Australia's leading technical distilling training and courses
New distilling training activity
In 2023, Director Anne Gigney was lucky enough to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship to further study best practice distilling training throughout Europe.
The project is focused at examining existing and new distilleries and breweries across Europe and examining how they undertake and plan their training.
This work builds on the research project undertaken in 2016 which established a baseline for distilling training needs in Australia. Anne will undertake the study tour from March to May 2024 and will produce a report from the trip to share with the industry. The project can be found below.
The backstory
In 2015, Anne Gigney established the Tasmanian Whisky Academy with the vision to support the growth of the Australian distilling industry by providing a place where people interested in distilling could learn.
In 2016, when the number of distilleries in Tasmania were fewer than 30 and in Australia less than 60, Anne undertook a skills and workforce assessment of the Tasmanian industry looking both to Tasmania, Australia and overseas to understand the industry training needs and to create a snapshot of training opportunities and future for the industry.
In 2017, Anne commenced delivery of the Foundations of Distilling course, working with the legendary Patrick Maguire former GM and Head Distiller at Sullivans Cove Distillery and Dave Magill the then GM of Moo Brew Brewery, alongside visits to the Nonesuch Distillery. In the same year Anne formed a partnership with the Institute of Brewing and Distilling with the goal to bring globally-recognised industry-standard distilling training to Australia and New Zealand. Since 2017, Anne has been running the IBD General Certificate of Distilling Masterclasses and has had touch points with over 750 distillers since.
In 2018, Anne formed a partnership with business guru Troy Trewin to establish The Distillers Institute to support people interested to set up properly planned and successful distilling businesses.
Anne, through the Tasmanian Whisky Academy continues to run the Institute of Brewing and Distilling's courses in Australia and NZ.
About the IBD's Masterclasses
The Tasmanian Whisky Academy deliver's the Institute of Brewing and Distilling's globally-recognised technical Masterclasses in Australia and New Zealand with the goal of assisting distillers to improve their technical knowledge and understanding of the distilling process.
The Institute of Brewing and Distilling's qualifications are portable globally and undertaking the IBDs online study alongside the Masterclass events is an offering that build skills in distilling spirits, knowledge and confidence but also builds a network of like-minded distillers from around the country.
The distilling training Masterclasses are delivered by Ian Thorn, the IBD's international tutor for distilling and one of the region's only qualified Master Distillers. The distilling course cover the chemistry of distilling, equipment, mash and fermentation, distillation process, maintenance, maturation and many other elements of distilling.
How else can The Whisky Academy help?
Anne has been supporting distilling training in the industry since 2015 and has a deep sense of the options and opportunities available in relation to the industry, the pathway in and the training options available.
The IBD's distilling courses are certainly the global industry standard for distilling spirits. In the coming years, it is expected that a recognised Australian qualification will support people in the industry which will be a good accompaniment to training available.
If you would like to discuss training, reach out to Anne.