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
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a focus on beer, said Grego-
ry Dunkling, director of the
University of Vermont’s new
online business of craft beer
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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
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with around 40 people. It’s
become one of the school’s
most successful professional
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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-
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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
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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.
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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,
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Wyden: He answered
questions on LNG,
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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
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Army Corps had abandoned its
court judgment saying that
interest in the property.
Oregon LNG ‘loses,’” said
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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
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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
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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-
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But he stressed cooperation
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live with.
track” negotiations on the
recently released Trans-Pa-
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agreement between a dozen
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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
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California sea lions he said
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ies. Hunsinger has recent-
ly tried to create a Port sea
lion committee composed
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the idea of suing the federal
government. The National
LNG
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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
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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.
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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.