Beer is a whole art, a whole culture.
But it’s not necessarily in Champagne that we expected to obtain a “beer sommelier” diploma.
However, we forget that before hosting the most famous sparkling drinks, Champagne also had its glory days in brewing.
La Comète is undoubtedly the most famous brewery in the Marne.
In 1928, it launched the famous Slavia and produced around 1.2 million hectoliters at the end of the 1970s, before closing definitively in 1983.
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In a barley-producing region, it is no coincidence that breweries mushroomed in the 20th century.
“Historically, in Champagne as in the North, there were many breweries with the ease of having numerous raw materials on site such as barley and certain cereals,” underlines Franck Daudin, project manager at the Georges Chappaz Institute in Vine and Wine in Champagne.
It is therefore no coincidence that the Chappaz Institute, attached to the University of Reims-Champagne-Ardenne, is launching this year, for the first time, a university diploma in zythology (study of beer, brewing and breweries). ).
The training began at the beginning of the month at the University of Reims, it is particularly aimed at professionals looking to broaden their skills: wine merchants, bartenders, restaurateurs or distributors.
“We are witnessing an evolution in consumption patterns,” continues Franck Daudin.
It's common to provide information about wine, to know what you're buying.
Beer consumers today have the same demands.
Sector players need this new training.
» In Reims, eleven future beer sommeliers will be trained until next June.
The first class will benefit from 120 hours of training, they will be supervised by specialists such as beerologist Hervé Marziou and academics.
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“We don’t train brewers.
They will learn the beer making process but they will not work on the technical acts.
Everyone will be able to speak, comment, associate with dishes, promote and have people taste beers,” summarizes Franck Daudin.
The students, already integrated into the professional environment, arrive from all over France for each mini-session.
Each month, they will benefit from three days of training in Reims, notably within the Urca oenology laboratory.
Lots of practices and discoveries will be on the program, also including workshops on food and beer pairings.
“Our Institute,” concludes Franck Daudin, “is identified to carry a national oenologist diploma.
But I would like to remind you that we have a vocation to train professionals in all sectors: spirits, wines, beers… Our researchers obviously work on champagne but also on beer.
» In any case, one does not exclude the other!