University brewing new beer program

DETROIT — Colleges and beer have a long shared history. A university in Michigan is taking that partnership to a new level with the creation of a program to train and certify experts in fermentation science.

Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant has announced plans to launch the program in fall 2015, aimed particularly at supporting and boosting the state’s fast- growing craft- brewing industry, now a $ 1- billion US- plus annual business.

“As of 2013, Michigan ranked fifth in the ( U. S.) in number of breweries, behind only California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington,” said Ian Davison, dean of the College of Science and Technology at the Mount Pleasant school.

Similar programs operate at the University of California’s Davis and San Diego campuses and at Oregon State and Central Washington universities.

Michigan State University has operated an artisan distilling program for 15 years and last year started a beverage-specialization program that also includes beer and winemaking.

The Central Michigan program will include classroom and lab work in biochemistry, chemistry and microbiology, as well as a 200- hour internship in a production- scale facility.

The university, which is about 200 kilometres northwest of Detroit, said that it is collaborating with the Mountain Town Brewing Co. and Hunter’s Ale House in developing the program.