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The boss of a Wigan pub has really raised the bar when it comes to her knowledge of beer.

Joanna Whalley does more than pull pints for drinkers at Wigan Central – and she has the qualification to prove it.

She has passed the level two Certified Cicerone course, run by the US-based Cicerone Certification Programme, making her akin to a sommelier for beer.

Joanna is the first person in Wigan to achieve the qualification and one of only 282 people in the UK.

Jo Whalley, owner of Wigan Central pub, is a Certified Cicerone, which is like a sommelier for beer

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She described it as a “pretty intense course”, which took around eight months to complete online.

It covers keeping and serving beer, beer styles, beer flavour and evaluation, beer ingredients and brewing processes, and pairing beer with food.

Joanna, who has worked at Wigan Central since it opened in 2014 and became owner two years ago, said: “It was brilliant, I loved it. I did the written side about two months ago and I got 80 per cent on that, and did my tasting three or four weeks ago and did 89 per cent on that.

Jo Whalley is now officially a beer connoisseuse

"I did a beer and crisp pairing in the pub yesterday and used a lot of things I learned on the course. I pushed it out there and did something different.

"It has opened my eyes to what beers I am drinking and appreciating what they are.”

Joanna said customers had been “really supportive” and she hopes her knowledge will benefit both her regulars and staff.

Bar manager Kailea Bates is one of only two other people in Wigan to have passed the level one Cicerone certified beer server exam.

Joanna said: “People want to go to a pub where they feel like the staff members have knowledge, experience, interest and passion in beer. There is nothing worse than going to a pub where this is no atmosphere and no interaction from staff. I really push and strive for beer-focused conversation so people feel they have come to the right place for the right beer.”

She is now preparing for the level three qualification, which could take 18 months to two years to complete and involves a trip to America.

Joanna hopes to eventually pass the level four Master Cicerone exam, which so far only 14 people worldwide have done.

Cheers! Pub boss proves she knows her stuff as she becomes first 'beer sommelier' in Wigan