U.S. Brewing Schools and Beer Industry Education Programs
Editor’s Note: Read more about brewing schools in the September 2016 issue of All About Beer Magazine.
ALABAMA
Auburn
Auburn offers a one-year Graduate Certificate in Brewing Science and Operations in partnership with Oskar Blues Brewery and assorted Alabama breweries.
CALIFORNIA
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona offers both a short, four-week course on beer culture and certificate programs in all-grain brewing.
San Diego
This university offers one-year and 1.5-year certificates in the Business of Craft Beer.
University of California, Davis
Davis
This flagship institute of brewing education has programs that range from a 10-week Professional Brewers Certificate to an 18-week Master Brewers Program, undergraduate malting and brewing courses, and graduate-level degrees in brewing.
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla
The part-time brewing certificate program at UC San Diego can be completed in 18-24 months and takes place on evenings and weekends.
COLORADO
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver
Metropolitan State University offers four-year degrees in Brewery Operations and Brewpub Operations, as well as a Brewing Science minor and certificate.
Denver
Regis University’s 12-month, part-time Certificate in Applied Craft Brewing program is taught in the evenings and spans topics from the biology to the business of brewing.
ILLINOIS
Siebel Institute of Technology
Chicago
With roots tracing to 1868, Siebel offered the first formal brewing education in the United States. Today students can enroll in several certificate programs, including the Master Brewer Program.
KENTUCKY
Bowling Green
Western Kentucky University offers both graduate and undergraduate certificates in Brewing and Distilling Arts & Sciences in concordance with relative fields of study.
MICHIGAN
Mount Pleasant
The one-year fermentation sciences program requires students to intern for a minimum of 200 hours at a brewery.
Livonia
This 24-credit program offers a Certificate in Brewing and Distillation Technology. The college has a 7-barrel commercial brew house on campus, and is licensed by the state of Michigan as a Brewpub. Student-brewed beers are served in the culinary program’s American Harvest restaurant/brewpub, with a 10-tap service area.
Kalamazoo
This program, offered jointly with Kalamazoo Valley Community College, includes both associates and bachelor’s degrees in Sustainable Brewing.
MINNESOTA
Dakota County Technical College
Rosemount
This school offers a one-year certificate program in Brewing & Beer Steward Technology.
MONTANA
Montana State University Billings
Billings
This school offers a new Certificate in Craft Brewing and Fermentation that combines learning experiences in the science, business and technology aspects of the brewing industry.
NEW YORK
Schenectady County Community College
Schenectady
The 13-week craft beer course at SCCC covers the science of brewing from raw materials to boiling to fermentation to packaging, and also touches on workplace safety, engineering and analysis.
State University of New York, Cobleskill
Cobleskill
Starting in fall 2017, SUNY Cobleskill will be offering a four-year, Bachelor of Technology in Fermentation Science program.
NORTH CAROLINA
Boone
The school offers both a four-year Bachelor of Science in Fermentation Science and five-day brewing short courses during the summer.
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Asheville
A-B Tech’s Associate of Applied Science in Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation is a two-year program with hands-on brewing courses and classes in inspection, law, marketing and more.
OREGON
Corvallis
On top of the multiple beer and brewing resources listed in the story, Oregon State offers a four-year Fermentation Science program.
PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia
The Brewing Science program at the University of the Sciences is offered in one-year and two-year iterations, and offers evening courses for flexibility.
VERMONT
Salisbury
The American Brewers Guild offers brewing classes and 22-27 week diploma programs. The longer of the two programs includes a five-week apprenticeship.
Burlington
The Business of Craft Beer Certificate offered by the University of Vermont takes place online and covers business operations, sales, digital marketing and social media.
WASHINGTON
Ellensburg
Potential brewing students at CWU can either pursue the yearlong Craft Beer Certificate program or a full 4-year Bachelor of Science in Craft Brewing.
Know of any brewing school we missed? Send us an email at [email protected].
Here’s another one:
Schoolcraft College, Livonia, Michigan
24-credit (2 semesters) Certificate in Brewing and Distillation Technology.
The college just completed construction of a 7-barrel commercial brew house on campus, and is licensed by the state of Michigan as a Brewpub. Student-brewed beers are served in our American Harvest restaurant/brewpub operated by our Culinary program, with a 10-tap service area.
http://www.schoolcraft.edu
Montana State University Billings has started a new craft brewing and fermentation certificate program that combines learning experiences in the science, business and technology aspects for the craft brewing industries. More info here: http://www.msubillings.edu/extendedcampus/craft_brew_certificate.htm
It would be great if you would add it to your list. Thanks much.
Hello Kevin,
Thanks for letting us know. I’ve just added it to the list.
Daniel Hartis
Digital Manager
All About Beer Magazine
Wayne County Community College in Detroit has also started a brewing program
I’m currently a student at Blue Ridge Community College and they have a great BDF (Brewing, Distillation, and Fermentation) program (AA degree or certificate). It’s located outside of Asheville, NC in Flat Rock, NC. Taught by Gabe Mixon who is an encyclopedia of knowledge regarding brewing and was honored in London for achieving among the highest scores in the world on the Institute of Brewing and Distilling General Certificate in Brewing exam. Would love this school to be added to this list. Thanks!!
P.S. here is atricle: http://www.blueridgenow.com/news/20140907/brcc-brewing-program-hits-growth-spurt
The University of Northern Colorado has a Brewing Laboratory Science program as well. It offers a minor or an undergraduate certificate in Brewing Laboratory Science with an emphasis on QA/QC. The link to their website is: http://extended.unco.edu/brewing
Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, Montana has a 2 year Brewing Science and Brewery Operations program as of 2015.
There is a new Brewing + Distilling School in Knoxville, TN. The team has a track record of putting qualified graduates into the brewing and distilling industries. The new Certificate program is very compact and cost-efficient. Cheers!
Check out the website:
https://www.brewinganddistillingcenter.com/
Central New Mexico community collage has a brewing and beverage management certificate program
l wish to know universities that offer graduate program in brewing in USA
Eastern Michigan University also has a bachelor’s degree for fermentation sciences!
Eastern Michigan University offers full 4-year major and minor degree programs in Fermentation Science. Emphasis is placed on hands-on laboratory techniques and process control, making this an ideal course of study for those interested in lab setup and analysis, QA/QC, or process improvements based on the underlying science. Electives in hospitality, marketing, accounting, and other areas allow students to tailor their degree to fit their career goals. More information can be found at the program website: http://www.emich.edu/chemistry/fermsci/
Pennsylvania College of Technology, located in Williamsport, PA, offers a two-year degree in brewing & fermentaion science.
http://www.pct.edu/brewing
Cincinnati technical and community college also offers Brewing science Degree…
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.Cincinnati,OH
Also there’s a Craft Brewing and Distilling AA from South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington.
https://spscc.edu/areas/culinary/cbd-aas-t
Lourdes University started a Bachelor of Science in craft beverages.
https://www.lourdes.edu/academics/craft-beverages/
The accreditation and/or title of Master Brewer is very vague. What constitutes a true Master Brewer? Does the collective Brewing Community have a core baseline for what must be earned and/or demonstrated in order to wear the title of Master Brewer?
What is the best program and why? Does earning the title Master Brewer from institution A versus institution B make a difference and how would anyone know?
I would like to earn a Master Brewer’s title – and I am not sure what is the best and most recognizable method for doing so. Any help will be appreciated.
I have earned a BSA, MS, PhD in Food Sciences and hold the GCB, GCP, GCM, and Dipl in Brew. from the IBD. I find the IBD Master Brewing Program lacking and insufficient.