There’s something brewing over at Madison Area Technical College, and it ain’t just a fresh batch of a lager.
MATC has begun offering a Craft Brewing Certification through the college, allowing beer lovers the opportunity to learn more about the brewing process, and even potentially find a job in the industry.
The certificate consists of three courses: two in the classroom, and one that gives the students a hands-on opportunity to work with brewers from one of the top local craft breweries, Ale Asylum.
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Kevin Appleton, the director of the MATC program, is a chef by trade, but has always been a huge beer fan and uses his experiences to try and build the program.
“My brother-in-law is from England, and I’ve had the opportunity to travel to England and enjoy the pub crawls with him to experience the culture,” Appleton said. “I’m no expert in beer to say by any means, but in developing this program, I’ve tried my hardest to bring in top experts for our students.”
That’s exactly what Appleton has done for these students, as they work hands-on with the brewmasters over at Ale Asylum.
Students don’t just have access to top industry professionals, but also to some of the best equipment possible, including four stainless steel fermenters that can produce five gallons of beer at a time, Appleton said.
“[The fermenters] are nowhere near the same size as fermenters used at big breweries, but they mimic the equipment and give our students an opportunity to work with the best equipment possible,” Appleton said.
Students also work in small groups of four in the brewing process, giving each the chance to gain a firsthand experience.
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Of the two “classroom” classes students take, one is on the science and microbiology behind the fermentation process. Taught by Adam Ronchetti, a home-brewer since his graduate school days, he said the science of brewing was what drew him to home-brewing in the first place.
While Ronchetti admits the class may not give students the opportunity to physically brew beer, it teaches them something they have to know if they want to have a career in this field: the importance of sanitation.
“These students have to understand that something that is pivotal to the brewing process is always sanitizing your equipment after each and every use,” Ronchetti said. “It’s the single most important thing in the process, and can be the biggest difference between an average brew and a high-quality batch.”
The program is still in its infancy, with just their first batch of graduates finishing up the program this spring. But that doesn’t mean their students haven’t already seen success.
“One of our graduates is already working on the team at Ale Asylum full time, and we have another one who is working as an assistant brewer at another craft brewery in the state,” Appleton said. “We couldn’t be happier to give students this opportunity from this program, and can’t wait to see what our other graduates will do.”
Since the program works with Ale Asylum, and I’m a big fan of IPAs, I decided to try their fall seasonal Imperial IPA, Satisfaction Jacksin.
Style
Imperial IPA, 8.8 percent
Aroma
Faint fruity smell, with a mix of citrus and honey notes
Appearance
Dark ruby with very a small beige head
Taste
Hoppy, but not like other Imperials I’ve tried. Fruity taste comes through, and not as bitter as other Imperials.
Room Temperature Taste
Hoppy taste picks up as the fruitiness fades
Consensus
Very different from other Imperials, but that’s definitely not a bad thing. Pleasantly surprised by the flavor this one has, and a job well done from Ale Asylum.
