Olds College in Alberta officially unveiled its much-anticipated Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program Sept. 19.
The program focuses on equipping its students with a broad education in brew-making, as students learn everything from the science behind beer-brewing to successful business strategies, according to the college’s press release.
The two-year program, which Olds College claims is the first of its kind in Western Canada, will produce four flagship beers as well as multiple specialty seasonal beers, the release said. These beers will be available for purchase from the brewery itself as well as the restaurant and lounge at the hotel attached to the brewery.
A full load of 26 students are enrolled in the program’s first-year class, according to the release.
The program’s co-ordinator, Peter Johnston-Berresford, a Carleton University alumnus, said he thinks the program has all the tools required to be a massive success, noting its “sweet setup” when referring to the wealth of top-quality brew-making equipment.
Johnston-Berresford said the goal of the program is to “broaden horizons” for its students. He said the program provides students with a “pile of theoretical [education] with a humongous pile of practical experience.”
He said a naming contest was used to determine the names of the four flagship beers the college will produce, with the winners bearing names of historical or social significance to the town of Olds. The winning names were “Olds-Skhool,” “Hay City,” “Aggie Ale,” and “Prairie Gold.”
Olds-Skhool will be a dark porter, and Hay City will be a light lager, he said. The remaining two will also be lighter beers, and although the nature of the specialty beers has not yet been determined, Johnston-Berresford said these beers will have both social and seasonal significance.
“There won’t be a style of beer that won’t be seen,” Johnston-Berresford said.
