A pub landlord who tastes ales for a living has discovered he is allergic to BEER.
Alastair Scott was the first in the UK to qualify as a beer sommelier after it became a recognised qualification two years ago.
However, after working in the pub industry for more than 20 years, he was devastated to find out he couldn’t stomach beer any longer.
Alistair took a home intolerance test after feeling unwell for months but was shocked to find that this was all down to the yeast in beer.
Alistair, 49, said: ‘I almost wanted to double check it and get it changed!
‘I didn’t think it was right, I just didn’t believe it.
‘I was coughing a lot and spluttering in the mornings, and generally feeling tired and lethargic.
‘I wouldn’t have done anything about it if other people hadn’t complained – it was my family that made me find out because I had just accepted I wasn’t very well.
‘I was worried about what I wasn’t going to be able to have but I never thought it would be beer.
The father-of-three earns a living by travelling around the country, taste-testing beer.
He said: I’m in the pub for work three or four days a week and it’s rare that I don’t have a drink for work purposes 3 or 4 times a week.
‘Sometimes I can drink up to six ales in a pub.’
Alastair’s work involves reviewing beer and matching specific ales to different foods. He added: ‘Beer is a big part of my life and I just cant avoid it, I’m heavily involved in the pub industry, I just love it.
‘It’s a great job – it’s hard work but I feel I’m lucky to be able to visit pubs and help them through their beer.’
