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Have you ever fancied taking your love of beer to the next level? Well you now can as The University of Nottingham is introducing a new full-time Masters course in Brewing.
The new course, MSc in Brewing Science and Practice, starts in September 2014 and will be based at the University’s Sutton Bonington Campus, where extensive pilot brewing facilities were commissioned in 2011.
The course will take graduate level scientists and train them for a career in the brewing industry. There will be a strong focus on teaching practical brewing skills, with the objective of developing technically competent and creative brewers who are able to innovate, problem solve, and conduct scientifically robust trials.
The science and engineering of brewing production will be studied at advanced level, providing in-depth technical knowledge and informed by the latest developments. The course will be taught by staff from the School of Biosciences with expertise in brewing and related sciences, together with invited contributions from specialist brewing practitioners.
The new course will complement, and share some modules of study with, the internationally renowned MSc in Brewing Science. This three-year part-time program offers continuing professional development for brewers already employed in the industry and was introduced in 2006.
Dr David Cook, Director of Brewing at the University, said: “You might say that the new course is being introduced due to popular demand. From experience of marketing our part-time Masters course in Brewing it became apparent that, whilst it received many accolades, the duration and mode of delivery were chiefly suited to those already working in the industry. Recent graduates wishing to pursue a career in brewing usually want to study on a full-time basis and to qualify for a Masters within one year. By recognising this gap in our offering, the concept of the new course was born.”
According to Professor Joanne Hort, SABMiller Chair in Sensory Science, Head of Brewing Science at Nottingham says that there is recognition that the industry needs more highly skilled and talented brewers. She said: “There’s rarely been a better time to train for a career in brewing. Globally, beer volumes continue to rise, driven by strong growth in emerging markets. Even in mature markets, a resurgence in the craft brewing sector is fuelling increased demand for skilled and technically proficient brewers.”
Having moved to new purpose-built facilities in 2011, the brewing group at Nottingham host excellent pilot brewing facilities, including a micromaltings, 35 L Briggs-built brew-line and the 10 hL SABMiller Research Brewery. Practical brewing courses have already been delivered, in the form of training for Craft Brewers in the East Midlands region, as part of the Regional Brewers Network initiative spearheaded by Professor Chris Boulton. Offering practical brewing instruction to Masters level scientists is the next stage in the development of a thriving brewing school at Sutton Bonington.
Professor Boulton adds: “Offering Masters project placements to our students represents a fantastic opportunity, not only for them, but also for our regional partners in the industry. We are very much looking forward to developing projects and partnerships so as to be of mutual benefit.”
The new programme starts with an introduction to the brewing process, its historical development and the range of beer styles which together comprise the modern beer market. It then proceeds to teach the practical, technical and engineering know-how required of a professional brewer in today’s industry. There is substantial emphasis on the development of practical brewing skills and the ability to brew beers, to specified style guidelines.
Dr Chris Powell (specialist in yeast and fermentation), said: “We have opted to cap student numbers on the MSc at 15 each year. This reflects a desire to ensure that our graduates have sufficient access to brewing equipment in order to become proficient in practical brewing. We don’t want it to be a course where people stand around watching someone else pressing the buttons or activating valves. There will be a substantial component of hands-on brewing, in addition to scientific rigour.”
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottinghamhas 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with campuses in China and Malaysia modelled on a headquarters that is among the most attractive in Britain’ (Times Good University Guide 2014). It is also the most popular university among graduate employers, the world’s greenest university, and winner of the Times Higher Education Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development’. It is ranked in the World's Top 75 universities by the QS World University Rankings.
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