New programme to raise pint standards

Beer remains Ireland’s most popular alcoholic drink with a 47% market share and there’s been a number of new entrants to the Irish beer industry in recent years which has led to a growing interest in quality among Irish beer consumers.

The Irish Brewers Association therefore committed to raising the industry standard for the ‘Perfect Pint’ when it launched a new certificate for the industry’s technical dispense operators, open to all quality control professionals.

Ireland’s major breweries have also signed up for the course which has been developed over the past 18 months by the IBA’s Technical Committee (under the former IBA Technical Committee Chairmanship of Harry Cripps) to develop draught beer dispense by supporting all quality control professionals and ultimately the development of the industry itself.

The programme was co-funded by Taste 4 Success and dispense technicians from Ireland’s major brewers and distributers have played a key role in developing the programme coordinated by Ger Galvin from the Hibernian Brewing School, an approved City & Guilds Centre.

Health & safety is a common thread throughout all modules of the programme and this aspect is independently certified by City & Guilds. The programme includes areas such as cellar safety, beer cooling, line cleaning, beer dispense systems, glass-washing and line installations.

The programme is also open to those dispensing in pubs across the country to ensure that draught beer is of the highest quality. Technicians at Ireland’s major brewers including Heineken and Diageo Ireland have already taken part in the course which includes both online and practical testing.

“The Irish Brewers Association technical dispense certificate is a positive development in the brewing sector,” said IBA Chairman Seamus O’Hara ahead of the launch, “It’s hoped that the entire brewing sector signs up for this course.”

He also told those attending the launch (which took place at Devitt’s pub in Dublin’s Camden Street) that Ireland was “way up there” in terms of coldroom technology when compared to other countries.

The IBA Technical Committee’s Acting Chairperson Ian Reidy of Heineken Ireland played a key role in developing the course.

As a draught supplier to the trade, he believed, “There’s no point in our knowing how to dispense beer and not sharing that knowledge.”

LVA Chair Deirdre Devitt added, “Draught is King or Queen in our trade.

“The ultimate beneficiary of this programme is the customer who’ll be ensured that every draught product served remains of the highest quality.”