Wake Tech's Beer Brewing Education program offers courses and training for students pursuing a career in the exciting craft beer industry. The Certificate in Brewing provides a pathway to enter the brewing workforce in under a year. Advanced courses such as Sensory Analysis Training and Craft Brewing Laboratory enhance skills for industry professionals seeking advancement.
Whether you're a beer enthusiast, an avid home brewer or a professional seeking advancement, or you simply have dream of opening your own brewery, find out what Wake Tech's Craft Brewing courses have to offer today!
Courses provide students with the opportunity to do the following:
- Brew, keg and can beer in a local brewery
- Tour Triangle-area breweries
- Train under the supervision of local industry professionals
- Connect with employment opportunities
- Prepare for Cicerone and BJCP exams
- Perform industry-standard qualitative testing
- Develop proficiency assessing beer styles and off-flavors
- Discover the beer-brewing process from grain to glass
Students must be at least 21 years old to take any of the courses in the program.
Industry-recognized credential: Professional Certificate in Beer Brewing
Complete in: 12 months or less
Requirements:
- Commercial Craft Brewing – 96 hours
- Craft Brewing Internship – Minimum 120 hours
- 90% attendance and 75% passing grade
Financial assistance available
Workforce Development offers financial assistance for many workforce training programs through the Propel program and other resources. Email [email protected] for more information.
Craft Beer Brewing Courses
Craft Brewing Internship: Work-Based Learning
Course ID: WBL-3100G3 | Overview
Upon successfully completing the Commercial Craft Brewing (CCB) course, students are ready to apply their skills in a working commercial brewery. This internship course provides real-world applications for CCB graduates: They will be paired with Triangle area breweries and expected to execute tasks such as wort production, cellar work, packaging, cleaning, and sanitation under the supervision of professional brewers. Interns will be expected to work 140 total hours in various areas of beer production over 16 weeks. Throughout the term, they will perform measurable learning outcomes, complete a time sheet, and meet weekly with the instructor to discuss progress. Interns will have opportunities to network with area breweries, develop career skills, and receive guidance in seeking employment.
The course includes a two hour orientation at the start of the term and a two hour debrief at the end. After successfully fulfilling the internship requirements, students will be awarded the Certificate of Professional Beer Brewing from Wake Tech.
No active courses available at this time.
To be notified when this course becomes available, please use
Wake Tech's Notify Me service.
Craft Brewing Laboratory: Yeast Management & Microbiological Testing
Course ID: BDF-3600A2 | Overview
Ready to take the quality of your beer to the next level? Join us as we introduce the science of quality assurance in the brewing industry. You’ll learn about the chemical and biological processes that occur in brewing, fermenting, cellaring, and packaging beer. You’ll also explore best practices for handling yeast and analyzing contamination and use lab equipment to analyze yeast and beer at various stages of production. Instruction time will be divided between lecture and hands-on lab practice.
Wake Tech Craft Brewing is proudly partnered with the Brewers Association! This course includes additional online quality management education brought to you by the BA. After completing all learning modules, students will receive the BA Beer Quality Management certificate for the their training.
Craft Brewing Lab offers students the chance to develop skills with microscopes, analyze and propagate yeast, and perform quality testing in a commercial brewery setting. This course is ideal for students who have completed the Commercial Craft Brewing course or are currently employed in a brewery.
| Details | Section | Date(s) | Location | Price | Seats | 312553 | 07/14/25 - 09/08/25 | BUS | 225.00 | 15 | Register |
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If you would like to be notified when additional sections become available, please use Wake Tech's Notify Me service.
Sensory Analysis Training for the Brewing Industry
Course ID: BDF-3600C2 | Overview
Calibrate your palate with Wake Tech and become an expert at tasting craft beer! Sensory analysis is an essential skill for working in the craft beverage industry. In this course you will learn how to keep, serve, evaluate, and pair assorted styles of beer in discussions and taste tests. Upon completing the class, you will demonstrate your competence in distinguishing common beer styles and identifying major off flavors.
This course also prepares students for Level 2 Certified Cicerone® exams. Students will study the Cicerone® syllabus, perform practice tasting exams, and given access to study materials such as flashcards and videos. More about the Cicerone® Program: “The Cicerone® Certification Program has become the industry standard for identifying those with significant knowledge and professional skills in beer sales and service. Set yourself apart when you earn the title of Certified Cicerone®, a certification for skilled beer professionals. Workers in every role in the industry, from bartenders to brewery executives, have earned this credential.” It is strongly recommended that students planning to sit for the Level 2 Certified Cicerone® exam complete the Level 1 Beer Server Certificate prior to registering for this course.
Wake Tech Craft Brewing is now proudly partnered with the Brewers Association! This course includes additional online draught safety education brought to you by the BA. After completing the learning module, students will receive the BA Draught Line Safety certificate for their training.
Whether you are a current or aspiring professional brewer, homebrewer, sales representative, bartender, or craft beer aficionado, Sensory Analysis Training will strengthen your skill set.
No active courses available at this time.
To be notified when this course becomes available, please use
Wake Tech's Notify Me service.
Commercial Craft Brewing
Course ID: BDF-3600B2 | Overview
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 will 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 you will have brewed, kegged, and canned beer designed by you and your classmates.
Wake Tech Craft Brewing is now partnered with the Brewers Association! This course includes additional online safety education brought to you by the BA. After completing all learning modules, students will receive certificates from the BA for the their training.
Students will also complete the NC ABC Responsible Alcohol Seller/Server Program (RASP) certification as part of their training. Through RASP, you will 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, and 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 brewery right here in the Triangle. 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!
WTCC 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 course and will receive the certificate after a minimum of 120 hours of on-the-job training.
No active courses available at this time.
To be notified when this course becomes available, please use
Wake Tech's Notify Me service.
