Now, other than sending me an email, or DMing me on Instagram, there are plenty of ways that you can learn about wine, beer and spirits.
Depending upon what level of knowledge you wish you attain, there are several different ways to learn about these beverages.
The simplest and most casual way is via social media blogs, wine influencers, and podcasts. There are tons of influencers and wine bloggers who purchase tons of wine, visit wineries, and share with you their experiences. This is a great way to get exposure to brands, learn about your options, and usually they have great discount codes.
One of my all-time favorite blogs/social media outlets for wine is called Wine Folly. Wine Folly is a great tool for beginners who are trying to learn a little about wine. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook to get little facts to pop up on your news feed every once in a while, or you can buy her books at the local book store or Amazon. When I first started learning about wines, I read the Wine Folly blog and used it to teach others. It’s very easy to understand.
GuildSomm is a more intensive website that provides you with extremely thorough and very intensive information about the wine world. It is a very useful resource, however there are membership fees. Think Encyclopedia, but for wine…Winepedia? It is a truly fantastic source. I highly recommend it for those of you wanting to really expand your knowledge.
Another great way to learn is to buy books. Two of the best wine books I’ve read for the purpose of learning about wine are the World Atlas of Wine and the Wine Bible. The World Atlas of Wine tells you all about wine, and wine making. Bonus: it's also a beautiful coffee table book! The Wine Bible is a fantastic reference as well but is a bit more portable than the atlas. Both are great resources that are organized and thorough, allowing you to learn about regions as you please.
I also love buying cool bartender books, specifically I love The Complete Bartender. It’s got some really cool recipes and tips/tricks on building a bar. It cost me $8 and I bet if you purchase it used you can get it super cheap!
There are tons of cool Beverage Podcasts out there too. BevCast is an up and coming beverage podcast giving you insight into all things wine, beer, and spirits.
There are more intensive ways of furthering your knowledge in these subjects, such as taking courses.
In wine there are four main courses that you can take to get certified. You can become a CSW, a Certified Specialist of Wine. You can become a WSET student (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) where you can become a Master Wine. Or, you can become a sommelier either through ISG, the International Sommelier Guild, or the Court of Master Sommeliers. These are a few of the courses, but they are very intensive and can be expensive. They aren't necessary if you don't plan on utilizing them for your career, but if you choose to pursue a career in wine, they can be very helpful.
In beer, you can become a Master Cicerone, or an expert in beer through the Cicerone Certification Program. This is a great way to learn about all kinds of beer and hops. This too is an intensive program similar to the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Bartending licenses are easy to get too! Learn from the best at ABC Bartending (where I got my license) through a short intensive course for less than $300, or National Bartending School. It’s a great way to have fun and actually learn about being a bartender.
Hope this helps :)
Cheers!
Amanda