Institute of Brewing and Distilling

History

The institute can trace its roots back to 1886 when a group of ten scientists with interests in malting and brewing science formed The Laboratory Club, which later became the Institute of Brewing (IoB). In October 1906 a group of Yorkshire brewers established the Operative Brewers' Guild, which changed its name to the Brewers' Guild in 1929. The Guild and the Institute merged to form the Institute and Guild of Brewing (IGB) in 2001, which was later renamed as the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in 2005.

Aims of the Institute

The mission of the institute is to inform and educate member brewers and distillers in commercial industry.

This is done by:

Publishing the Brewer and Distiller International (monthly)

Publishing Journal of the Institute of Brewing

Holding Technical conferences internationally

Offering International qualifications at various levels and in various fields

Sections of the IBD

As the IBD traditionally served the British brewing industry, there are four geographical sections within the UK:

UK Great Northern Section

UK Midlands Section

UK Scottish Section

UK Southern Section

With the decline in the British brewing industry and the rise in the amalgamation in the brewing industry across the globe there has been a steady increase in the international section - particularly active are the Africa and Asia-Pacific sections.

Irish Section

Africa Section

Asia Pacific Section

International Section

Qualifications and Examinations

The IBD Qualifications are a range of industry related examination that attempts to be inclusive of all styles and levels of commercial brewing. The qualifications are a very important source of recruits to the Institute.

The examination categories are:

Beer Academy - Courses educating beer professionals as well as enthusiasts leading up to the Accredited Beer Sommelier program

Fundamentals - for people entering the industry

General Certificate - for people with two years experience in the industry

Diploma - for those with a more scientific background and 2 to 3 years in the industry

Master Brewer's Exams - for those with the Diploma and 5 years technical management experience in a brewery

The qualifications cross sub-disciplines in the industry:

Brewing

Packaging

Distilling

Publications of the IBD

The Brewer and Distiller International is a full colour monthly publication that is sent out to full IBD members.

The Journal of the Institute of Brewing is a quarterly academic journal of peer-reviewed published research articles.

Presidents

This list is incomplete:

Institute of Brewing

Sources:

Up to 1926-27: "Past Presidents". Journal of the Institute of Brewing. 32:7 (December 1926). p. 6; Up to 1984-85: The Institute of Brewing (c. 1985). Institute of Brewing. p. 11