Day in the Life

Here's a picture of a typical break between lectures during the day at Siebel. The famous Bier Stube was originally at the Peterson Ave location and dates back to the fifties. It's a place for students to culminate around a few wobbly-pops and talk about what was learned or just relax after class.

This week we've been learning about packaging, materials, CIP systems, bottling, canning and kegging. What's taught well in this class is not just how to keg, but how the kegging system works, why it works that way, how it was made, history of previous systems and materials used. We spent half of the day learning about the different materials used in a brewhouse. It's been a realistic, applicable week of learning so far. One of the most important tools a brewer can have is a good flashlight. It's just like when I was plumbing. Inspection and logical thinking rule in the brewhouse as well as plumbing repair. Going to this school will not make you a better brewer anymore than a fitness magazine will make you lose weight. However, you can apply your knowledge with a catalyst (flashlight) and see good results.

It's also neat that many of the teachers are alumni. It's kind of like Hogwarts. Students can look through the old class pictures and talk to the teachers about how it was back then, what kind of improvements have been made in the industry, etc.

BTW, if anyone reading this blog has any technical questions, large or small, I'll be happy to find out the answer for you. There are a great many brains I can pick; just shoot me an email at daveybrewing@gmail.com