Craft Distilling

This program provides applicable and necessary hands-on training and is committed to the promotion of sustainable production practices. Specific areas of instruction include fermentation theory and application, maturation and blending of spirits, sensory evaluation and quality assurance and management in a distillery environment.

This five month program consists of four online courses, each four weeks long, finishing with a capstone five-day blended field study and concurrent online class. The program runs from the beginning of May to the end of September.

• Distilling Quality Management
• Fermentation Theory
• Theory of Distillery Operations
• Blending, Maturation and Sensory Evaluation of Spirits
  
• Practical Distilling (Directed Field Study) - ALL of the above courses must be completed prior to taking the field study

By the end of the program you will be able to:

• use distillation and fermentation techniques to produce and package high quality spirits
• evaluate the consistency, quality, and flavour of distilled spirits
• adjust spirit recipes, ingredients, or production processes in response to quality or flavour concerns
• create spirits that align with target market interests
• establish and implement appropriate quality controls and processes throughout the production, packaging and distribution of spirits
• comply with applicable provincial, federal and international regulatory and trade requirements to produce, package and distribute spirits safely and legally
• demonstrate effective communication and personal management skills in the workplace

Length of Program: Each course is four weeks long

Delivery: Blended (online course with one week mandatory field school in a distillery)

Credential: Non-credit Certificate of Professional and Continuing Education

Registration Deadline: Two weeks prior to course start date. Pending availability; late registrations may be accepted with a late fee. Limited space available so register early.

Pre-requisites: Students must be 18 years of age prior to enrolment. It is highly recommended that students have a minimum Grade 11 education and some background in brewing, distilling or wine-making. It is not mandatory to have taken Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management although many graduates continue into the Craft Distilling Certificate. All four courses must be completed before taking the Practical Distilling course.

Required Text & Material

The Alcohol Textbook ; 6th Edition, Edited by G.M. Walker, C. Abbas, W.M. Ingledew, C. Pilgrim.   Approximate Cost:  approx. $275 USD.  (https://www.lallemandbds.com/ethanol-technology-institute/the-alcohol-textbook/)

Note that the textbook is the responsibility of the student. Please wait until 1 week prior to the course start date to purchase materials  as the courses will be cancelled if minimum enrolment is not received.

Olds College students will receive 10% off, use the link above and fill in the form. You will be emailed back, reply that you are an Olds College student and the discount will be included in your payment link.

Suggested reading, but not required:

• Palmer, J. & Colin Kiminski, Water: A Comprehensive Guide for Brewers, Brewers Publications, 2013 - Cost for Student: Approx. $20
• Mallett, J., Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse, Brewers Publications, 2014 - Cost for Student: Approx. $20
• White, C. & Jamil Zainasheff, Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation, Brewers Publications, 2010 - Cost for Student: Approx. $20
• Cantwell, Dick, Starting Your Own Brewery, Brewers Association 2nd Edition, Brewers Publications, 2013 - Cost for Student: Approx. $95
• Priest, F.G. & Stewart, G.G., Handbook of Brewing, Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2006 , 2nd Edition
• Malts and Malting – D.E. Briggs, partially online ( https://books.google.ca/books?isbn=0412298007)

Admission Requirements: Students must be 18 years of age prior to enrolment. It is highly recommended that students have a minimum Grade 11 education and some background in brewing, distilling or wine-making.