Niagara College teaching brewery consistently winning national and international competitions
The Teaching Brewery at Niagara College is serving up more than just an education.
Two craft beers brewed by students have consistently garnering national and international awards.The college’s Beer 101 Strong Ale and Beer 101 Bock each won gold medals recently in their categories at the inaugural Canada Beer Cup, which was hosted by the Canadian Craft Brewers Association.
The competition drew more than 1,300 entries from craft brewers across the country, which were judge by an international panel.
“It's such a validation of what we do here when we teaching the students. they're the ones who made all these beers so they’re the ones who really won the trophies,” said Brewmaster professor Jon Downing. “It’s just phenomenal that can compete against that caliber of competitors and win"
Downing created the recipes for the winning suds that were brewed solely by students from start to finish. Most students have little to no brewing knowledge and experience when they first enrolled in the program.
“It means I'm in the right place, I'm learning from the best of the best,” said Keri Thibert, a first semester student who is just learning the basics.
“It’s really cool how we put the recipes together and put them against larger brewers that are bringing different things to the table that we can't accomplish here," said Chase Miller, a fourth semester student.
The teaching brewery was the first of its kind in Canada when it launched in 2010 and since then the Strong and Bock have won a combined twenty medals at numerous competitions including the Canadian and Ontario Brewing Opens and the US Open Beer Championship.
“The fact that both Beer 101 Bock and Beer 101 Strong have previously won golds in other national and international competitions highlights the consistency and quality of the brewing education that our students are receiving when the same brews win when brewed by different people – something that all students and graduates can be proud of,” said Downing.
Beer 101 Strong has won silver (2018) and bronze (2019) at the Canadian Brewing Awards, as well as gold (2016) and silver (2019 and 2020) from the Ontario Brewing Awards. At the U.S. Open Beer Championship, it has won gold (2018 and 2021), silver (2020), and bronze (2019, 2017, 2016 and 2014). It also won a silver in 2015 at the Dublin Cup.
Awards for Beer 101 Bock include silver (2020) at the Canadian Brewing Awards; gold (2020 and 2021) at the Ontario Brewing Awards; and gold at the U.S. Open Beer Championship (2020 and 2021).
“It really solidifies knowing what we can accomplish and knowing what you can bring forward as you move into your career," said Miller.
The award winning beer is sold exclusively at some local restaurants.
Downing says more competitions are on tap for the award winning brews in 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
Wisconsin school district says active shooter 'neutralized' outside middle school
A Wisconsin school district said an active shooter was 'neutralized' outside a middle school in Mount Horeb on Wednesday, and no one inside the building was injured.
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he does not regret calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko,' and now his MPs are renewing calls for the House of Commons Speaker to resign, this time over ordering the Official Opposition leader to leave the chamber.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals' federal budget
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will support the federal budget, ending any speculation that the party could pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
Dental care program starts accepting claims for 1 million seniors
The first seniors to register with the new federal dental care plan can now start submitting claims.
Lawyers for man accused of killing 4 women to argue he's not criminally responsible
Lawyers for a Winnipeg man accused of killing four women say they plan to argue that he is not criminally responsible because he is mentally ill.
Harvey Weinstein appears in court after his New York rape conviction was overturned
Harvey Weinstein was back in a New York courtroom Wednesday for his first appearance since an appeals court last week overturned his 2020 rape conviction and ordered a new trial.