The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry has taught 5,000 hospitality and catering students about beer

5,000 hospitality and catering students have already completed beer education provided by the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. Training has been organised more than 250 times at universities of applied sciences and vocational colleges in Finland since 2003.

These courses seek to provide future bar and restaurant staff with a broader knowledge of beer and different kinds of brews. The students also learn about the history of beer, the brewing process, ingredients, serving and pairing different foods and beers.

The courses are the handiwork of Pieni Olutkoulu (The Little Beer School), whose trainer Mikko Salmi has years of wide-ranging experience in the field of beer. For more than a decade, Salmi has taught hundreds of hospitality and catering students every year about the secrets of beer in cooperation with the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. This beer education provided by the Federation and its member companies is often the only part of their studies in which these students are taught about beer. In addition to educational institutions, the members of the Federation organise plenty of beer training for restaurant professionals and different groups.

“Beer is booming in Finland. This is wonderful – never before have consumers had access to so many different kinds of beers. The alcohol content of beer is no longer a major topic of debate, except perhaps among decision makers. Consumers are now mainly interested in the nuanced flavours of different beers,” says Elina Ussa, Managing Director of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry.

She adds: “Beer is important for bars and restaurants, as it accounts for about 70 per cent of the alcohol they sell. The beer boom has also influenced the on-trade sector – pubs specialising in beers have grown in popularity. The trendiest restaurants know how to recommend a variety of beers to pair with meals.”

Only 15 per cent of the beer sold in Finland is consumed in bars and restaurants. In Europe, the share of beer consumption accounted for by the on-trade sector is lower only in Poland (10%), Estonia (9%), Latvia (9%) and Lithuania (8%). Statistics indicate that the on-trade sector still accounted for 25 per cent of beer consumption in 2003, but the share had fallen to only 15 per cent in 2014.

“The continuous decline in on-trade consumption is the outcome of Finland’s alcohol policy – and is the most significant policy problem. Bars and restaurants are important meeting places and part of our urban culture. It’s a shame that the outdated policy of overregulation has hindered the development of this sector. This problem can be rectified in connection with the comprehensive reform of the Alcohol Act. We should also pay attention to tax policy, which currently steers consumers to buy their beverages across the border. Finland’s beer tax is five times higher than Estonia’s,” says Ussa.

Today, 18 September, is the Global Beer Responsible Day. For many years, the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry has advocated the enjoyment of alcohol in moderation and taken a stand against the binge drinking culture. In cooperation with the Finnish Grocery Trade Association, the Federation carries out the kohtuullisesti.fi project, which seeks to disseminate information about how to enjoy alcohol responsibly and in moderation, and to encourage consumers to evaluate their own alcohol consumption. The kohtuullisesti.fi logo is featured on the packaging of alcohol brands made by Federation members in Finland. The logo is also displayed in the advertising of the member companies’ alcoholic beverages.

Additional information:

Pieni Olutkoulu
Beer trainer Mikko Salmi, tel. +358 (0)40 734 4928

Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry
Managing Director Elina Ussa, tel. +358 (0)45 269 7711
Communications Manager Outi Heikkinen, tel. +358 (0)50 370 8677

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