Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co. is partnering with Western Kentucky University to build a production-level brewery on the Bowling Green campus. While this fact might inspire a range of jokes about college students and beer, the goal of both Alltech and WKU is to provide a hands-on learning environment for students in the undergraduate and graduate certificates in brewing and distilling arts and sciences, which WKU is beginning this summer.
With the growing popularity of craft beers, the university is looking ahead to give students a strong practical and theoretical background in an industry that looks to future continued growth. The brewery complex will include a brewhouse, fermenters and conditioning tanks capable of producing a wide variety of beers.
WKU already offers related courses in food sciences, fermentation, history, marketing and entrepreneurship. The new brewing facilities will expand research and expertise in brewing and distilling arts and sciences, and expand opportunities for internships in industries that are seeing robust growth in recent years.
