Oct 18, 2017
Brewing and history combine for fun study time
Step into Colorado’s brewing history with Tivoli Brewing Company, nestled in the 162-year-old Auraria Higher Education Campus. Reopened in 2015, this iconic brewery now serves as the centerpiece of MSU Denver’s innovative brewing program, blending science, hospitality, and hands-on experience to shape the next generation of brewing professionals.
Tucked back in the south wing of the 162-year-old Auraria Higher Education Campus building, you will find Colorado’s oldest brewery. The Tivoli Brewing Company dates back to the late 1800s. German immigrant John Good, father of the Tivoli Brand, arrived during the Colorado gold rush.
Dr. Ethan Tsai, professor at Metropolitan State University, helps brew a beer on Nov. 7 at the Tivoli Brewery for the upcoming Breckenride Big Beers Belgians and Barelywines festival.
Over the next hundred years Tivoli Brewing changed names and owners several times, along with many architectural expansions. The brewery even survived prohibition, brewing a low alcohol-by-volume beer to stay afloat.Due to unfortunate circumstances, including labor-wage strikes, the brewery closed its doors in 1969.
In 2015, the Tivoli reopened its doors in its original location. This provided an excellent opportunity for MSU Denver to get involved with the on-campus location.
Scott Kerkmans is an award-winning brewer who reached out to MSU when he heard they were considering a brewing program. Kerkmans’ resumé includes distinguished titles like the world’s first Chief Beer Officer and panel judge of the Great American Beer Festival.
Kerkmans spent several months developing the brewing degree program for the university that he now oversees as a faculty coordinator.
“What we do differently is house our program in the hospitality department,” he said. “That allows us to teach several other courses that no one else is focusing on.”
The program is in its early stages and students have only been able to choose classes in the program for less than 18 months.
Sam Goertz, a student in the program and employee at Tivoli Brewing said, “So far it’s great, I wanted to be in a brewing program that also gave me a Bachelor of Science.”
There are a handful of other brewing programs in the country, however these programs only offer food science or fermentation science degrees. MSU Denver is trying to set itself apart. The program offers chemistry and biology courses but also beverage fundamentals and brewing operations.
Good opted to collaborate with his competitors Mortiz Sigi and Max Melsheimer over a century ago to build much of the Tivoli building. In the same spirit of collaboration the program was created to match the historical building it lives in.
Dr. Ethan Tsai, who helps brew for the Breckenridge Big Beer Belgians and Barleywines Festival calls the program a complete package. He said many of the other programs in the state take a niche approach.
“Very few programs have the absolute full depth of program rigor that we do,” Tsai said in terms of science and hospitality courses offered.
Another beneficial feature of the program is having on-campus access to the Tivoli Brewery. Many employees of the brewery are also part of the program.
“It’s really nice to be able to walk five minutes after class and go to work,” Goertz said.
The labs will soon move to the Tivoli building as part of a $3.6 million expansion combining the program into a unified facility.
As the director for the brewing program, Kerkmans shares many lessons from his lived experience to his students. He believes if he would have come into the brewing industry with the preconceived notion that he would only be brewing, he would have hindered his experiences.
“To keep an open mind as to where life can take them and specifically, this brewing world,” Kermans said.
He said trying to become a better educator is important to him and his days consist of fundraising for the lab expansion at the university. There are currently 70 students in the program that includes major, minor, and certification options.
MSU Denver will be opening a new location of The Tivoli Brewery at the Denver International Airport where students will have the opportunity to brew and continue learning the trade.
Oct 18, 2017
Brewing and history combine for fun study time
Step into Colorado’s brewing history with Tivoli Brewing Company, nestled in the 162-year-old Auraria Higher Education Campus. Reopened in 2015, this iconic brewery now serves as the centerpiece of MSU Denver’s innovative brewing program, blending science, hospitality, and hands-on experience to shape the next generation of brewing professionals.
Tucked back in the south wing of the 162-year-old Auraria Higher Education Campus building, you will find Colorado’s oldest brewery. The Tivoli Brewing Company dates back to the late 1800s. German immigrant John Good, father of the Tivoli Brand, arrived during the Colorado gold rush.
Dr. Ethan Tsai, professor at Metropolitan State University, helps brew a beer on Nov. 7 at the Tivoli Brewery for the upcoming Breckenride Big Beers Belgians and Barelywines festival.
Over the next hundred years Tivoli Brewing changed names and owners several times, along with many architectural expansions. The brewery even survived prohibition, brewing a low alcohol-by-volume beer to stay afloat.Due to unfortunate circumstances, including labor-wage strikes, the brewery closed its doors in 1969.
In 2015, the Tivoli reopened its doors in its original location. This provided an excellent opportunity for MSU Denver to get involved with the on-campus location.
Scott Kerkmans is an award-winning brewer who reached out to MSU when he heard they were considering a brewing program. Kerkmans’ resumé includes distinguished titles like the world’s first Chief Beer Officer and panel judge of the Great American Beer Festival.
Kerkmans spent several months developing the brewing degree program for the university that he now oversees as a faculty coordinator.
“What we do differently is house our program in the hospitality department,” he said. “That allows us to teach several other courses that no one else is focusing on.”
The program is in its early stages and students have only been able to choose classes in the program for less than 18 months.
Sam Goertz, a student in the program and employee at Tivoli Brewing said, “So far it’s great, I wanted to be in a brewing program that also gave me a Bachelor of Science.”
There are a handful of other brewing programs in the country, however these programs only offer food science or fermentation science degrees. MSU Denver is trying to set itself apart. The program offers chemistry and biology courses but also beverage fundamentals and brewing operations.
Good opted to collaborate with his competitors Mortiz Sigi and Max Melsheimer over a century ago to build much of the Tivoli building. In the same spirit of collaboration the program was created to match the historical building it lives in.
Dr. Ethan Tsai, who helps brew for the Breckenridge Big Beer Belgians and Barleywines Festival calls the program a complete package. He said many of the other programs in the state take a niche approach.
“Very few programs have the absolute full depth of program rigor that we do,” Tsai said in terms of science and hospitality courses offered.
Another beneficial feature of the program is having on-campus access to the Tivoli Brewery. Many employees of the brewery are also part of the program.
“It’s really nice to be able to walk five minutes after class and go to work,” Goertz said.
The labs will soon move to the Tivoli building as part of a $3.6 million expansion combining the program into a unified facility.
As the director for the brewing program, Kerkmans shares many lessons from his lived experience to his students. He believes if he would have come into the brewing industry with the preconceived notion that he would only be brewing, he would have hindered his experiences.
“To keep an open mind as to where life can take them and specifically, this brewing world,” Kermans said.
He said trying to become a better educator is important to him and his days consist of fundraising for the lab expansion at the university. There are currently 70 students in the program that includes major, minor, and certification options.
MSU Denver will be opening a new location of The Tivoli Brewery at the Denver International Airport where students will have the opportunity to brew and continue learning the trade.
Oct 18, 2017
Brewing and history combine for fun study time
Step into Colorado’s brewing history with Tivoli Brewing Company, nestled in the 162-year-old Auraria Higher Education Campus. Reopened in 2015, this iconic brewery now serves as the centerpiece of MSU Denver’s innovative brewing program, blending science, hospitality, and hands-on experience to shape the next generation of brewing professionals.
Tucked back in the south wing of the 162-year-old Auraria Higher Education Campus building, you will find Colorado’s oldest brewery. The Tivoli Brewing Company dates back to the late 1800s. German immigrant John Good, father of the Tivoli Brand, arrived during the Colorado gold rush.
Dr. Ethan Tsai, professor at Metropolitan State University, helps brew a beer on Nov. 7 at the Tivoli Brewery for the upcoming Breckenride Big Beers Belgians and Barelywines festival.
Over the next hundred years Tivoli Brewing changed names and owners several times, along with many architectural expansions. The brewery even survived prohibition, brewing a low alcohol-by-volume beer to stay afloat.Due to unfortunate circumstances, including labor-wage strikes, the brewery closed its doors in 1969.
In 2015, the Tivoli reopened its doors in its original location. This provided an excellent opportunity for MSU Denver to get involved with the on-campus location.
Scott Kerkmans is an award-winning brewer who reached out to MSU when he heard they were considering a brewing program. Kerkmans’ resumé includes distinguished titles like the world’s first Chief Beer Officer and panel judge of the Great American Beer Festival.
Kerkmans spent several months developing the brewing degree program for the university that he now oversees as a faculty coordinator.
“What we do differently is house our program in the hospitality department,” he said. “That allows us to teach several other courses that no one else is focusing on.”
The program is in its early stages and students have only been able to choose classes in the program for less than 18 months.
Sam Goertz, a student in the program and employee at Tivoli Brewing said, “So far it’s great, I wanted to be in a brewing program that also gave me a Bachelor of Science.”
There are a handful of other brewing programs in the country, however these programs only offer food science or fermentation science degrees. MSU Denver is trying to set itself apart. The program offers chemistry and biology courses but also beverage fundamentals and brewing operations.
Good opted to collaborate with his competitors Mortiz Sigi and Max Melsheimer over a century ago to build much of the Tivoli building. In the same spirit of collaboration the program was created to match the historical building it lives in.
Dr. Ethan Tsai, who helps brew for the Breckenridge Big Beer Belgians and Barleywines Festival calls the program a complete package. He said many of the other programs in the state take a niche approach.
“Very few programs have the absolute full depth of program rigor that we do,” Tsai said in terms of science and hospitality courses offered.
Another beneficial feature of the program is having on-campus access to the Tivoli Brewery. Many employees of the brewery are also part of the program.
“It’s really nice to be able to walk five minutes after class and go to work,” Goertz said.
The labs will soon move to the Tivoli building as part of a $3.6 million expansion combining the program into a unified facility.
As the director for the brewing program, Kerkmans shares many lessons from his lived experience to his students. He believes if he would have come into the brewing industry with the preconceived notion that he would only be brewing, he would have hindered his experiences.
“To keep an open mind as to where life can take them and specifically, this brewing world,” Kermans said.
He said trying to become a better educator is important to him and his days consist of fundraising for the lab expansion at the university. There are currently 70 students in the program that includes major, minor, and certification options.
MSU Denver will be opening a new location of The Tivoli Brewery at the Denver International Airport where students will have the opportunity to brew and continue learning the trade.