CraftBeer.com enhances its Beer 101 course (takes about an hour, costs $20)

You can do this course just about anywhere and/or in your jammies.

Beer 101. Really, it’s the first step to your professional career in the beer industry. As the beer culture in America continues to grow and beginners attempt to crack the craft code, CraftBeer.com — the Brewers Association (BA) website for beer lovers — presents an updated version of the popular CraftBeer.com Beer 101 Course. The course is designed for anyone who works in retail sales, the restaurant industry or is simply a burgeoning craft beer enthusiast seeking a quick and reliable introduction to the beer universe.

Beer 101 covers the history of beer; brewing ingredients and processes; vital statistics: ABV, SRM, IBU, gravity; styles; tasting; glassware; and pairing beer and food. The course is narrated and includes multiple videos. Now there is also a downloadable worksheet that serves as a helpful study guide later on. The course concludes with the Beer 101 Quiz, a 21-question test which must be completed in 20 minutes. A printable certificate of completion is available for download.

“Beer beginners are thirsty for craft beer knowledge,” said Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com and Brewers Association craft beer program director. “As the leading voice of small and independent U.S. craft brewers, we are pleased CraftBeer.com’s Beer 101 Course has become a quick and easy introduction for so many budding beer enthusiasts.”

More than 6,000 people have taken the Beer 101 Course since its launch in 2010. The course takes about one hour to complete and costs $20. Those that don’t pass the course with 75 percent or more can retake the quiz for a full year before having to reregister for the course.