This February, UNH announced the exciting news that in response to the rapidly growing beer industry in the Granite State, the university is developing a number of newopportunities, including a brewing minor, an analytical testing lab, a professional development certificate program, and a pilot brewing plant, to help meet the needs of students and brewers throughout New Hampshire.
To ensure that the needs of the brewing community are at the forefront of the development of these new programs and resources, UNHInnovation (UNHI) recently invited brewers from around the state to visit UNH for an evening of networking, beer tasting, and an opportunity to discuss the progress and future expansion of the brewing curriculum and initiatives. The evening brought more than 30 attendees from 16 different breweries to join in on the conversation, many of whom brought samples of their best brews to share with the room. After an initial introduction from UNHI managing director Marc Sedam, attendees listened to presentations from Jon Wraith, dean of COLSA, who discussed the academic composition of the brewing minor and Chris Labelle, director of Professional Development & Training, who announced the first professional development course “The Business of Craft Brewing.” The final presentation was from Shawn Banker, director of the University Instrumentation Center (UIC) who provided more details about the planned analytical testing lab, which will be housed at the UIC and will join only a handful of laboratories around the country that provide testing services to the beer industry.
After each presentation, attendees were encouraged to ask questions and share their thoughts on the current plans. The subsequent conversations provided valuable feedback that will help the university as it continues to refine the programs and services.
For UNHI, whose many roles include promoting the intellectual and business resources and facilities at UNH, the new brewing initiatives represent the perfect opportunity to connect the brewing industry with those resources and build new strategic business partnerships. As the brewing industry in New Hampshire continues to develop, UNHI hopes that the university's offerings will become valuable assets to the entire field, filling a need for skilled employees and helping to drive New Hampshire beer tourism and the state's larger economy.
For more information contact Ellen Christo at (603) 862-5446 or ellen.christo@unh.edu.
Ellen Christo
Director of Strategic Partnerships
