Last fall I pitched the idea of a brewing and beer appreciation class to the local community college. They don’t do much by way of advertising other than put out a course schedule, and I admittedly didn’t help with flyers or anything. The first class had only 3 students but I went ahead and taught because I figured it might help get the word out so to speak. Recruited one person to our homebrew club out of that group so it wasn’t a total waste.
I was scheduled to teach it again this month but as of yesterday I had three students who had paid and I was going to have them cancel the class. I was whining to the community education director about how I was surprised there wasn’t more interest in brewing given the seeming popularity in many areas of the country. Then this morning one more person signed up and paid so the class is on. Right after that I get another email that two more are signed up. Don’t know if they paid but if so that might be six people. That would be a great class size, enough so they will fill up some of the time with questions and relieve me of talking for two hours straight. They’ll still get some individual attention too. The class is four sessions on consecutive Thursday evenings. The last class meets at the local brewpub for a brewery tour and a flight of their beers, they had something like ten last time so its a nice platform for tasting and discussing beer styles.
Excellent!!! Be sure to mention the forums. They’re a great source for enhancing their brewing knowledge, among many other sources of course. Cheers!!!
I’ve included several brewing forums including this one on the sheet of references I hand out.
We make a simple extract beer on week one, extract with specialty grains on week two, AG on week three (probably at my house unless someone doesn’t want to drive there), and the brewpub on week four.
I just found out that the last two students had some kind of conflict so I’m back to four students. So much for my delusions of a packed house and me down front in a bow tie and sport coat with elbow patches.
Its a great excuse to brew beer on a weeknight and the money will cover materials and gas. I’m no Charlie P but I’d love to generate a little more interest in brewing and good beer in this area.
Up to six students now, I might even make a few bucks off this deal.
I’m brewing a “kit” tonight, albeit one of my own making (hey I gotta drink the beer). Its an American wheat style with orange peel for finishing hops. OG 1.042, 14IBU from Magnum. My wife loves this concoction.
I did end up with six students. On week one we made a mock kit brew with just LME, hops and orange peel. It was a wheat extract (50% wheat) and I turned it into a witbier with orange peel as the late addition and Belgian yeast. Week two was a DME brew with specialty grains, I used light DME and got my color from crystal and pale chocolate so they could see how to do that. This week everyone is coming to my house for a mash demo and a tasting (no alcohol on campus). I’m looking forward to showing off all my equipment. Last week we’re doing a field trip to the local brewpub for a tour, discussion of English beer styles (the pub’s forte) and of course a tasting.
Two of the guys have made wine so I’ll recruit them for the wine club, and I am thinking I’ll get at least three new members for the beer club. So mission accomplished in that respect.
I don’t know about that, but they do fill out an eval form at the end so I will get feedback at that point. A couple of the people have purchased equipment kits that come with an ingredient kit, so there is at least some active interest.
Got a couple of new brew club member from the 2012 class, they’ve been attending pretty regularly.
The 2013 class already has eight students. I worked up a Powerpoint presentation for week one, and will be brewing a simple porter using a jar of LME and some UK Phoenix hops.
I spent 5-7AM this morning doing five short live spots on TV where the news person and I brewed a Belgian dubbel. It was my 15min of fame, now I’m back at work and in obscurity where I belong.
Check your local community colleges, they might have one. If they don’t, contact the club there and see if they would have anyone interested in teaching one.
I had nine students last night, spent an hour on book larnin’ and then we brewd a simple porter from LME and hops. My intention was to show just how simple it can be.
