Kyler Cramer
Roughly two years ago, Whitworth University introduced a nine-month brewery program into their catalog. The program requires students to be at least 23 years old and part of Whitworth’s School of Continuing Studies in order to be admitted into the program. Still, this raises the question: If Whitworth is a dry campus, how is this program allowed?
Dr. Aaron Putzke, director of the brewery program, explained that Whitworth is the perfect place for such a program, as the brewing industry in Spokane has greatly expanded in recent years. “The need for workers that are trained and knowledgeable and skilled has increased,” said Putzke. As a result, Putzke has used his background in science and fermentation to craft Whitworth’s brewing program.
This program mixes liberal arts methodology with more practical, hands-on skill-building that may be found find in a trade or technical school. “You learn a lot more by getting your hands in there and working with stuff, so we want [students] to have opportunities to learn on the equipment in a regular manner,” said Putzke.
Whitworth’s brewery program is targeted toward full-time employees and adults who are interested in pursuing the brewing industry. The age of students ranges from mid-twenties to seventies due to this requirement. The beginning of the program goes over the target audience, history, responsibilities, context and ethics of brewing. It is not until these topics are mastered by the students that the equipment comes into play.
After nine months and roughly 100 hours of internship experience, students will have earned a certificate and a large library of brewing knowledge. Whitworth will have also taught students the smaller details, going in-depth on the science behind what goes into beer, from “water chemistry to enzyme activity to the fermentation itself,” said Putzke.
Just as Whitworth’s mission is to serve, the brewery program aims to partner with those in the brewing community. After all, breweries are a tough and competitive industry, with small, “finicky” profit margins. There is “a need for an educational opportunity and training in our region, [and] we’re poised to offer an excellent education in this area for people that want to go into the industry,” said Putzke. For this reason, Whitworth has decided to green-light the Brewing Science & Operations Program onto the otherwise “dry” campus.