After 2 years of renovation work, school of advanced learning HOGENT and Ghent University have opened a joint new brewery for their brewery technology courses. The two seats of learning share a brewery lab on the Schoonmeersen campus where students are taught how to brew beer and conduct research. Training courses first started at the end of the 19th century, making them the oldest brewery training courses in Ghent.
"Today we are officially inaugurating our new brewery lab - or more specifically the Innovation Center for Brewery and Fermentation -," says lecturer Dana Vanderputten. "This is a research and education laboratory that is managed by both HOGENT and Ghent University."
Beer is of course brewed in the brewery, and our own brand beer is called ‘Bijloke’. "This is the basic recipe that we let the students brew. It is a blond beer with 7 percent alcohol. It has a top fermentation and is very fruity."
In addition to brewing beer, research is also carried out. "We are doing a lot of research into NAB/LAB beers (non- or low-alcohol beers). These are beers based on a fermentation process with alternative yeasts and grains."
The training programme takes account of the fact that there is increasing demand for these products. "As a brewer, we prefer to make alcoholic beers, because alcohol cannot be underestimated in the taste of the beers. But of course, the consumer is also looking for alternative drinks. As a brewer, we have the facilities to respond to this demand and help to broaden the market."
Working in different sectors
The courses offer students multiple career options. "It's not like we stage parties every day. We work hard in the brewery," laughs Vanderputten.
"Brewery technology is a good example of an industrial biochemical process. All the knowledge gained during the first years of training is applied in one single process. If you understand the complex brewing process, you can also work in other sectors!"