WSET Level 2 Award in Beer

The WSET Level 2 Award in Beer focuses on how key ingredients and production processes influence the style and quality of beer. It will also teach you how to taste, describe, and evaluate the quality of beer.

If you’re a beer or hospitality professional, you’ll be able to offer valuable guidance on selection and service to your colleagues and customers. If you’re a beer enthusiast, you’ll know exactly what to look for when choosing beers for any occasion.

Upon completion, you’ll gain a recognised qualification and the skills to select, describe and recommend beers with authority.

Dates

10:30-17:30 Monday 18th, Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th January 2027

What's covered?

• Know the main ingredients used in beer production, how they are processed, and their influence on the style of beer produced
  • Malt (malted grains) and adjuncts, water, hops, and other flavourings, yeast, and bacteria
• Know how beer production influences the style and quality of beer
  • Alcoholic fermentation process, brewing process, brewing equipment, beer production options, spontaneous and mixed culture fermentation options
• Know the key principles and processes involved in the storage and service of beer
  • Ideal conditions for storage, packaging and shelf life, service temperatures, glassware, beer on tap, bottled beer, common faults, beer and food
• Know how over 60 beer styles are produced and labelled and their typical characteristics
  • Malt-driven lagers, malt-driven ales, hop-driven lagers, hop-driven ales, yeast-driven ales, Mixed fermentation styles, other speciality beers

Tasting Beer

WSET's approach focuses on learning through tasting. This allows you to experience the influence of ingredients, processes, and other key factors in the glass.

While you won’t be assessed on your tasting skills, tasting forms an important part of every WSET course. Through the course, you will learn how to taste beer using the WSET Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Beer®.

Students studying in person will taste around 24 beers across a range of styles.

Assessment 

Your learning will be assessed by a closed-book exam of 50 multiple-choice questions, to be completed in 60 minutes. Exams will be available both online and in person.

This qualification is graded:

• Pass: 55% - 69%
• Pass with Merit: 70% - 84%
• Pass with Distinction: 85% or more

WSET is committed to making our exams fair and accessible, and ensuring that no candidate is placed at a disadvantage. If you have any special requirements or need to request reasonable adjustments, please let us know.

This qualification is regulated by Ofqual.

Successful students will receive a digital WSET certificate.