Working with UK breweries is a great way to be part of a long-standing industry that spans hundreds, if not thousands of years. You'll be part of a consumption-based industry that people take great pride in enjoying. And with a pub seemingly on every corner, there is no shortage of prospective buyers.

Working for breweries in the United Kingdom does take a little more knowledge than whatever home brew you might've slapped together in your bath tub. That's because, at its core, the art of brewing and distilling is a recipe which causes a chemical reaction, which ultimately gives us the beverage we all love to enjoy. Here are some tips on how to gain an education and work successfully for British beer companies.

1. Take a day or short course in beer appreciation in order to work in UK breweries.

2. Obtain a degree in distilling in order to work in United Kingdom breweries.

3. Get a postgraduate degree in brewing and distilling to make yourself more attractive to United Kingdom breweries.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take a brewing and distilling course for breweries in the United Kingdom education and training

Not everyone sets out to be a master brewer when they are seeking a successful career working for a United Kingdom brewery. After all, there are jobs associated with the industry that range from packaging to marketing and even distributing. However, when speaking of your prized product, it is important that you have at least a cursory knowledge of the subject so that you can be effective in your role when working for a UK beer company.

I recommend: Check out the Institute of Brewing & Distilling website for their Beer Appreciation day course. You'll get an overview of various types of beer, how it's made, packaged and sold. The Society of Independent Brewers Association also offers a yearly conference for two days with a myriad of courses and discussions for amateurs and professionals alike.

Get a university degree in distilling in order to work for UK beer companies

Obtain an undergraduate or short course degree in Brewing and Distilling in order to work successfully for British beer companies. While it may seem like making beer is just about throwing a bunch of hops, water and yeast in a container for a few weeks until it ferments, it's actually a much more complicated process steeped in science. A degree in such a program will enhance your capabilities to work for beer companies in the UK.

I recommend: Check out the website for Heriot-Watt University as they offer a 4-year undergraduate program in Brewing and Distilling. You'll cover everything from the biological sciences to business management to yeast fermentation over the course of your time there. The University of Sunderland also offers a 3 month diploma program through their "Brew Lab."

Enhance your knowledge with a post-graduate degree or course to work for UK breweries

In today's competitive society, having a plethora of education in your disciplined field is a good thing. When it comes to brewing and distilling the case is no different. Most postgraduate courses are a year, or are taught as additional short courses for industry professionals. It's a good idea to have a firm grasp on food sciences and specifically the fermentation process before jumping into these advanced courses.

I recommend: Check out the postgraduate degree offered by Heriot-Watt University to continue your education in the subject of brewing and distilling. While your undergraduate degree does not have to be in the same subject, it must be in an engineering or science field. The Institute of Brewing and Distilling also offers "Professional Development" courses that may be taken after a basic degree or knowledge of the subject has been obtained.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When working for breweries in the UK, be sure to take continuing education courses in order to keep up-to-date on the latest practices of producing beer. As technology advances, so too will the implementation of how UK beer is produced, packaged and distributed.

If your liquor shop or English-inspired pub strives to attract beer aficionados, there's no better way to stock up on the real thing than by contacting breweries in the United Kingdom. The distinctive brewing heritage of breweries in the UK has produced the world's most uniquely flavored lagers and ales. With the British beer renaissance in full bloom here in the United States, it's no wonder that beer lovers are demanding ever-increasing supplies of beers and ales imported from United Kingdom breweries.

Almost any large-scale UK beer company with a foothold in the United States will sell directly to beer retailers. Whether you're looking for supplies of traditional ales, fruity lagers or the ultra traditional cask-condition ales, British breweries are quick to meet the high demand for their product. When seeking to buy beer or ale directly from British beer companies, consider your options:

1. Stick with traditional, top-selling brands that the largest UK breweries are known for.

2. Consider expanding your product line with custom brews from a reputable UK brewery.

3. Attract ale-consuming purists with cask-conditioned taps made by UK beer companies.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find dependable sources of the most recognized brand names from UK breweries

As a beer retailer, you focus on moving your inventory fast. Brand names fly off the shelves, so why take a chance on stocking the unknowns? Even worse; if the fads don't sell, your regular beer connoisseurs will question why dust has accumulated on the bottles, which means they've been sitting on the shelf too long and their flavor is tainted.

I recommend: Coors Brewers, one of the largest breweries in the world, brews its distinctive draughts and ales in the famed Burton-on-Trent region of England. It offers an extensive menu of award-winning draught beers that are well known to American consumers under the names Carling, Coors Light, Grolsch, Worthington's and Caffrey's Premium Cream Ale. Another major player is Scottish & Newcastle, makers of Newcastle Brown Ale, a wildly popular ale among American beer drinkers. Shepherd Neame, a brewery that operates well over 300 pubs in England, consistently provides the traditional Kentish ales and highly acclaimed lagers.

Experiment with new products from British beer companies

You operate a pub or a specialty liquor shop that caters to patrons with adventurous tastes. Satisfy your customers' whims with a steady supply of new ales, lagers and draughts.

I recommend: Moorehouses has innovative brands that are consistent winners at beer festivals through the United Kingdom and Europe. The brewery has been operating since 1865 and has an established market in the United States. Another trendsetter among British breweries is Adnams, which produced the first carbon neutral beer and takes the lead when it comes to creating small batches of specialty brews.

Replicate a traditional British pub with cask-conditioned beer directly from UK beer companies

You've built a British-style pub in the United States and, true to your business' vision, you refuse to serve mass-produced beers. Instead, you're planning to expand your taps and serve hard-to-find cask beer and ale from fine British breweries.

I recommend: Beer4Home provides real cask ale to private homes but also ships overseas to commercial accounts. Isle of Skye Brewing Company has been selling premium quality cask-conditioned ales for more than 10 years. Dent Brewery specializes in distinctive cask ales made in Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're planning to sell cask ale made by UK breweries, make sure to ask for information on how to maintain a cask-condition cellar.