Knight Campus academic programs continue to expand as Fall 2024 brings the launch of a new undergraduate minor in Brewing Innovation. The program will debut its first course in the series, BRIN 221: Tapping Into the World of Beer. This hands-on class will explore the science and art of beer’s sensory experience. Students in the program will also take courses in the history and future of brewing innovation, an advanced brewing laboratory, and finish their studies with an interdisciplinary capstone in beer design.

Why Brewing Innovation?

Innovation is a valuable, transferable skill in any field. The Brewing Innovation minor uses the brewing process as a backdrop to teach innovation, emphasizing design thinking. Design thinking involves understanding customer needs, generating ideas, prototyping solutions, and refining them iteratively. The minor integrates science, history, and storytelling, offering an interdisciplinary approach.

What Students will Learn 

Students will gain practical brewing skills while exploring the historical context of innovation and learning how to communicate ideas effectively. The capstone course will provide an immersive innovation experience, combining their major discipline with the brewing knowledge gained. The minor’s brewing activities take place in the Knight Campus’ Fermentation Innovation Lab, equipped with a 1-barrel electric brewing system and smaller setups for experimental brewing. The lab also includes fermenters, glycol-based chilling units, an analytical laboratory, a cold room for beer storage, and a servery for educational tastings.