Mirella Amato is one of the most knowledgeable people in the beer industry I’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking to. Boasting multiple accolades, including Master Cicerone, BJCP Grand Master, and Accredited Beer Sommelier, she's is an expert in all things sensory, bringing her immense knowledge and experience to the worlds of both beer and spirits. Whether you’re interested in increasing your sensory development and learning how to better understand and describe the beer you're drinking, or if you’re wanting to learn how to better pair beer with food, then this episode is for you.
Today’s guest is one of the most knowledgeable people in the beer industry I’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking to. Boasting multiple accolades, including Master Cicerone, BJCP Grand Master, and Accredited Beer Sommelier, Mirella Amato is an expert in all things sensory, bringing her immense knowledge and experience to the worlds of both beer and spirits. She’s also the author of Beerology, an excellent guide to tasting and appreciating beer.
Most recently, Mirella has worked as the global business development manager for the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), which launched its level one and level two beer accreditations in February 2024. Whether you’re interested in increasing your sensory development and learning how to better understand and describe the beer you're drinking, or if you’re wanting to learn how to better pair beer with food, then this episode is for you.
My reason for asking Mirella onto the show is because—as longer term listeners may know—I can be a little cynical about beer education, and the “intellectualisation” of a product that is quite literally designed to do the opposite. However, I have found myself fascinated by Mirella, along with her colleague Natalya Watson’s approach to tasting beer. Not only was this conversation immensely fun and educational, but it convinced me to sign up to take my WSET Level Two in beer, which I’ll be having a crack at this November. Stay tuned, because I’ll be writing about the experience in a future Pellicle feature.
We’re able to produce The Pellicle Podcast thanks to our Patreon subscribers, and our sponsor Get ‘Er Brewed. If you’re enjoying this podcast, or the weekly articles we publish, please consider taking out a monthly subscription for less than the price of a pint a month.