University of Arkansas adds in-house nanobrewery for its brewing certification program
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The University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture is working on updating its new-ish brewing certification program — starting with an in-house nanobrewery in Fayetteville.
Driving the news: Students now have access to a 15-gallon brewery system, which will give them standardized training when it comes to brewing and analyzing beer, Scott Lafontaine, co-director of the program, told Axios.
- Students previously could only gain hands-on experience through mandatory internships at local breweries, which differ in their processes.
The intrigue: The 15-credit-hour program aims to educate students on all facets of the beer industry, including brewing, business, quality control and the agricultural side, Lafontaine said.
How it works: The program is geared toward students pursuing associate degrees at community colleges or bachelor's degrees in fields like chemical engineering or microbiology.
- They do everything from brewing their own unique beers to learning how to test to see how much alcohol is in certain brews.
- Students must be 21 or older to take the brewing production class where they are making and sampling beer. Younger students can take some of the other required classes beforehand.
Background: The certification program began in 2020 but has more momentum now with last year's hiring of Lafontaine, whose background is in beer education, innovation and research, co-director Renee Threlfall said in a news release.
- Ten students have graduated from the program, and about 10 are currently enrolled, Lafontaine said.
Context: Craft breweries have taken off in Arkansas in the past decade or so, going from six statewide in 2011 to 49 in 2022, according to the Colorado-based Brewers Association.
- NWA's beer scene got a boost after Benton County became a wet county, allowing breweries in 2012.
Fun fact: Arkansas produces 40% of the country's rice — more than any other state, according to the Arkansas Farm Bureau. The U of A program uses Arkansas rice to make beer.
What's next: Program directors are looking to make further revisions and updates in time for the fall 2024 semester but must get university approval. Stay tuned.