Niagara College Teaching Brewery



 


 


 


 

GENERAL INFORMATION


Niagara College Teaching Brewery does more than educate students; it is also a producer of the award winning First Draft ale and lager. Canada's first teaching brewery was created in response to the need for skilled professionals in the craft brewing industry. The program is designed as a practical learning environment for students to discover brewery management and product sales and production aspects. The teaching Brewery makes a conscious effort to use local Niagara malt and hops, as well as other ingredients in their teaching and brewing. Student made beers under the brand name "First Draft" are available for public retail which showcase the progress and innovative techniques Niagara College students have learned throughout their education.


Located on Niagara College's Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, the teaching micro brewery is an up to date 1,500 sq. ft. facility offering students practical hands on training in beer making, retail, sales, and management. Here students can brew large batches up to 1000 litres at a time, or smaller batches that allow brewing for one keg at a time, enabling them to experiment more with tastes, ingredients and different specialty styles. Throughout their education, students learn the art of craft brewing with different styles of beers, from lagers, ales, wheat beers, seasonal and specialty beers. The first class of Brewmaster and Brewery Operations program graduated in spring of 2012, deeming this 2 year pilot program a success.


Niagara College Teaching Brewery's First Draft beer brand was the winner of the Golden Tap award, presented at Toronto's Beer Week in 2012. The award recognized best achievements in Ontario's beer industry, and delineated Niagara College Teaching Brewery as an industry leader. First Draft, the starter beer that Niagara College students craft is sold at the college retail store, located onsite at the brewery, in local bars and restaurants and also available in the LCBO. The two first and most notable First Draft features are the Campus Lager and Campus Ale. The Campus Lager is Canadian style lager, is made with fine two row pilsner, with imported German and American hops and Munich malts, ending with a product that is light and crisp with a golden colour. The Campus Ale is brewed using Canadian pale ale malt; the taste is medium bodied with mellow hops that form a traditional English ale. Other styles are also being brewed and retailed seasonally including an English Bitter.


Aside from the brewing technicalities, students learn sensory courses taught by associated Niagara College culinary professors that aid students in learning tastings and pairings. Notably, the First Draft brand can be experienced at the Niagara College Restaurant 'Benchmark'. Here, Niagara College showcases their culinary, wine and brewery programs and their talented students. The restaurant offers local and fresh food options for Niagara College students and the public. Canadian Cuisine is paired with selections from the Niagara College Teaching Winery and the Niagara College Teaching Brewery.


The First Draft brand can be purchased and sampled on the Niagara College Campus located at 135 Taylor Road, Niagara-on-the-lake.


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