Cincinnati State launches brewing science degree

 

Local would-be brewers and brewery managers will soon be able to set themselves apart by adding a brewing degree to their resumes.

 

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College announced Tuesday that it's launching the area's first college degree in brewing. The two-year associate of science degree, part of the Midwest Culinary Institute, has been approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

 

It's the first degree program in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky, according to Carla Gesell-Streeter, chair of the college's brewing science department.

 

Cincinnati State offered its first brewing courses in during the fall of 2015 and implemented a brewing sales and marketing certificate last year.

 

But Gesell-Streeter always envisioned that the courses would eventually be part of a degree, something she's been working toward for about six years.

 

In 2009, when she and her husband, Tom Streeter, started the beer blog Hoperatives, there were only a handful of local breweries. As she watched that number grow, though, she saw an unmet need for brewery staff.

 

"We started seeing that in order to get experienced brewers, people had to hire away from someone else," she said.

 

During a 2014 sabbatical, she visited four established brewing schools – Niagara College in Ontario, Canada, as well as Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Blue Ridge Community College and Rockingham Community College, all in North Carolina – to help her develop Cincinnati State's courses.

 

The new program was also designed with input from industry members. It includes 22 courses, a total of 63 credit hours, with 10 of those in brewing science. (One of those 10 will be a co-op that gives students the experience of working at a brewery.) Graduates of the program will be qualified to work as in roles such as brewers, cellar managers and brewery managers, Gesell-Streeter said.

 

She noted that although craft beer is no longer growing as fast as it was, it's still a thriving industry, both locally and beyond. There are now more than 5,000 breweries operating in the country, more than at any time in U.S. history, and up from about 2,000 just five years ago, according to the Brewers Association. The organization is a national trade association representing small, independent craft brewers in the U.S.

 

"There's still these huge breweries in town," she said. "They're still going to need employees. They need people who know what they're doing."

Better than a stupid liberal arts degree. At least it's some kind of skill.

WKU is doing a similar program, from what I understand.

I would have rocked in college if this was offered!!

I would have rocked in college if this was offered!!

 

I'd like to think I would have, but if I'm being a realist, I think I would have struggled with the Science and there would be a lot of it for this.

Honestly it may be too late for this. The market is already flooded with brew masters who probably don't have a degree in Brewing. There are already too many craft beers on the market as is.

Honestly it may be too late for this. The market is already flooded with brew masters who probably don't have a degree in Brewing. There are already too many craft beers on the market as is.

 

I think you're partially right, if we are thinking about new breweries.

 

However, as places like Rhinegeist, Madtree, Braxton, Against the Grain, Country Boy and etc. continue to grow and increase their distribution, I'd think they'll need to hire more and more people. Maybe this could be a foot in the door for someone that isn't already part of the craft beer working community?

I think you're partially right, if we are thinking about new breweries.

 

However, as places like Rhinegeist, Madtree, Braxton, Against the Grain, Country Boy and etc. continue to grow and increase their distribution, I'd think they'll need to hire more and more people. Maybe this could be a foot in the door for someone that isn't already part of the craft beer working community?

 

Maybe, but would a person really need a degree to work for Rhinegeist? Would a person with a degree want to work for Rhinegeist?

 

I'm mainly thinking new breweries though. As much as I love craft beers the market is saturated with a lot of crap right now. I think the move would be to open a brewery that has above average food and over 50 craft beers on tap. When I go to the liquor store to get beer I'm more often than not buying what I am familiar with. No way I am paying 10.99 for a 6 pack of something that ends up being terrible. And don't get me started on all these beers that want to infuse fruits into their flavors. If I wanted to taste fruits in my drinks I'd get a damn dacquiri. But I digress. A lot of breweries I am used to rarely have more than 10 beers on tap. I know there are a couple in Lexington that boast 30+ beers on tap and that is an excellent idea IMO. Add some wine choices to the drink menu along with some above average food and money is to be made.

Maybe, but would a person really need a degree to work for Rhinegeist? Would a person with a degree want to work for Rhinegeist?

 

To work on a canning line, bartender, driver and etc.? Yeah, definitely don't need a degree for that.

 

I think you'd be surprised at what type of degrees the brewers of a brewery like Rhinegeist/Madtree would have. Lots of Science degrees. Lots of certifications they go through as well.

To work on a canning line, bartender, driver and etc.? Yeah, definitely don't need a degree for that.

 

I think you'd be surprised at what type of degrees the brewers of a brewery like Rhinegeist/Madtree would have. Lots of Science degrees. Lots of certifications they go through as well.

 

I wouldn't be surprised. I just think it will be hard to break through and make as great a living as people think they could brewing beer with the current climate. There are sooooo many beers out right now. What could someone come up with that would be trendsetting? A cheaper craft beer, maybe? That would be awesome.

 

I'd love a cheaper version of Zen.

I wouldn't be surprised. I just think it will be hard to break through and make as great a living as people think they could brewing beer with the current climate. There are sooooo many beers out right now. What could someone come up with that would be trendsetting? A cheaper craft beer, maybe? That would be awesome.

 

I'd love a cheaper version of Zen.

 

Maybe we are thinking about this two different ways. Seems like you are focusing on starting up something new. I'm more thinking about getting your foot in the door at something current. Hell, someone with this degree could potentially even work there way into working for one of the evil empires.

 

We are on the same page about it being difficult to break into into the industry with a new brewery.

Maybe we are thinking about this two different ways. Seems like you are focusing on starting up something new. I'm more thinking about getting your foot in the door at something current. Hell, someone with this degree could potentially even work there way into working for one of the evil empires.

 

We are on the same page about it being difficult to break into into the industry with a new brewery.

 

The evil empires. :lol2:

 

Great point though. I didn't think of it like that. A degree could probably take you places at one of the evil empires for sure.

Better than a stupid liberal arts degree. At least it's some kind of skill.

 

A skill where there are 5,000 breweries (potential jobs) in the US? Maybe a bit too specialized?