewing day, though.


I'll also confirm what some others have said about it being very much possible to pass the IBD Certificate exams just doing self-study.

I read through all the PDFs once months before the exam date, and then I got busy with work and was only able to spend 1 evening and one full day cramming for the exam and still passed with a "Credit" (71-80%).

The syllabus's knowledge measures really work well. If you could get the official study notes from someone who works at Diageo it would make it a million times easier, though. The Diageo employees hire a consultant to come in and teach them a test prep course and they go through previous year exam questions so they really get taught how they test works. When you sign up on your own you just get the study materials as a PDF and the Syllabus to use as a guide for what you should know.


Adam