Cincinnati State to offer class in craft brewing this fall; more planned

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2015

CONTACT
Robert White
Media Relations/Communications Coordinator
(513) 569-4775 (office)
(859) 468-6640 (cell) 
robert.white@cincinnatistate.edu

Cincinnati State to offer class in craft brewing this fall; more planned

Cincinnati State will be offering a course for the 2015 Fall Semester designed specifically for the region’s 
burgeoning draft brewing industry.

“BREW 100: Introduction to Craft Beer” is an overview class that covers beer history and beer styles. It 
will include tastings, as well as instruction on proper techniques for serving, storing, identifying, and 
evaluating beer.

For the first offering of the class, enrolled students will work with a brewer from Rhinegeist to develop 
their own class beer – which then will be brewed at the brewery.

The BREW 100 course will be taught by Prof. Carla Gesell-Streeter, chair of the Communication and 
Theater Department and a founder of Hoperatives, a well-known regional blog devoted to craft beer.

BREW 100 will be offered again in the spring semester along with “BREW 160: Sensory Evaluation.” That 
course – which, like BREW 100, will carry 3 semester-hours of credit – will focus on the visual, olfactory 
and gustatory parameters used in the evaluation of beer. The BREW 160 class will cover such topics as 
aroma, taste and finish as well as the judging systems and other factors that are involved in beverage 
competitions.

“Cincinnati’s craft beer industry is exploding,” said Prof. Gesell-Streeter, who is developing the BREW 
curriculum at Cincinnati State. “Given our history as one of the great centers of American brewing, this is, 
I think, a welcome rediscovery of one of the region’s great traditions. What we’re trying to do here is train 
students who want to earn a living in this business.” 

Cincinnati has one of the fastest growing beer markets in the country. It has gone from only five breweries 
and brewpubs in 2009 to almost 30 expected to be active by the end of 2015.

Prof. Gesell-Streeter said the College does not intend to provide courses for craft beer hobbyists or home 
brewers, but instead will focus on the re-emerging industry in Greater Cincinnati. The economic impact of 
that industry could be substantial, she noted, citing a 2014 study released by the Beer Institute which 
found that one job inside a brewery supports another 45 jobs outside. 

Enrollment in Cincinnati State’s “BREW” classes will be limited to students who are at least 21 years old. 

The 2015 Fall Semester BREW 100 class is scheduled to meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 
5:15 p.m. starting Aug. 24. Enrollment will be limited to 24 seats. For more information on the class, 
please contact Prof. Gesell-Streeter at carla.gesell-streeter@cincinnatistate.edu.

Registration for the Fall 2015 Semester at Cincinnati State is now open, and closes Aug. 16. Please visit 
www.cincinnatistate.edu/apply for details.

ABOUT CINCINNATI STATE
Cincinnati State (www.cincinnatistate.edu) enrolls about 10,500 students and offers more than 130 
associate degree and certificate programs in business technologies, health and public safety, engineering 
technologies, humanities and sciences and information technologies. Cincinnati State has one of the 
most comprehensive co-op programs among two-year colleges in the U.S. 

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