British Columbia’s first science of brewing program will launch in the fall of 2014 at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), becoming the third program of its kind in Canada.
The two-year diploma program will focus on the history of brewing, basic brewing practices, chemistry of beer, management, and the necessary health and safety requirements of brewing, according to Gary Jones, co-chair of the School of Horticulture at KPU.
The program will accept 35 students.
Through “joining the dots, and hearing from local microbrewery owners and operators about a shortage of trained brewery operators, the concept was born,” Jones said.
KPU joins Niagara College and Olds College who already offer brewing-related programs in Canada, according to Peter Johnston-Berresford, a Carleton alumnus and co-ordinator of the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program at Olds College.
Olds’ program began in September 2013, teaching students the science behind beer brewing while also producing flagship and seasonal beers for purchase.
Johnston-Berresford said much of Olds’ success so far is due to their partnership with the brewing program at Niagara, with which he said he is in contact every week.
Johnston-Berresford said he also spoke with consultants from KPU when they were considering the launch of their program, but rather than joining the partnership with Niagara and Olds College, he said they decided to be more independent.
“There’s quite a bit of connectivity,” Johnston-Berresford said. “I don’t consider them competition, I consider them partners. And I’d love to see these other partners as part of the same program.”
Johnston-Berresford said he is happy to see another school recognizing the importance and need for brewing programs in Canada.
“We are seeing a difference in the way that brewing is appreciated in the greater community,” he said. “I think education can make brewing-related training much more accessible.”
Nicholas Bolton, head brewer with Surrey’s Big Ridge Brewing Co. in Vancouver, said these programs are a result of micro-brewing “being taken more seriously” in Canada.
“It came a lot from the explosion of home brewing, of people starting to realize you can make your own beer and it can be of really high quality,” he said. “There’s a lot less apprehension towards the smaller beer companies and more realization that there’s a lot more to be expected from the brewing culture that we have.”
Bolton will serve on the 14-member advisory committee of KPU’s program, keeping the school up to date on the trends of B.C.’s brewing industry and the expectations for students in the workforce.
The B.C. Craft Brewers Guild is also partnered with KPU’s brewing program.
Ten guild members sit on the advisory committee, one of which is Ken Beattie, executive director of the guild. Beattie said with the increase in craft breweries, the popularity of brewery programs would continue to grow.
“With growth comes additional jobs and investment as craft brewers employ people to create and package their beer and not machines,” he said.
Last year, 13 breweries opened in B.C. and another six are scheduled to open this year, according to Beattie.
“There are more breweries in Canada than at any time in history,” he said.
Carleton University history professor Matthew Bellamy, whose work regarding the history of brewing in Canada has been published in various magazines and journals, emphasized the importance of keeping these craft breweries alive in Canada.
“Beer is to Canada what wine is to France. Making and drinking beer is an expression of our national identity. Craft brewers realize this,” Bellamy said. “The craft brewers of today are therefore keeping alive a great Canadian tradition.”
Bellamy said he would like to see a similar program unveiled at Carleton.
“We can only hope,” he said.
