On April 12, NC Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students raised a glass to celebrate the culmination of their studies with the Project Brew – ‘Pints in the Pines’ event. The event served as the capstone project for the Beer Sales and Promotions class, giving 13 students the chance to showcase their brewing and event coordination skills.
“Project Brew is a huge success because it’s not just about showcasing the creativity, skill, and dedication of Niagara College’s aspiring brewers, but it also fosters community engagement and support,” said Alyssa Janssen, Instructor, Beer Sales and Promotions course. “Our students are provided with a platform to shine, while also creating a memorable experience for attendees who get to enjoy delicious brews.”
A highlight of the festival is the beer competition, where student-crafted beers are judged by a Niagara College panel. This term’s winner, Seungjae Lee, earned the esteemed $4,500 Matt Soos Memorial Scholarship created in memory of Brewmaster graduate, Matt Soos, who passed away in 2015.
Originally intended to be hosted outdoors, the festival moved inside at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus due to weather conditions. Yet, the taste of spring was still alive embodied through Lee’s winning creation, Peppermint Breeze, a brew inspired to capture the spirit of the season around the festival.
“Since Project Brew was taking place in April, I wanted to make a light and refreshing beer for the spring weather,” explained Lee. “I decided to use peppermint tea to represent spring, as it has a crisp and refreshing feel, however, to create the perfect balance I had to experiment with ingredients to complement the peppermint flavour. After much experimenting, I found that the combination of peppermint tea and Saison go very well together, and Peppermint Breeze (Peppermint Saison) was made.”
Lee, who hopes to secure a position at a renowned Canadian brewery after graduation, says his recent victory has left him with a newfound sense of confidence as he nears the end of his studies at NC.
“Before winning Project Brew, I wasn’t sure if my beer was good enough, but the judges had great things to say and gave it the winning title,” he said. “This showed me that I have truly grown as a brewer through this program. I will not stop here but will continue to learn as I work in the craft beer industry so that one day I can proudly call myself a Brewmaster.”
Planning and executing Project Brew not only allowed Lee to refine his abilities as a brewer but also helped him enhance distinct skills such as time management that will help him thrive in the brewing industry.
“For the event, we brewed 13 student beers and 3 class beers,” explained Lee. “With so many students brewing and packaging for Project Brew, time was very tight, but we all worked together to get all the beers ready in time for the event. This process showed me the importance of brewing schedules and how to coordinate them with limited time.”
Reflecting on his experience in the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program, Lee values the combination of the theoretical education and hands-on learning it provided, equipping him with the essential knowledge and skills to become a professional brewer.
“The Brewmaster program has been a great experience for me,” said Lee. “The program has given me key knowledge required for a brewer, but the weekly brewing classes enabled me to put that theory into practice and apply what I’ve learned to develop practical skills I couldn’t acquire from theory alone.”
As Lee finishes his NC journey, he offers a piece of advice for aspiring brewers and prospective NC students: “For aspiring brewers, enrolling in NC’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program is a great choice. Even if you have experience working in a commercial brewery beforehand, the program will still significantly amplify your knowledge and skills that will make you an even better brewer.”
