The first eight zythologists trained in Wallonia received their diplomas at the Maison des Brasseurs in Brussels. This course concerns the study of beer, brewing and breweries.
Taught in Flanders for 7 years already, zythology has only been a professional course since 2012, organized in Liège by the Walloon Institute of Apprenticeships and Freelancers (Insitut Wallon de Formation en Alternance et des Indépendants (IFAPME). The lessons for the first session were free, thanks to help by Social European Funds. A second session was started in 2014 with 19 participants and a third should start in 2015.
After a year and a half long curriculum, which around 40 people registered for, those on Tuesday are the first eight graduates. They completed 400 hours of lessons about the materials used by brewers, beer making, tasting, but also serving it and what food it goes with.
The new graduates do not come from the hotelier or restaurant sectors, but some among them want to go into these areas.
On Tuesday, the head of the IFAMPE confirmed that according to the association of Belgian breweries, beer consumption is on the rise in the Belgian restaurant sector. A bit of a paradox, as beer consumption has gone down in our country over the last ten years.
(Source: Belga)
