Nash
Community College Teaching the art of brewing takes class By Corey Davis Photography by Adam Jennings Part of the redevelopment project of the Rocky Mount Mills, is 1,000 square feet of space occupied by Nash Community College’s Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation associate degree program. The college’s Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation curriculum was launched in fall semester of 2015. The program is part of NCC’s expanded Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management group. Dr. Trent Mohrbutter, vice president for instruction and chief academic officer at NCC, said the program was approved last year by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It’s one of only three Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation programs in the state. Greg Quintard, professor of hos40
Carolina Brew Scene
pitality management at NCC, said the program was implemented in anticipation of the Rocky Mount Brewmill. Quintard teaches a class within the program heavy on human resource management with students learning about the legality and marketing side of the brewing industry. Before the college’s Brewing, Distillation and Fermentation program launched, NCC began offering training for brewers through the Continuing Education program’s 360 Degree Brewer classes. The 10-course series provided instruction in occupational safety and health administration safety, stainless steel welding, fermentation, chemistry, plumbing, equipment maintenance, electrical systems, entrepreneurialism, microbiology and marketing. Summer 2016
Chris and Erin Flora, owners of a startup brewery called Sweet Taters in the Rocky Mount Brewmill, were among the students to go through the program. “We wanted to take advantage of the booming craft beer industry in the state and see breweries populate in Eastern North Carolina and specifically in Rocky Mount,” Ouintard said. “We anticipate this program growing like our culinary program and hopefully becoming our flagship program.” The degree program offers students in the region the chance to hone their craft beer skills and hobby into a career. Mohrbutter said through the program, students can earn certificates such as an online business brewing certificate, which
