Sake Scholar is an in-depth course covering all aspects of Japanese sake regionality and includes full three days of classes, guided tastings of 30+ sake and shochu, and the opportunity to meet and network with like-minded sake lovers from across the UK and Europe. The Sake Scholar Course covers all the 47 prefectures making up Japan and explores their history, geography, ingredients, and production techniques. Tasting case studies will explore the presence (or absence) of regionality at the macroscopic and microscopic levels that can exist within the realm of Japanese sake. The core body of knowledge covered in this groundbreaking course is crucial to understanding Japan’s key sake brewing and shochu distilling regions, and what makes these beverages so unique and interesting. Students will also become familiar with the key sake breweries and shochu distilleries in each prefecture. This course is suitable for serious sake enthusiasts as well as professionals working in the beverage or restaurant/hospitality trades, and will bring your sake knowledge to the next level and enhance your ability to sell, purchase or simply enjoy sake more deeply.

This is an intermediate to advanced program of study, and students are assessed with an optional 100-question multiple choice exam held online approximately one month after the in-person course. As such, a thorough understanding of sake is required to get the most out of the course; we recommend students have taken at least the WSET Level 2 Award in Sake (or equivalent) prior to enrolling, but if you have questions about prerequisites please don’t hesitate to contact us for further guidance.

 

About the Instructor and School:
Dr. Sarah Stewart is a WSET Certified Sake Educator and one of only four instructors in the world qualified to deliver the demanding Sake Scholar Course. She lived in Japan for two years and teaches sake, wine and cheese courses at West London Wine School and the WSET London Bridge school. She also serves as the Member Relations Officer for the British Sake Association and judges sake at the International Wine Challenge. You can find her @sakestudies on Instagram.

West London Wine School is a local, independent and award-winning wine and sake school founded in 2010 and based in the heart of west London. Our courses focus on enjoying beverages whilst learning more in a relaxed and informal setting with friendly people and industry-leading educators. In 2023 we won the IWC Best Consumer Educator Award, and in 2018 we received the prestigious WSET Educator of the Year Award for the top wine education provider globally. We have an average review score of 5 stars on Trip Advisor.

 

Admission: £710 per person
£60 registration discount available for British Sake Association members