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10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016 Universities tap into craft beer growth by offering classes An education in brewing ‘The truth is ... it’s not all about brewing and drinking beer. There’s a lot of business behind it as well and that’s usually what they’re lacking.’ By LISA RATHKE Associated Press MONTPELIER, Vt. — With an explosion in growth in the craft beer industry over the last decade, it’s not enough to simply have a pas- sion for brewing and beer when it comes to starting a brewery or working for one as the industry gets more competitive. Recognizing that, some universities are now offering programs on the business of craft beer. In the last decade, the number of craft breweries has grown to more than 4,000 in the U.S. today, from more than 1,400 in 2005, according to the Brewers Association. A lot of breweries started RXW¿YHRU\HDUVDJRZLWK a focus on beer, said Grego- ry Dunkling, director of the University of Vermont’s new online business of craft beer FHUWL¿FDWH SURJUDP ZKLFK starts in February. Back then, a home brewer may have been able to create some great recipes but didn’t have the business acumen so along the way hired staff to cover marketing, sales, the business operation, he said. It’s harder to pull that off today. As the industry has grown Scott Gallagher Portland State University’s director of communications Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo Craft beers are served at the Maine Beer Co. in Freeport, Maine, last May. With an explo- sion in growth in the craft beer industry over the last decade, some universities are now offering classes on the business of craft beer. and become more competi- tive, the bar has been raised for those starting a brewery or working for one, said Bart Watson, chief economist with the Brewers Association. “Certainly the demand for people with a high level of brewing knowledge has gone up and on the business side as well. So I think we’re seeing a variety of different programs look for ways that they can capitalize on that,” he said. Portland State Universi- ty started an online business of craft brewing program in ZLWK WKH ¿UVW FRKRUW ¿OOLQJ XS LQ WKH ¿UVW ZHHN with around 40 people. It’s become one of the school’s most successful professional FHUWL¿FDWH SURJUDPV GUDZ- ing people from around the world, said Scott Gallagher, the university’s director of communications. “We discovered that there’s a huge need for peo- ple who wanted to get a cer- WL¿FDWH 7KH\ GLGQ¶W QHFHV- sarily want to go to college or already had a college degree and wanted to open up a brew pub,” Gallagher said. They needed some basic and more advanced knowledge, such as in marketing, he said. The demand is so high that PSU is looking at how to develop and expand the pro- gram, Gallagher said. “The truth is ... it’s not all about brewing and drinking beer. There’s a lot of business behind it as well and that’s usually what they’re lack- ing,” he said. University of Portland and San Diego State University’s College of Extended Studies also have business of craft EHHU FHUWL¿FDWH SURJUDPV Classes for San Diego State’s program are held at local breweries and at the univer- sity, but not online. So far, the University of Vermont program, in a state that has made a name for itself for its craft beers, has drawn applicants from around the country — Arizo- na, Florida, Georgia, Oregon and Texas, and about half are from the Northeast, Dunkling said. The program costs about $4,400 for the two cours- es: one on the fundamentals of craft beer and a second course of students’ choosing focused on digital marketing, sales or business operations. Apprenticeships with a net- work of breweries and dis- tributors are also available. ,QGXVWU\ RI¿FLDOV DJUHH there’s a need for education and knowledge in the indus- try and different ways to get it, whether through experi- ence, hiring talent or train- ing, which some breweries provide. As outside investors and larger breweries become increasingly involved with craft brewing, Harpoon Brewery, which will be of- fering apprenticeships to the UVM students, feels a need to maintain its indepen- dence. “Hiring talented people is a critical part of that effort,” Rich Ackerman, Harpoon’s director of human resources, said by email. But the com- pany cautions anyone against thinking of craft brewing purely as a business. “It’s a passion project, ¿UVWDQGIRUHPRVW´KHVDLG Wyden: He answered questions on LNG, ÀRRGVSLQQLSHGV Continued from Page 1A Alex Pajunas/The Daily Astorian The east side of the Skipanon Peninsula, right, is the proposed location for a liquefied natural gas export terminal to be built by Oregon LNG. LNG: After Brown signs the ruling, an appeal period will follow limitations to bring that claim under federal law had expired, the company tried to amend “The direct implication is its claims by alleging that the WKDWWKHUHZRQ¶WEHDQRI¿FLDO Army Corps had abandoned its court judgment saying that interest in the property. Oregon LNG ‘loses,’” said ³7KH FRXUW ¿QGV WKH Miles Johnson, a clean water Corps did not abandon its attorney for Columbia River- Miles Johnson easement on the subject prop- keeper, a Hood River-based a clean water attorney for Columbia Riverkeeper, a Hood Riv- erty as a matter of law, and environmental group opposing er-based environmental group opposing the LNG project QR MXVWL¿FDWLRQ H[LVWV IRU WKH the LNG project. “The court’s opinion in this case makes it WR ¿QDOL]H$FRVWD¶V MXGJPHQW Columbia Riverkeeper. “They court to revisit its decision that LNG’s claims should be dis- clear that Oregon LNG wasn’t the company’s case would withdrew because they lost.” After Brown signs the missed,” Acosta wrote. “The going to win the case, but there likely have been dismissed ZRQ¶WEHD¿QDOMXGJPHQWRXW “with prejudice” — meaning ruling, an appeal period will court should not reconsider the case would have been dis- follow, so “it will take a little its previous ruling and should there saying that.” ZKLOH EHIRUH WKLV LV ¿QDO DQG not grant LNG leave to amend Asked if Oregon LNG’s missed permanently. their complaint.” And the Army Corps and set in stone,” Johnson said. move surprised the Army Acosta’s order to dismiss Acosta’s ruling is the Corps, Michelle Helms, an Oregon LNG opponents Army Corps public affairs would likely have less uncer- judge’s second against Ore- this second round of claims specialist, said, “‘Unexpected’ tainty about Oregon LNG’s gon LNG’s efforts to seize the “without prejudice” does not change his statements about would be a good way to say it.” next step — namely, whether Army Corps’ easement land. Last summer, Acosta dis- the facts, Johnson said. “But, as we’ve said before, the company will choose to re- “It’s just one more legal de- missed Oregon LNG’s original this site is a part of our plan to litigate the case. If they go that route, how- claim that the Corps has no right feat for Oregon LNG in kind of maintain the federal naviga- tion channel there, so we’re ever, it “seems highly unlikely to the land beneath the water a long string of them,” he said. that they would get a different where the company’s proposed “It makes it harder for them to doing our part,” she added. see how they’re going to get Had Oregon LNG waited result,” said Brett Vanden- facility would be built. Since the 12-year statute of this project off the ground.” for the federal district court Heuvel, executive director of Continued from Page 1A ‘It’s just one more legal defeat for Oregon LNG in kind of a long string of them.’ Keyser: She has degrees in environmental studies, geography Continued from Page 1A Keyser’s largest long-term goal is an interpretive center where the program could host large school groups, put on education programs and of- fer touch tanks; ideal for rainy days and those who can’t make it down the rock. “There’s so many possibili- ties for it,” she said. It will take some work. But Keyser said she has great co-workers who love what they do. She also enjoys working with the Friends of Haystack Rock and the volunteers who help the program run smoothly. Keyser was the Haystack Rock Awareness Program’s ed- ucation coordinator before she became the program coordinator. She’s also the part-time volunteer coordinator for CHIP-in with the Astoria Parks Department. Degrees in environmental studies and geography Born in California and raised in Beaverton, she is a 2010 graduate of Portland State University with degrees in en- vironmental studies and geog- raphy. She and her husband, Matt, moved to the area from Port- land in March 2014. Her hus- band is from Astoria, so they had explored the area before moving. ³,IHOOLQORYHZLWKLWWKH¿UVW time I visited,” Keyser said. They immediately decid- ed it was the city where they someday wanted to retire. But then Matt Keyser got a job transfer to the area, and Melissa Keyser began volun- teering “everywhere I could,” with groups like SOLVE and at elementary schools. Keyser gained experience DQG DSSOLHG IRU KHU ¿UVW +D\- stack Rock Awareness Program position when she saw it listed in a Cannon Beach Gazette ar- ticle. Now she and her family, including 2-year-old daughter Juno and 7-year-old son Olin enjoy the many activities the area has to offer. Keyser said it’s fun to in- teract with visitors. She enjoys taking the information she’s learned and sharing it with them. And she looks forward to continuing work at her “dream job.” — Dani Palmer Wildlife Refuge, where armed protesters have taken up residence and demanded the land be handed over to local control. Wyden said he under- stands rural frustration over a weak economy and a seeming lack of political clout compared to urban areas. “But I want to make one thing very clear on this point: the next step from this understandable frustration must not be to be misled off a cliff by a bunch of people outside Oregon,” he said. Wyden compared the oc- cupation in Harney County to a near-confrontation over the potential endangered species listing of the great- er sage grouse. He said a public-private cooperation including Oregon ranchers and conservationists helped preemptively conserve the sage grouse and stave off a federal listing many feared would adversely affect the rural economy. There are many things that don’t make sense about federal land management, Wyden said, such as mining laws that date to 1872 and the federal government’s lack of preventative mea- VXUHV DJDLQVW IRUHVW ¿UHV But he stressed cooperation WR¿QGVROXWLRQVDOOVLGHVFDQ live with. track” negotiations on the recently released Trans-Pa- FL¿F 3DUWQHUVKLS D WUDGH agreement between a dozen 3DFL¿F5LPFRXQWULHV 7DNLQJ ÀDFN RYHU KLV support of the controversial legislation, Wyden said he successfully ensured the text of the proposed trade agree- ment be open to the public months before a vote, while including provisions to pro- tect labor and environmental standards. The senator said KHZLOOKDYHWRVHHWKH¿QDO- ized trade agreement before he deciding whether to sup- port the pact. Floods, pinnipeds In attendance at the town hall, along with coun- ty commissioners and city councilors, were Port of Astoria commissioners Bill Hunsinger, Stephen Fulton and Robert Mushen, along with Executive Director Jim Knight. Regular Port meeting attendee Lori Durheim had her number called to ask a question but ceded her time to Hunsinger, who spent a few minutes telling :\GHQ DERXW WKH LQÀX[ RI California sea lions he said DUH WKUHDWHQLQJ ORFDO ¿VKHU- ies. Hunsinger has recent- ly tried to create a Port sea lion committee composed RIPHPEHUVIURPWKH¿VKLQJ LQGXVWU\ZKLOHDOVRÀRDWLQJ the idea of suing the federal government. The National LNG $VNHG DERXW OLTXH¿HG Oceanic and Atmospheric natural gas proposals on the Administration, through the Oregon Coast, Wyden said National Marine Fisheries he has tried to ensure public Service, oversees sea lions participation at every step of under the Marine Mammal the Jordan Cove LNG proj- Protection Act of 1972. Going to federal court ect near Coos Bay, which recently gained federal envi- won’t produce anything, ronmental approval. Wyden Wyden said, but if there said he wants the Coos Bay is a committee in contact project to succeed or fail with the necessary players on merit, while he is more regarding sea lions, his of- skeptical about the Warren- ¿FH ZLOO FROODERUDWH RQ WKH ton proposal. issue. “The company up here :\GHQ VDLG KLV RI¿FH really has not been inter- will also help expedite com- ested in public opinion,” munication between the Wyden said of Oregon LNG, federal government and the which is trying to get ap- coalition in Clatsop County proval for an LNG pipeline contesting Federal Emer- through Clatsop County and gency Management Admin- an export terminal on the LVWUDWLRQ ÀRRG SODLQ PDSV Skipanon Peninsula. Fulton, who is also a wet- Meanwhile, he said, lands and diking consultant the U.S. needs to focus on for the city of Warrenton, confronting climate change brought up his concerns that and switching to more re- FEMA was not responding newable energy sources like to the coalition’s challenge. wind and solar. )ULW]*UDKDP:\GHQ¶V¿HOG Wyden co-authored trade representative at the town promotion authority legis- hall Saturday, said Wyden’s lation that passed Congress RI¿FHVHQWDOHWWHUWR)(0$ and gave President Barack that should bring the agency Obama permission to “fast- to the table.
