By Sarah Sell, University Communications and Marketing
When Sam Rosenstiel moved to the Tampa Bay area two years ago, he quickly discovered
the region’s expanding microbrewery scene and wanted to get involved. A former journalist
from Cincinnati, Ohio, he was eager to explore a new career and came across a program
to help him do just that.
On March 29, Rosenstiel was among nearly two dozen students who received their certificate
of completion from USF’s Brewing Arts program during a ceremony held at the Yuengling Draft Haus & Kitchen in Tampa.
The interdisciplinary program at USF St. Petersburg is a 23-week online course that
provides students with the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed for
a successful career in craft brewing. The program offers two sessions annually, starting
in February and August.
“I knew I was passionate about beer, and I wanted to be part of that industry,” said
Rosenstiel, who was part of the August 2024 cohort. “When I learned that USF had a
Brewing Arts program with a built-in, paid internship, I jumped at the chance.”
Rosenstiel completed his certificate with an 80-hour internship at Bayboro Brewing
in St. Petersburg, one of 20 local breweries currently participating in the Brewing
Arts program. The internships provide $15 hourly pay and are designed for students
to learn core skills in the art of brewing and understand business operations.
“With Sam going through the course, he was able to pick up on many of the processes
and ideas involved in beer making,” said Aaron Hutchings, head brewer at Bayboro Brewing.
After retiring from law enforcement, Hutchings took a path similar to Rosenstiel’s,
graduating from the Brewing Arts Program in 2018. Both he and Rosenstiel developed
a passion for homebrewing, which ultimately led them to pursue it as a career.
“It was nice having someone come in who already had a background in making beer,”
Hutchings said. “Our system at Bayboro is a giant homebrewing system, unlike the bigger
breweries with automated systems where it’s push-a-button and go. Everything here
is manual.”
The Brewing Arts program offers diverse courses with students studying subjects like
anthropology, chemistry, microbiology and business. The program is a collaboration
with USF’s College of Arts and Sciences, USF’s Muma College of Business and local
and national breweries.
“Our program prepares students for industry employment in all areas of the brewing
industry, from production to business operations,” said Joe Askren, director of the
Brewing Arts program. “Understanding fermentation science is essential for creating
a consistent, high-quality product. Mastering how to create a business plan is equally
important for ensuring long-term success.”
Launched in 2015, the program recently became the recipient of a gift that will further
help train craft-beer entrepreneurs. In January, USF received a $2.2 million gift
from Joey and Jennifer Redner, the founder of Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing. Half the
gift will support the university’s on-campus stadium project in Tampa, including a
40,000-square-foot hospitality center and a 3,000-square-foot brewing space.
The other half is dedicated to the Brewing Arts program and supporting the education
of students like Rosenstiel.
“I feel like I have a really good foundation to go out into the brewing industry and
work for any brewery or own my own brewery someday,” Rosenstiel said.
Interested students can apply to the next Brewing Arts cohort that begins on August 5, 2025.
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