BY KIT DANKS

A Dorchester brewery has launched the first advanced brewing qualification in the UK.

Dorchester Brewhouse and Kitchen, one of a network of pubs launched in 2011, brews its own craft beers on-site in their microbrewery, and is now going to offer apprenticeships to budding new brewers.

Dorchester has a rich history associated with its breweries and beer, with traveller Emmanuel Bowen noting in 1760 that is was famous for 'brewing the best and finest beer in England'.

The imposing Eldridge Pope Brewery, which closed in 2003 after over 100 years of brewing, was one of the pioneers in beer production in the town, and is now being developed in new shopping and dining district Brewery Square, where Brewhouse and Kitchen is also based.

Reinvigorating the area’s beer loving-past, Brewhouse and Kitchen features its own microbrewery, which includes large copper vats used to combine significant quantities of grains, hops, yeast and water.

Producing its own craft beer, the pub and restaurant also serves other locally produced and international beer, celebrating a huge variety of available brews.

John Gleeson, Brewhouse and Kitchen operations manager, said: “We’re delighted to be keeping Dorchester’s brewing heritage alive.

“With a growing demand in the UK for craft beer, there’s an excellent opportunity for the local brewing industry to expand.”

The company is hoping to reinvigorate Dorchester’s historic love of beer, with its own microbrewery containing large copper vats being used to combine grains, hops, yeast and water, which eventually become one of their own craft beers.

Six of their beers are brewed on site, including American and English Style Ales and IPAs.

Currently there is no professional apprenticeship scheme in the brewing industry that provides a qualification above GCSE level, but Brewhouse and Kitchen’s new apprenticeship opportunity takes apprentices to Level 4, the equivalent of a foundation degree level qualification.

Mr Gleeson added: “Through the new apprenticeships, which will take place in Dorchester as well as our other pubs, we aim to inspire a new generation of brewers to take up the profession.”