Natalya Watson on WSET Beer Courses & Judging Beer
Youtube Music Key Takeaways
- Advanced Cicerone and WSET educator Natalya Watson joins host Martin to discuss the ins and outs of beer education, structured tasting, and judging.
- Studying beer through formal programs like WSET introduces a more systematic approach to tasting that can completely change how you experience what is in your glass.
- Understanding how to taste beer properly involves avoiding common tasting mistakes, recognizing the vital role of smell, and assessing style guidelines objectively.
- Becoming a beer judge requires separating personal preferences from professional competition criteria to fairly assess how well a beer fits its style.
- Natalya shares insights into her own podcast, Cheers with Nat, alongside quick-fire questions featuring her favourite beers and foundational breweries.
In this episode I’m joined by Natalya Watson to talk about beer education, tasting and judging.
Nat is an Advanced Cicerone, Beer Sommelier and WSET educator, as well as an experienced beer judge.
Learning about beer
What do you actually learn when you study beer?
We talk about WSET and how a more structured approach to tasting can change the way you experience what’s in your glass.
How to taste beer
Nat explains some of the biggest mistakes people make when tasting beer, why smell is so important and how to approach tasting more systematically.
We also talk about some of the beers used in WSET classes, including a Munich Dunkel
Becoming a beer judge
How do you actually become a beer judge?
Nat takes me through how she got started, what happens around the judging table and how judges separate personal preference from assessing a beer against competition criteria.
Finding your way into beer
We also talk about different beer styles, developing your palate and how you might introduce someone who doesn't think they're a beer drinker to something they could actually enjoy.
Cheers with Nat
Towards the end, we talk about Natalya’s own podcast, Cheers with Nat, and how it has evolved into conversations across the wider drinks world.
Quick fire
We finish with a few quick questions, including Natalya’s favourite beer, an underrated beer style and three breweries that have played an important part in her beer journey.
If you’ve ever thought about doing a WSET beer course, becoming a beer judge, improving your tasting skills or simply understanding more about what’s in your glass, there’s plenty here to get stuck into.
Natalya's Socials
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/cheers_with_nat/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/beerwithnat
Sponsored by The Keg Warehouse
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you learn in a WSET beer course?
A WSET beer course teaches you a structured approach to tasting, deepens your knowledge of brewing ingredients, and helps you identify specific beer styles and flaws.
How do you become a beer judge?
Becoming a beer judge involves gaining a strong understanding of beer styles, training your palate, and participating in competitions where you learn to assess beers against strict style criteria.
What is the biggest mistake people make when tasting beer?
One of the biggest mistakes is failing to use your sense of smell properly, which plays a massive role in how you perceive flavour and aroma.
What beer should you give to a non-beer drinker?
Natalya discusses approachable styles and entry-point beers that can surprise people who claim they do not like beer by matching their existing flavor preferences.
Beer educator, author and podcast host
Natalya Watson is an award-winning beer educator passionate about making beer education accessible and engaging for all. She currently works with WSET as Business Development Manager for their new beer qualifications.
Previously, Natalya ran her own Virtual Beer School business and was named Training Professional of the Year at the BII’s 2022 National Innovation in Training Awards. She is qualified as an IBD Beer Sommelier, Advanced Cicerone®, and WSET Beer Educator, and holds her WSET Level 2 Award in Beer, Level 2 Award in Wine, and Level 3 Award in Spirits.
Natalya is also the author of Beer: Taste the Evolution in 50 Styles and produces and hosts the Cheers with Nat podcast. Follow her on Instagram at @cheers_with_nat.