The future of craft brewing awaits.

NC Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students are capping off their studies with the debut of their unique craft beer creations for their final term project, Project Brew. Students not only tap into the skills they have acquired throughout the program to design and craft their own brews, they also plan an event to showcase their work.

For Brewmaster student Rama Sriharsha, it will be the debut of ‘It’s 9 AM Somewhere’ – his Session Witbier with White Peony tea. His inspiration was to create a ‘morning beer’ that could fill a spot at the brunch table.

“Looking back on brunches I have had, the drink options have always been Mimosas or Ceasars but never a beer,” he said.

With flavour combinations that are subtle and nuanced, Sriharsha is pleased with the final result of his Project Brew.

“It makes you wonder ‘what is that?’ with the first taste, but is easily identifiable once you are aware of what you are looking for,” he said.

In addition to crafting a beer for Project Brew, Sriharsha recruited volunteers to assist on event day and liaised with chef professors to create a menu for the event.

It’s been a rewarding experience for Sriharsha, who temporarily relocated to Orillia to attend the program after pursuing culinary, and hopes to open a brewpub someday to actively be involved with both the food and beverage sides of the operation.

“Planning an event from start to finish and coordinating with my classmates has been a very rewarding experience,” he said. “Learning to throw a successful festival will be extremely beneficial as I move forward into the brewing industry.”

Angela McCallum drew inspiration from a timeless French cultural icon for her Project Brew: ‘Le Gainsbourg’ – a barrel-aged Amber Biere de Garde.

“I wanted to brew a beer that was both uncommon and on theme as a French beer for ‘Brew Orleans,’ she said. “I’ve never brewed this style before, nor have I barrel-aged or blended a beer, so it was a fun learning experience. I’ve very pleased with how it turned out.”

McCallum took on the role of class chairperson for Project Brew and is also part of the event’s logistics and decor team. She enrolled in the Brewmaster program after 20 years in the corporate world and now currently divides her time between St. Catharines and Toronto.

“When the pandemic hit and people started to reevaluate their priorities, I felt inspired to do the same,” she said.

McCallum valued the opportunity to participate in Project Brew, as a chance to display what she has learned in the program over the past 16 months, as well as to celebrate with family, friends, and the community.

“On one hand, there’s a lot of pressure to create a beer that’s high quality and remarkable in order to impress the judges,” she said. “However, it’s also rewarding to participate in an event in which people are curious and excited to try a range of student-brewed beers.”

For Madison Phanthavong, his Project Brew mission was to create a White Stout, which retains the character of a traditional Stout; however, with a distinct golden colour.

“My White Stout has lush vanilla and Bourbon aromas from the use of Madagascar vanilla and Bourbon-soaked coffee beans, and the flavour profile exhibits bold, cold brew coffee and a soft, biscotti-like malt base with a hint of milk chocolate,” he said.

He named it, ‘Waking the Tiger,’ as a nod to the roaster he sourced the beans from in his hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo, Smile Tiger Coffee Roasters.

“Those cups of coffee were always a sign of a good day ahead and a reminder to enjoy the little things, along with a much-needed wake-up,” he said.

Phanthavong is pleased with how his Project Brew turned out.

“The coffee really does shine in this beer, and is supported by a delicious sweetness and is ‘French Vanilla-esque.’ The colour really turned out great and is something that I think people will be perplexed with given the flavour and aroma, but also intrigued by,” he said. “My favourite part is the subtle bitterness and tannic dryness at the end which reminds you of sipping on a fresh cup of black coffee. ”

Phanthavong discovered his passion for craft beer when he was pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He became interested in food science, and after taking on various bartending and serving jobs, he felt the Brewmaster program would be a natural progression for him, and the perfect way to gain practical brewing experience and knowledge.

“I’m also a really big foodie and mixologist, so I would love to open a restaurant or brewpub someday and put together a meeting spot for people to come, hang out and stimulate their palates,” he said.

In addition to brewing his own unique beer, he was part of the marketing team for Project Brew. He led the website design and assisted their sponsor Campbell Creative Services with creating promotional materials, can labels and running social media accounts. Pursuing his passion for photography and photo editing, he has also documented their brewing days through a lens and took headshots of his classmates for the website and student spotlights on Instagram.

Phanthavong feels that Project Brew is a fantastic way for students to cap off their studies.

“It really does expose students to the event planning and coordination a brewery needs to organize in order to host a beer fest or beer tasting experience for a large amount of people,” said Phanthavong. “It’s also very rewarding having an opportunity to showcase our beers to the public as we know that there is a tremendous amount of local support at these events from Niagara region residents, and we a truly humbled and appreciative of their kindness.

“Sometimes we’ll see our beers pop up on beer review pages or in craft beer community groups and it’s awesome seeing others enjoy your work.”

The students are among 13 in their final term among the Brewmaster Class of 2022 who will be participating in Project, as well as a selection of ‘class brews.’

In addition to debuting their beer – which serves as a ‘resume in a can’ for the Brewmaster students – the event itself is a learning experience.

“They are learning about how to plan and execute an event and have worked really hard to bring all of the pieces together,” said faculty lead for Project Brew, April Tyrell. “They are proud of the beers they have created and are eager to share them with family, friends, and the general public.”

For Spring 2022, the graduating class has planned Project Brew, ‘Brew Orleans.’ The highly anticipated event, which sold out in hours of advance tickets becoming available, will be held on April 9 at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

COVID-safety measures will be in effect. All patrons must display proof of vaccination and masks must be worn when not seated.

All proceeds from Project Brew benefit the Matt Soos Memorial Scholarship, in memory of Matt Soos, who graduated from the Brewmaster program in 2015. The scholarship was established by Railway City Brewing, where Soos worked at the time of his passing shortly after graduating from NC. The next scholarship recipient will be announced at the April 9 event.

Project Brew beer may be purchased through the Project Brew or Wine Visitor + Education Centre while supplies last.

For information, including a list of student brewers and their Project Brew beers, visit the Project Brew website.