• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

Point Park University’s Brewing Science Academy receives $39K state grant to expand its program

November 16, 2022Pretty Much a Press Release

Point Park University’s popular Brewing Science Academy received a boost from the state of Pennsylvania in the form of a $39K grant to help expand the program and create more opportunities for aspiring brewers. Governor Tom Wolf announced the grant on October 19 as part of the state’s overall effort to increase the production and awareness of Pennsylvania-made malt and brewed beverages and wines.  In all, the state is awarding $1,788,924 for 21 projects.

“We’re honored that Governor Wolf’s efforts to boost Pennsylvania’s production of wine and beer recognized the value of our program,” said Gregg Johnson, Ph.D., associate professor of electrical engineering at Point Park University and a developer of the Brewing Science Academy. Introduced last year, the Brewing Science Academy is a multi-week, on-ground course, non-certificate program designed for current and aspiring brewers to help provide a trained workforce to beer breweries. 

Point Park University’s beer brewing program is the only one of its kind in Western Pennsylvania.  The most recent brewing program, held in the spring of 2022, was made possible with collaborations between Point Park faculty, Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) members and beer industry experts. 

Beer is big business in Pennsylvania.  According to a 2020 report by the Brewers Association trade group, PA is home to more than 400 independent craft breweries, rolling out some 3,156,074 barrels of beer, which is the second highest in the U.S., behind California.   

“As anyone who likes beer knows, microbreweries and tap rooms can be found all across our state, but on the back end, there’s often a scarcity of trained or professional workforce for jobs at these breweries and that’s why we developed this program,” said Johnson.    To date, nearly 30 students have attended the Brewing Science Academy with goals that include finding positions at regional breweries or leveraging their Academy experience for better positions at their current breweries. 

For Scott Wyman, a member of the Brewing Science Academy’s inaugural class and co-owner and head brewer at Tortured Souls Brewing,  the program provided a solid overview of the craft and industry.  In addition to the scientific aspects of good brewing were particularly important to his business. “The classes accentuated the need to focus on not just grain and hops but the mineral content and quality of water. This has been one of the biggest things that have changed the way I brew.”

According to Johnson, part of the University’s grant award will go toward helping to develop an analysis service for area brewers who don’t have access to industry instrumentation.  This service will help brewers identify sources of spoilage, like bacteria and wild yeasts, and correct them.  “Brewing beer is part art, part science and with this grant, we’ll be able to make strides in helping PA brewers maximize the quality of their product,” he added.

805 Beer debuts trailer for documentary “Inverted Perspective,” focused on freestyle motocross champion Vicki Golden
10 craft beer variety packs that have us excited to try new beer
Stone Brewing teams with Sanuk for a lineup of summer sandals
Take a look at Jack’s Abby’s renovated Beer Hall and its sweet new Tradition Meets Tech pilot system

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • 805 Beer debuts trailer for documentary “Inverted Perspective,” focused on freestyle motocross champion Vicki Golden
  • 10 craft beer variety packs that have us excited to try new beer
  • Stone Brewing teams with Sanuk for a lineup of summer sandals
  • Take a look at Jack’s Abby’s renovated Beer Hall and its sweet new Tradition Meets Tech pilot system

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • 10 craft beer variety packs that have us excited to try new beer
    March 27, 2023
  • Take a look at Jack’s Abby’s renovated Beer Hall and its sweet new Tradition Meets Tech pilot system
    March 27, 2023
  • CCBA California Craft Beer SummitState of California Craft Beer: Covid recovery challenged by competition, consolidation
    March 23, 2023
  • Koga-brothers-karben4Karben4 Brewing to relaunch Ale Asylum brand
    March 20, 2023
  • 4 steps to understanding the filtration process in craft beer
    March 20, 2023
  • newbelgium_2023_wildnectar-shopping-basket_family_IMG_2Beyond beer: Examples of craft breweries exploring canned cocktails
    March 16, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC