Beer Brewer Professional Certificate

Immerse yourself in the Tidewater craft brewing industry.

Earn the University of Richmond’s Beer Brewer Professional Certificate right here in Tidewater through a partnership with Old Dominion University and local breweries.

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Innovation & training advance Tidewater's beer brewing industry.

Hampton Roads has become known for its craft brewing. Even before C+R Research named Virginia among the top six states for growth since 2015 in the craft brewing industry, we knew the industry was growing.

In response, the University of Richmond has partnered with Old Dominion University and local Tidewater breweries to offer the state’s premier brewing education program in the Hampton Roads region.

UR’s Beer Brewer Professional Certificate at ODU

Our Beer Brewer Professional Certificate is designed for those seeking to enter into the craft beer industry, or to advance an existing brewing industry career. The year-long program includes 11 instructional modules and 4 hands-on field experiences.

Instructional modules cover the following topics:

  • Introduction to Brewing
  • Brew Science & the Brewery Processes
  • Brewing as a Business

You’ll complete the program with brewing skills and recipes along with insider knowledge from instructors who work in local breweries. Field experiences provide you the hands-on skills needed to succeed in the craft brewing industry, and also provide contacts within the craft brewing industry.

You don’t have to leave your current job to enter the program — classes are offered in person on the ODU campus and at local breweries on evenings and occasional weekends.

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Modules & Experiences

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History of Brewing

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Introduction to Brewing Terminology

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Introduction to Essential Ingredients

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Brewing Technology & Process

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Introduction to Safety & Sanitation

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Equipment, Maintenance, Packaging & Distribution

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Quality Assurance

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Biology of Yeast & Fermentation

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Introduction to Beer Styles

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Introduction to Sales & Marketing

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Licensing & Regulation

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Field Experiences

Brew Days at Local Breweries

Students in the Beer Brewer Professional Certificate program collaborated with Three Notch'd Brewing RVA Collab House to brew Pumpkin Spiced Latte, a pumpkin-spiced amber ale conditioned with locally roasted Rostov Mocha Java coffee.

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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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    Brewing Pumpkin Spiced Latte
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School of Professional & Continuing Studies

The School of Professional & Continuing Studies in Richmond, Va., is one of five schools at the University of Richmond. The Beer Brewer Professional Certificate is the state’s first professional certificate to address the workforce development needs of Virginia’s thriving craft brewing industry. The University of Richmond is the only top-25 private liberal arts college in the nation to include a division dedicated to adult students and working professionals.

Our Partnership with Old Dominion University

The Beer Brewer Professional Certificate program originated and is managed by the School of Professional & Continuing Studies at the University of Richmond. We’ve entered into a partnership with Old Dominion University’s School of Continuing Education in Norfolk, Va., to offer the program in the Tidewater region. We’re proud to partner with ODU and with local breweries in Hampton Roads.

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