This past Tuesday April 13th marked the 10-year anniversary of the historic official opening day of the Niagara College’s Teaching Brewery. The milestone was marked by a virtual “Brewunion” for a group from the first class of Brewmaster graduates.
Located at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Teaching Brewery is home to the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program, which has grown alongside the craft beer industry in Ontario and awarded students with provincial, national and international awards.
“When we first opened the Teaching Brewery, there was nowhere else in the country that postsecondary students could gain the hands-on brewing skills they need to succeed in the industry, and our Teaching Brewery continues to lead the way in Canada’s growing craft beer industry today,” said Steve Gill, general manager of NC’s Learning Enterprises. “Each beer brewed at our Teaching Brewery is a ‘resume in a bottle’ for our students, and the multitude of awards won for student-crafted brews is a testament to the quality applied education and training that our students bring into the industry in Ontario and beyond.”
“The program has played a major role in growing the craft beer industry in Ontario, with graduates making their mark across the industry, including many launching their own breweries,” said President of the Ontario Craft Brewers Association (OCBA) Scott Simmons, as he congratulated the College on the tenth anniversary of the Teaching Brewery. “We understood the importance of having this incredible resource in our own backyard to foster the growth of our industry in the province and to help fulfil our vision of developing Ontario into a centre for brewing excellence. The continued success is a testament to the importance of this applied learning and program.”
The brewery gives students the hands-on experience to produce their own beer on campus. The College’s first student crafted brew, First Draft Ale, is still being produced, with slight variations in the ingredients each year, and, more recently, Beer 101 Pale Ale are part of the popular series of 12 varieties of beers bearing the Beer 101 label. These award-winning brands are available for purchase, along with Small Batch Brews from class projects. Proceeds from sales support student success.
In addition to College brews, Downing and the Brewmaster team have also designed or assisted with numerous recipes for industry – including Wayne Gretzky Estates Craft Brewing (No. 99 Rye Lager), as well as MADD Virgin Craft Brewed Lager with NC’s Research & Innovation Division – and have contract brewed dozens of beers for others.