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New beer sommelier praises 'superb' local brewers

Hannah WalshSouth of England
BBC Image shows Ryan smiling at the camera. He is wearing a black short-sleeved T-Shirt which says 'Crafty Beer Boy' on it. Behind him is a white wall with exposed brick. Beside him is a table with a selection of beers on it and food which he is pairing together.BBC
Ryan travels throughout Dorset and Hampshire reviewing local beers

A beer enthusiast has said he is "over the moon" to become one of the first people working in Hampshire and Dorset to receive a sommelier accreditation.

Ryan Perry, also know as Crafty Beer Boy, said the training to become part of the Guild of Beer Sommeliers was "really full on".

Perry, from Dorset, documented his journey on his TikTok, where he has shared reviews of beers and tours of breweries to help build his portfolio.

He now hopes that with the accreditation, he can encourage people to experiment with new beers and support local breweries.

Perry does not work in the brewing industry, but travels throughout his home county and Hampshire reviewing local beers.

Image shows beers and food on a table ready to be paired. In the background, there are four local beers. Two bottles then a can and then a fourth bottle. There are six glasses lined up along the table too. There are two wooden boards on the table with a pot of olives, salami, samosas and pork pies.
Ryan's love for beer led him to host events pairing beer and food

He said: "I'd spent eight years trying loads of great beers. I travelled the breadth of the UK from Cornwall all the way up to Sheffield.

"And then when I was going on holiday, I was trying some fantastic beers abroad, and I really established that there were some amazing beers."

To get his accreditation, Perry said he had to complete a number of assessments, including the Wine and Spirit Education Test [WSET].

'Really full on'

He said: "I prepared a portfolio full of work, whether it be beer writing, beer tasting events that I'd put on my TikTok account."

Perry then had to blind taste 16 beers, identify what they were, and tell the examiner the aromas, the mouth feel, the bitterness, the alcohol levels and what the beer would pair with.

"So it was really full on, but what an experience, and as you can tell, I'm absolutely over the moon by it," he said.

"It's been eight years in the process, three formal years of training, and so to get to this point is just amazing."

Image shows Ryan holding a beer he has poured into a glass. He is wearing a black top and looking at the beer smiling. The beer is dark in colour and has a foamy top. The beer is in the foreground of the image and Ryan is in the back.
He hopes that he can continue to encourage people to support local breweries and try new beer

Perry now hopes to continue educating people about the different beers out there.

He said: "Ultimately, I want to reach as many people as possible and tell them about the amazing world of beer and how great it is.

"I always say support your local brewer. It's really important. And actually, some of them are absolutely superb. Like, absolutely superb.

"So go and find your local taproom. Try a beer you've never tried before, and honestly, your mind will be blown."

What is a beer sommelier?

A beer sommelier is a trained expert in beer who specialises in brewing methods, flavour profiles, and food pairings, much like a traditional wine sommelier.

The Beer Sommelier programme was originally established in 2011 by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling's Beer & Cider Academy, and by 2020, 224 applicants were successfully awarded Accredited Beer Sommelier status.

The programme was paused in early 2020 due to the pandemic and the Beer Academy was later dismantled. The decision was made to not continue with the Beer Sommelier Programme.

In 2024, The Cask Marque Trust, with funding from the Brewer's Research and Education Fund, along with the support of WSET and the IBD, relaunched the programme.

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