Managing director and head brewer of Coopers Brewery Dr Tim Cooper has been appointed president of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) for a one-year term.
The South Australian brewer has served as deputy president since 2016.
The IBD is based in the United Kingdom and has more than 5000 members across 102 countries.
The organisation oversees training across all levels of the brewing, distilling and cider industries, from non-production staff through to master brewers and master distillers.
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Members include the heads of some of the world’s major brewing and distilling companies.
Cooper said the world’s brewing and distilling industry is undergoing an enormous surge in interest and growth with the emergence of the craft brewing sector.
“Craft breweries and distillers are opening across the world on a daily basis and this has led to the situation where demand for qualified brewers and brewery workers has reached unprecedented levels.
“The IBD is about improving the education and understanding of everyone involved in or entering the industry and helping to underpin the quality of the beers being developed,” said Cooper.
Based in the South Australian capital Adelaide, Coopers has been making traditional bottle fermented ales since 1862.
The family-owned brewery is considered by many to be the grandfather of craft brewing in Australia.
Cooper is the first Australian to lead the organisation since Bill Taylor (Lion, 2004-05) and Adrian Gardner (CUB, 2001-02) served as presidents of the Institute and Guild of Brewing, an earlier iteration of the IBD.
Brewers Association of Australia chief executive officer Brett Heffernan said Cooper’s appointment recognised his passionate commitment to industry excellence and his expertise as a master brewer.
“Tim is a living legend, respected by all across the entire alcohol industry and he brings with him a wealth of experience to the leadership of IBD along with a dedication to excellence that will serve the industry well into the future,” said Heffernan.
“It also underlines Australia’s position as a world brewing leader,” he said.