Participants in the Imbibe Live competition were required to complete a series of tests, task and objectives designed to put their beer and cider training to the test. These included a blind beer tasting as well as a beer and food matching challenge.
The team from Brewhouse & Kitchen scooped this year’s top prize ahead of competition from the New World Trading Company.
Co-founder of Brewhouse & Kitchen, Simon Bunn, explained: “Brewhouse & Kitchen has maintained a clear and driven focus on training and development for staff, growing a national community with a true dedication to the craft in craft beer.
“A professional pub experience with fully qualified team members provides numerous reasons to continue visiting, boosting not only sales and profit, but equally, a huge amount of pride from the team.
“With more than 60 accredited beer specialists in our ranks, we have shown that supporting our team members and providing them with opportunities to progress their careers is exactly the reason Brewhouse & Kitchen has secured this title and is encouragement for other breweries and pubs to build on the passion staff have for the industry.
“We are proud of the fact that the winning team members are champions of Brewhouse & Kitchen sites across the nation.
“Their achievements serve as proof that nurturing talent across a business is key to its success.”
Award-winning beer writer and recently appointed chair of the Guild of Beer Writers, Pete Brown, added: “The most common thing you hear is that it’s not worth training bar staff because they might leave.
"What if you don’t train them and they stay? I think people who say there isn’t any point in training bar staff just need to look at this competition.
“Here you have an incredible level of knowledge, in people that want to learn and have a real passion for the industry.”