Want to learn more about sake, Japan’s national beverage, and earn a globally recognized qualification acknowledging your newfound expertise? The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 Award in Sake is a two day in-person course covering all the main categories of sake styles, examining the influences of production methods on each different category, and exploring traditional and modern elements of sake service in Japan. It’s perfect for people in the restaurant and hospitality industries who want to master all the sake basics and improve their employability, as well as enthusiastic consumers who want to better understand the wonderful beverage in their glass. No prior sake knowledge is required to take the course, so it is suitable for people new to sake as well as those wishing to build on the introductory knowledge gained with the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake (NOTE that Level 1 is not a required pre-requisite for Level 2). Throughout the course, you will develop analytical sake tasting skills using the WSET Structured Approach to Tasting (SAT) while exploring sake style and quality and linking tasting back to theory. You’ll also learn how to pair sake with food in a fun exercise, and experience sake served at different temperatures.

You will learn how to confidently describe what the general sake categories you have studied taste like. You will also become a competent sake taster and start the journey of learning the links between aroma, taste and touch to the theory of production. You will taste a minimum of 18 sake samples during the 15 hours of in-person classroom instruction. Upon successful completion of a 1-hour multiple-choice exam held immediately after the last day of the course, you will receive a WSET certificate and lapel pin and will be able to use the associated WSET Certified logo.

 

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: £595 per person – 10% discount for new and current British Sake Association members