Courses funded by The Drinks Trust

Club Soda understands the unique challenges of changing your drinking when you work professionally with alcohol. So we offer a unique approach for people in the industry who want to change their drinking habits, with free courses fully funded by the Drinks Trust Wellness Services. Whether you want to cut down, take a break or simply find some boundaries between professional and personal drinking, we can help.

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Wellbeing Insights Series - LGTBQ+ Wellbeing

Andy Romero-Birkbeck, Founder & Director at We Are Wellbeing, discusses LGTBQ+ Wellbeing with Chris Hulme, Associate Trainer

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Broken Ladders: The myth of meritocracy for women of colour in the workplace

Broken Ladders is the first report of its kind to focus explicitly on the experiences and perspectives of women of colour in the workplace – their voices on the challenges they face are now being heard.

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Low and alcohol-free Publican Training Guide

The definitive guide to making low and alcohol-free products work in your venue.

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Introduction to low and alcohol-free drinks

The rise of low alcohol and alcohol-free drinks presents pubs and bars with an exciting opportunity to expand their range. However, choosing what to stock and how to promote it can be challenging. That’s why Drinkaware and Club Soda have created this guide to help you navigate these decisions and make the most from this category.

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How to become a wine writer

This article provides tips on how to become a wine writer.

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Four tips to shine at a job interview in the wine and spirits industry

Whether you're trying to break into the wine and spirits industry or further your career, knowing how to interview effectively is crucial for success. And when it comes to putting yourself a step ahead of the competition, preparation is key.

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How to prepare for your WSET course

Getting the most out of your WSET education starts well before you set foot in the classroom or put pencil to exam paper. These five simple tips will help you prepare to get the most out of your WSET learning experience and set you on track to achieve your goals.

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Become sake savvy: How to serve sake and storage tips

Whether you’re a seasoned sake connoisseur or a curious newcomer, understanding the nuances of storing and serving can make a big difference. In this guide, we’ll let you in on our tips for keeping sake’s unique flavours and aromas at their best. So, come along as we dive into the secrets of storing and serving sake.

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WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits: preparing for the tasting exam

The WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits is our most advanced-level qualification in spirits, and teaches students to confidently explain why various spirits look and taste the way they do. This article provides a guide on how to simplify your approach to the Level 3 Award in Spirits tasting exam.

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How to ace the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines tasting exam

For many people, taking the WSET Level 3 exam is the first time they experience a wine tasting component in an exam, and so it can be intimidating! But did you know that it is actually the part of the exam that more people pass? Take a look at some common errors below to make sure you also pass the tasting exam with flying colours!

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How to taste wine? A guide to tasting wine

This article can explain how to taste wine and will help us all to enjoy more from wine tasting.

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Shifting gears: practical tips for going from wine tasting to beer tasting

Wine enthusiasts may be surprised to learn that they can successfully use their wine tasting skills to become more confident beer tasters. But with some guidance, we are closing the gap between wine and beer tasting.

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Meet the 2025 WSET Develop Prize Winner: James Eastmond

James Eastmond has been awarded the 2025 WSET Develop Prize at this year’s graduation ceremony, recognising his outstanding commitment to personal and professional development within the drinks industry, in collaboration with The Drinks Trust.

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Where a WSET prize can take you

WSET Prizes and Awards span across the Level 4 Diploma in Wines and various Level 3 qualifications and include everything from bursaries toward the Master of Wine programme, to visits to top wine regions. These awards do more than recognise results - they open doors, spark careers, and connect graduates to the global drinks community.

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WSET Virtual Open Day - Sake

From Sake novice to expert; student stories. Catch up on WSET’s virtual open day to explore our sake qualifications and hear real student success stories. This session will introduce you to WSET’s sake qualifications and how they can help deepen your understanding of this unique and diverse beverage.

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WSET Virtual Open Day - Wine

Part of WSET’s virtual open day, this session will introduce you to our globally recognised wine qualifications. Whether you’re looking to enhance your enjoyment of wine or progress in the drinks industry, WSET courses provide the perfect foundation.

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WSET Virtual Open Day - Beer

What's in my IPA? WSET Beer qualifications. Discover WSET’s beer qualifications as part of our virtual open day. This session will introduce WSET’s approach to beer education and provide a deep dive into one of the world’s most popular styles – IPA.

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WSET Virtual Open Day - Spirits

Elevate your spirits knowledge! Calling all bartenders, spirits retailers, hospitality managers and enthusiasts!  Whether you're looking to boost your career or simply enjoy learning about spirits. Unlock incredible job benefits for yourself or your team by starting your spirits qualification journey. Hear first hand from spirits graduates in the bar and spirits industries about how WSET spirits qualifications have propelled their careers to new heights.

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Studying wine with WSET

Whether you work in wine, or just enjoy drinking wine, there’s a WSET qualification for you. This hour-long session will give you an introduction to the WSET way of learning about wines and how your knowledge will progress throughout your studies.

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WSET Bitesize - Rum series: Guyana

In this mini-series, we will be exploring key styles of rum from the Caribbean and South America. This session will be led by Lennox Shaun Caleb, Master Distiller of Demerara Distillers Limited who will discuss the importance of blending innovation with traditional practiced. With over 300 years of experience to draw on, Guyanese rums have a long history yet remain at the forefront of the industry, producing some of the most lauded rums in the world.

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WSET Bitesize - Rum series: Saint Lucia

In this mini-series, we will be exploring key styles of rum from the Caribbean and South America. Saint Lucia has a long and complex history of sugar plantations and farm distilleries that were found throughout the island. Whilst these days molasses are imported, St Lucia is home to world class rums. We will be joined by Ian John and Lennox Wilson from St. Lucia Distillers to talk about the history of rum on Saint Lucia and how it has evolved as a style.

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WSET Bitesize - How to taste wine - without drinking wine

Drinking wine should be easy, right? But can you describe what you are tasting? Descriptions of wine can be surprisingly complicated. Wine labels can often have too many words and sometimes can poorly reflect what we're tasting. Luckily, there are a few tricks you can use to help identify what you are tasting using some kitchen staples. In this interactive session, we rummaged through the kitchen cupboards to help you learn about tasting wine. These will represent the structure and flavour of wines to help build a picture of how the different elements interact and balance each other out.

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How to taste wine – the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines way

Are you thinking of taking your wine education to the next level? Join us for this hour-long session where we will explore a range of wine styles and see how their production methods link to what you taste in the glass. We will introduce you to the Level 3 Award in Wines Systematic Approach to Tasting to show how your wine tasting skills will develop as you continue your WSET journey. This session will cover the skills needed to start analysing wine at a higher level as well as higher level theoretical knowledge.

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WSET Bitesize - Why do you age wine?

The Ancient Greeks and Romans aged high-sugar wine in sealed earthenware vessels and these were highly sought after. After the fall of the Roman Empire, demand for aged wine disappeared. With the invention of the bottle and cork, the ability to store wine in an air-tight environment meant that techniques around aging wine improved and appetite for them rose. However, not all wine improves with age thanks to a number of factors including wine region, grape variety, and wine making style. Anjali Douglas DipWSET will talk us through the process of aging wine and the effects of this on a wine.

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WSET Bitesize - How is wine made?

Have you ever wondered how wine is made? Join Julia Lambeth DipWSET for this bitesize session looking at how we go from grapes on a vine to wine in a bottle. Julia will look at the process of making still wines from crushing to bottling, and how the process differs for white, red and rose wines. We will also cover how each step of the production process affects the final product, along with the qualities that the grapes themselves bring.

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WSET Bitesize - How to identify wine faults

Have you ever wondered why sommeliers pour you a taste of wine in a restaurant before a full glass? This process is to ensure there are no faults in the wine. Join Matt Irwin DipWSET as he explains some of the most common wine faults, and how you would identify and communicate them. This session is designed to give you the confidence and skills you need to make sure you are enjoying a wine in perfect condition.

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Studying Spirits with WSET

Whether you work in spirits, or just enjoy drinking them, there’s a WSET qualification for you. This hour-long session will give you an introduction to the WSET way of learning about spirtis and how your knowledge will progress throughout your studies.

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Why choose WSET? Build your passion and expertise in drinks

WSET is the global leader in drinks education. Over 140,000 people a year choose WSET to build their drinks expertise. Whether you dream of joining the drinks industry, aspire to take your career to the next level or simply seek to learn while having fun, WSET is here to grow your passion for drinks.

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Are you ready for the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines?

Feel like you’re ready to take the next step in your wine education journey? Read on as Adriana Schmidt, WSET Digital Marketing Executive and a recent level 3 graduate, explains the ins and outs of this advanced course.

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What to expect on a WSET wine course

This article unpacks some of the key elements of WSET courses to help you feel ready and prepared to sign up for a qualification today.

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How to prepare for your WSET exam

There is so much that goes into preparing to take a WSET exam, at any level and in any subject stream. The most obvious advice for candidates is to read the qualification specification, attend class and read your textbook.

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Inside story: online vs in-person WSET courses

I undertook the Level 1 Award in Wines via the WSET Online Classroom during the pandemic, and straight afterwards I took the Level 2 Award in Wines in a classroom. Undoubtedly there are huge differences between the two experiences, but both offer unique benefits.

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What’s it like to study online with WSET?

If you think you always need to be in a classroom to learn about and taste wine, spirits or sake, you may be pleased to hear that you can now study with WSET just as effectively online.

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How to become better at beer tasting

Beer tasting isn’t just for brewers, beer judges, or professional alcohol tasters. Anyone with a love of beer can develop the skills to appreciate the diverse flavours and aromas even more. In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can improve your tasting skills through a few simple steps.

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Decoding German Riesling: a guide to quality and styles

This guide will explain how to decipher German Riesling labels. You will discover the different classifications, and we will explain how to determine the sweetness level of each wine, which should help you to find the perfect bottle.

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What is a beer sommelier? How to become a beer expert

You’ve just passed your Level 2 Award in Beer, and you’re the proud recipient of a new qualification. With your newfound knowledge about the brewing process, the ability to describe a huge range of different beer styles, and armed with your WSET SAT® skills, you may be wondering how to become a beer sommelier and where to go next. How about gaining the title of beer sommelier?

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How Jo Kitley’s summer setback sparked her journey to the Vintners’ Cup

When Jo Kitley, this year’s winner of the prestigious Vintners’ Cup, looks back on the beginning of her wine journey, it's clear that it all started with a twist of fate - with a broken ankle. What began as a summer spent revising Pinot Noir in the park turned into a passion for wine education and a remarkable achievement in the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines.

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Your rights in work as a carer

Balancing work and care can be very challenging, so it’s important to find out about your rights. This factsheet provides a simple summary.

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Tackling sexual harassment in the workplace

Report on employer actions to prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment

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MS in the workplace: an employer’s guide

Guide to MS for employers by the MS Society UK

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Making your workplace accessible for blind and partially sighted people

Every six minutes, someone is told they’re going blind. In London, 200,000 people are living with sight loss, and this is set to increase. Yet many workplaces aren’t set up to support them.

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How to Support Neurodivergent Employees

This blog from CharityJobs provides insightful information on how to best support neurodivergent employees in the workplace.

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Seeking support for working carers

If you are juggling work and care there are various ways you can get help. There are things you can do to cope with the pressures of work and care. As a working carer you are likely to need a range of support both in and out of the workplace, and often different levels of support at different times.

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Carers’ employment rights today, tomorrow and in the future

This document summarises carers' employment rights in force today and new legislations

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Championing a Workplace that Helps Neurodiverse Employees Shine

It’s estimated that 15% of Britons are neurodivergent but when we talk about creating accessible and inclusive workplaces, neurodivergent employees are often overlooked

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Embracing Black Diversity

Information about embracing Black diversity in the workplace

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Equal Measures on DEI

Equal Measures provides an insightful introduction to DEI in the UK drinks industry.

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