Training & Courses

There’s more to making a great tasting beer than throwing barley and hops together in a vat; craft brewing is a science, albeit a tasty one. With the number of craft breweries in Canada increasing at a rapid rate, the demand for trained brewers is growing.

CRAFT BEER

In Canada, there are currently two colleges and one university offering diplomas in brewing and brewery operations*:

NIAGARA COLLEGE, ONTARIO

The Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program prepares graduates for employment in the expanding brewery, microbrewery and brewpub industries. The program provides significant hands-on training on-site and includes specialized instruction in brewing technology, brewery operations, sales management and advanced business applications specific to beer-related or brewery-related business sectors.

OLDS COLLEGE, ALBERTA

The rising popularity of craft beer houses and products, specialty beer-making workshops, and beer-tasting events continues to generate rampant growth in the brewing scene and gives the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations program broad spectrum appeal. The Brewmaster and Brewery Operations program targets a diverse range of enthusiasts and professionals who see this as a valuable career opportunity in a vibrant and continually growing industry.

KWANTLEN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, BRITISH COLUMBIA

In the two-year Brewing and Brewery Operations program, students will study the science, production and business of brewing in a state-of-the-art brew laboratory to be built on the Langley campus. The curriculum, developed in consultation with the BC Craft Brewers Guild and local brew masters, involves learning brew science theory with hands-on experience in the brew laboratory and at local breweries.

CANADIAN MALTING BARLEY TECHNICAL CENTRE, MANITOBA

The Malt Academy is a unique training institute located in Winnipeg, Manitoba that offers a variety of programming related to the malting barley and malt industries. The institute’s flagship one-week intensive course in malt processing offers students hands-on instruction using a state-of-the-art 75 kg pilot Malthouse. Through this program students gain the knowledge and skills required to produce high-quality barley malt as well as a thorough understanding of how finished malt attributes impact the brewing process and beer quality. The Academy also offers a three-day program focused on the Canadian malting barley value chain.

BREWERS ASSOCIATION

For more information on brewing schools/courses in the United States and abroad, the Brewers Association website has a comprehensive list of current educational opportunities.

CRAFTBEER.COM

If you would like to further your appreciation of craft beer, the website CraftBeer.com also contains links to classes, schools and online training.

Summer Internship Program

Did you know that Manitoba brewer Half Pints Brewing Co. has an intern program? Each year, the brewery hires one to two students for a paid summer internship. To qualify, students must be enrolled in a recognized brewing program (such as the programs at Niagara College, Olds College or Kwantlen Polytechnic University), from Manitoba, and in between their first and second year of program studies.

Students chosen for the internship will get a full working knowledge of all aspects of the brewery including recipe design, brewhouse operations, bottling, delivery and everything else in between. This has proven to be an invaluable opportunity for students studying brewing/brewery operations and a great way to gain first-hand working experience in a busy and successful brewery.

The call for resumes for the Half Pints Summer Internship program takes place each year in early February through their website www.halfpintsbrewing.com.

DISTILLING

Like craft brewing, craft distilling is an art. If you are looking to produce spirits, there are courses and workshops offered in Canada that will provide valuable information about the distillation process*:

THE CANADIAN CRAFT DISTILLING INSTITUTE, BRITISH COLUMBIA

This five day workshop is run out of Urban Distilleries in Kelowna, BC and is centered around setting up and running a craft distillery in Canada. Participants in the workshop are exposed to every facet of craft distillery operations.

AMERICAN DISTILLING INSTITUTE, USA

In the United States, the American Distilling Institute offers a variety of workshops and master classes on the various aspects of distilling.

*Please note: This is only a listing - not an endorsement - of some of the courses/workshops available for those interested in craft brewing and distilling. If you are interested in furthering your education in these areas, we encourage you to research which program is the best fit for you and your interests.

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