Course Offerings

Commercial Craft Brewing

Course ID: BDF-3600B2
Overview
Course Outline
Requirements
Intended Audience
More Details

Turn your passion for beer into a career! This course is the first step toward obtaining the Wake Tech Certificate in Brewing. It introduces the knowledge and skills required for employment in the craft brewing industry. Students explore the science of fermentation and the commercial aspects of operating a brewery through lectures and hands-on training. By the end of the 16-week class, students have brewed, kegged and canned beer designed by the class.

The course includes additional online safety education from the Brewers Association. After completing all learning modules, students receive certificates from the BA for the their training.

Students also complete the N.C. ABC Responsible Alcohol Seller/Server Program (RASP) certification as part of their training. Through RASP, students learn prevention of sales to underage persons and intoxicated persons, acceptable forms of identification and how to spot fake or altered IDs, dram shop laws, happy hour laws, hours of sale and other laws, as well as how to protect your business, the public and yourself. RASP training is essential for front-of-house employees, volunteers, seasonal workers and managers in the craft beer industry.

Graduates of the Wake Tech Craft Brewing program have found successful employment in dozens of breweries across North Carolina. Several students have opened their own breweries. Whether you are just exploring an interest, want to improve your brewing skills or desire to open your own brewery, this course is a must!

Wake Tech Professional Certificate in Brewing information:
Commercial Craft Brewing is the first course required to complete the Wake Tech Certificate in Beer Brewing. Upon completing BDF-3600B2, students are eligible to participate in a Work-Based Learning internship (WBL-3100G3) and will receive the certificate after a minimum of 140 hours of on-the-job training.

Course Objectives

Prepare students for entry-level work in a brewery through hands-on instruction and lecture. Upon completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to perform basic duties in a commercial brewery, such as wort production, cellar management, packaging cleaning and sanitation.

Outline of Instruction

Introduction and Basics: Course timeline, expectations questions or concerns; breakdown of the brewing process from grain to glass; overview of basic raw materials

History: Basic brewing origins, major industrial developments

Water: Influence on production, characteristics of brewing water, contaminants, treatments, cost and commercial-level concerns

Malt: Overview and importance; malting processes and analyzing choices; parts, preferences, quality and choice of barley; steeping process, options and considerations

Specialty malts: Overview and purpose; importance and specialty uses; commercial-level uses; composition and varieties; proper storage; adjuncts and other ingredients

Mashing & Lautering: Methods; role of temperature and pH; saccharification; enzymes; mash out; vorlauf; lauter/transfer of wort; sparge; grain out

Boiling & Knocking Out: Changes during the boil; hop additions; whirlpool; heat exchanger; role of oxygen; transfer to fermenter

Hops: Importance and uses; composition and varieties; proper storage and expiration; pellets and extracts; growing regions

Brewery Safety: Hazards; PPE; BA Online Safety Training (grain and malt, mashing, boiling, ferment and cellar, cleaning and sanitizing, etc.)

Yeast: Use, differences, identification, contamination, byproducts; stages of yeast fermentation; assessing yeast for brewing; ales versus lagers

Fermentation and Cellaring Operations: Differences in fermentation and systems for various types of beers; monitoring fermentation for pH, extract/gravity, off-flavors; overview of propagation and pitching rates; transferring processes and importance of sanitation; traditional and modern methods for aging and lagering

Conditioning, Clarifying & Carbonating: Reducing temperature and stabilization; racking and transferring; closed systems transfer; filters, finings and separators; methods of carbonating

Packaging & Distribution: Pros and cons of various types of packaging; shelf stability; canning and bottling; kegs and kegging; 3-tier system; self-distribution

Draft Systems: Equipment; maintenance and cleaning; long-draw vs. short-draw; cooling; balancing pressure

Cleaning, Sanitation, Chemicals & CIP: Levels of sanitation; CIP/cleaning brewery tanks; cleaners; sanitizers; equipment and cycles; demonstration

Engineering & Environmental: Applications and impact; common wastes; resources and recovery; disposal and treatment; sustainable practices and options

Laboratory Testing, QA & QC: Basic monitoring and testing; contamination, spoilage, oxidation and staling; common infection culprits; pest control; yeast assessment

Sensory Analysis: Introduction to off flavors and their sources; remedies; panel tasting

Regulations & Permitting: Federal and state agencies; required licensing and permitting; RASP online training and certification

Recipe Development: Style guidelines and research; calculations; vital statistics

Equipment: Brewhouse controls and configurations; cellar vessels; pumps; materials

Contact Hours

110

CEUs

Industry Standard, State or National Certification

Certification

Workforce Sector Credential: Wake Tech Beer Brewing Education Committee. This committee acts as an advisory board to validate the need for the certificate in the local industry as well as direct the focus of the training and education.

Website

None

Certification Learning Outcomes/Requirements

Learning outcomes are unique to each student based on previous experience and status in the beer-brewing industry. Students are required to complete 140 hours of training and experience in a professional setting as part of WBL-3100G3. Common learning outcomes include developing skills for entry-level and mid-level positions in craft breweries. Skills include producing wort in a commercial brewhouse, tracking and maintaining fermentation, cleaning and sanitizing brewing equipment and packaging beer in various containers. Learning outcomes and training exercises are based on the workforce industry committee's input.

CE or CU Articulation

Prerequisites

N/A

Learning Supplies Needed

Required reading: "The Brewer's Handbook" by Ted Goldammer. Third Edition. (IBSN: 979-888757911-5)
TiPS NC On-Premise Alcohol Server (https://www.gettips.com/)

Recommended reading for those new to brewing:
"Beer Steward Handbook: A Practical Guide to Understanding Beer" by Stephen R. Holle et al. MBAA. (IBSN: 978-0-9787726-3-5)

Clinical Site/Special Facilities

Some meetings require brewing facilities.

Requirements for Successful Completion

90% attendance
Students must receive 300 out of 400 possible points from exams and homework assignments.,Students must complete all 14 Brewers Association Safety modules and provide a certificate of completion for each.,Students must complete RASP online training and pass the competency test. A copy of the certificate must be sent to the instructor.

Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements

N/A

Intended Audience

Students interested in working in the brewing industry or opening their own brewery. Also a great course for home brewers looking to learn more. Anyone eager to peel back the curtain on how beer is made.

Specific Industry or Business Support Needs

Brewer, cellar hand, assistant brewer, production assistant, packaging technician, sales representative

Wake County Need for Industry Positions

The local beverage industry is in need of multiple entry- and mid-level applicants. Raleigh is home to 24 breweries, and there are a total of 40+ in the greater Triangle area. This course also provides continued education for current brewery employees seeking advancement.