Michalla Bent wouldn’t call herself the biggest fan of IPA.
And maybe not even a fan at all.
After last week’s Project Brew, however, Bent might be changing her opinion of the hoppy beer style known for its high IBUs.
That’s because Bent’s Spruce on the Loose, an IPA infused with spruce tips, won first prize in the end-of-term event that showcases what Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students have learned over the course of the program.
“It’s proving to myself that I know how to brew and I am a good brewer,” Bent said. “I think (winning) brings more opportunities for me, especially being a woman in brewing. I think this helps a lot and I feel more confident.”
That wasn’t always the case, though.
Bent saw all the magic that spruce and suds can create together during her third term in the program when she tried a non-alcoholic spruce beer. She was already thinking about Project Brew at that point and the creation that would cap off her 16 months of study in the program.
Problem is, she was slated to work on her final course project — designing and brewing her own beer — through the fall term. While a spruce beer would channel all the Christmas vibes, spruce tips are in season in spring, which left Bent unsure of how to execute her recipe.
She managed to find a spruce tip source and after leaving the snippets of conifer in the tank with her brew for three weeks, she came up with something “fresh, crisp, crushable and easy drinking,” winning over her own taste buds along with those of the Project Brew judges.
“I like the herbal essence of it, the smell of it,” Bent said about the star ingredient. “I think spruce has such a beautiful fragrance.”
In addition to the glory and newfound appreciation for IPA, Bent received a $4,500 scholarship, sponsored by Natterjack Brewing.
She also got to share her moment with family and friends during the first indoor Project Brew event since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students pour their original brews for friends and family at Project Brew, held in the cafeteria at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The theme for this edition of Project Brew, as chosen by students, was Après Brewski, a play on the concept of après ski and hitting your favourite watering hole after a day on the slopes. The event, held in the cafeteria at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, was open to students’ family and friends, and a small group of college faculty, staff and supporters.
Although only a third the size of a typical Project Brew held at St. Catharines’ Market Square before the pandemic, students were thrilled to host a crowd, said April Tyrell, who teaches Brew Sales and Promotions.
Students were tasked with selling 150 tickets to the event in 48 hours. They hit their goal in 36, she noted, and planned the event based only pictures from pre-pandemic Project Brews.
“They were able to persevere the last 16 months and able to celebrate that in person,” Tyrell said. “There was a positive energy in the room and everyone was happy to be there. It was a great celebration of the students.”
And an equally important opportunity to glean feedback on their creations, which included some envelope-pushing brews like Corey Donn’s Das Pilz.
Donn broke the mould when infused a traditional German doppelbock with portobello mushrooms to add an umami hit to the rich, malty notes typical of this strong brew.
He found his muse in a memorable maple and mushroom brown ale he sampled from a U.S. brewer.
“I saw (one of) the last Project Brew prior to ours and how it was curbside pickup,” Donn said. “They did what they could and the best they could but there’s nothing better than pouring in person and getting that feedback. We’re looking for that feedback, positive or negative.
“The College overcame,” he added. “We overcame and had a huge event compared to what the College has had in a long time. You can’t focus on what the pandemic took away. You can only focus on what you can do now.”
