Ever dreamed of becoming a brewmaster? I imagine many of you have thought about completing the training to become a brewmaster. But I suspect an equal number of you have hesitated at the prospect of moving to the U.S. or Europe to go to school and the associated expense.
Well soon, you will be able to study to become a brewmaster in Alberta. Last week Olds College (in Olds, just north of Calgary) announced a new partnership with Niagara College to expand their brewmaster program (the only one in Canada) to the West. Olds will deliver the identical curriculum as the Niagara Program, and will also operate a test brewery, hosted in the Pomeroy Inn and Suites, a new hotel being constructed on the Olds campus.
The two-year program hopes to take its first students in September 2013. It will teach burgeoning brewers the science of zymurgy, but also the business side of beer, including finance, communications and business ethics (which might be an oxymoron…).
So, instead of shuffling off to California, Chicago or Germany, all you young hopefuls with dancing beer mugs in your eyes will just need to endure 2 years in Olds to get a start on your brewing career.
I am looking forward to meeting the first crop of newly minted brewmasters in 2015.
April 23, 2012 at 3:22 PM
Excellent news! The Brewmaster program at UC Davis only serves to support the incredible Craft Beer scene in Northern California.
Now here’s hoping that some day down the road Olds College offers some Extension/Continuing education type courses for weekend warriors like us.
April 23, 2012 at 7:50 PM
So, in about 3 more years we might have some more unique and perhaps excellent local tasting opportunities? Thanks for the heads up.
April 24, 2012 at 9:59 PM
Jason,
You may want to touch base with Jordan St. John on this one. Hopefully he will chime in here…
The most important aspect of any good program is to foster alliances and give graduating students a foot in the door post graduation.
For a young program, that is very difficult, and not having pre-arranged apprenticeships is making it very difficult on current students to break into the industry with what is arguably an unrecognized education in the largest craft brewing market (USA) in the world. These students will find themselves in resume piles with very well recognized brewer’s educational institutions.
There is very little movement in the Canadian industry – I’ve personally seen it over 13 years where it only takes one brewer to get fired, and we all shuffle around like checkers at a Sunday morning speed game in the park. Unfortunately, there are also the same four or five breweries who are ALWAYS looking for lead brewers for various reasons many of us talk about amongst ourselves, but are still a good opportunity for new brewers to experience the misery of how not to run a business.
There is a clear and present need for the school to step up, make the contacts, provide potential training breweries with a complete picture of what the students can handle, as well as assisting in future placements for both first and second year students.
This needs to be addressed before graduating 10 – 20 brewers per year with no where for them to go in Canada.
April 24, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Dave,
Those are unbelievably useful and insightful thoughts. Thank you. You raise a very good point that I ignored – the prospects of getting a job afterward.
I have heard good things about the Niagara program, but Jordan clearly would know more than I. I am just happy we have an option in western Canada. Your points are fully and respectfully taken.
Only time will tell on this one.
Thanks for your knowledgeable insights.
April 25, 2012 at 9:32 PM
I agree with Dave about the importance of placements and letting students get real experience. Paddock Wood is giving summer work to a student from Niagara College this summer, but it was the student and not the college that got that going. I suggested to Olds that they consider building this aspect into the program, but they are not interested. With Dave too, I worry about where these students will go. Two colleges pumping out a combined 20 – 40 a year?
April 27, 2012 at 7:30 PM
I for one am looking forward to enrolling in this program. A lot of people are concerned about job placement but one thing that defines brewers among other industries/trades is our passion for it. I am more than willing to chase down a job to advance my career.
April 29, 2012 at 6:55 PM
I looked into the program at Niagara and went to their open house a year ago. it seems the course work is geared towards “brewer tech” rather than brew master. But at least it is a start.