Brewing, Minor - COLSA, UNH

Undergraduate

Brewing

Master fermentation processes and quality control techniques while developing skills in brewery operations and management.
2026
Degree
Minor
Location
Durham, NH
Courses
5
Credit
20 hrs.
Full-time
- -
Part-time
- -
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Female student wearing a lab coat using a microscope

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems

The Brewing minor at UNH provides education in both the science and business of craft beer production. You’ll master fermentation processes and quality control while developing skills in brewery operations and management. 

The coursework combines microbiology and chemistry with entrepreneurial principles, preparing you for diverse roles in the growing craft beer industry. The curriculum builds expertise in brewing science and business, positioning you for success in brewery operations, quality assurance or craft beverage entrepreneurship.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems Department

Key Links

Tuition Costs

Contact Cards

Cheryl Parker
BREWERY MANAGER
Cheryl.Parker@unh.edu
Barton Hall & Cole Hall, Room B111, Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862-5417

What is a brewing minor?

Learn all about the science and business of making beer in the brewing minor at UNH. Whether you’re interested in the booming field of nano-and microbreweries or a more traditional role in the food and beverage industry, this minor will introduce you to the technical, cultural and business components of the brewing world. You’ll explore all aspects of the business,from the agricultural production of raw materials to the intricate steps in the brewing process to the aspects of quality control,marketing and management.This minor pairs well with study in fields such as hospitality management, agriculture and food systems, ecogastronomy and business.

Why study brewing at UNH?

Our Brewing Science Laboratory is both a fully equipped professional beverage manufacturing facility and one of the most advanced analytical beer chemistry labs in the state.You’ll work with faculty who have real-world industry experience as you learn brewing formulas and techniques. You’ll also learn to properly use testing equipment to build solid technical brewing and quality control skills. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to work with the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station on campus to develop new flavors and styles of beer.

Potential career areas

  • Agriculture
  • Beverage distribution
  • Brewing
  • Brewing science
  • Business
  • Food writing
  • Hospitality industry
  • Marketing
  • Restauranteur

Curriculum & Requirements

01
Program Description
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Through completion of the brewing minor, students gain practical, well-rounded knowledge of the brewing industry to complement their major field of study. The series of courses encompass all aspects of beer brewing from agricultural production of raw ingredients to quality control and distribution of the final product. Undergraduates in any major field of study may minor in brewing.

Brewing is unique in that it requires a balanced knowledge of math, science, engineering, and business as well as an understanding of how and why brewed products play an important role in society and culture. With this minor, you will learn how to integrate various fields of study together, a skill which can be applied to any career. You will also gain specific skills and knowledge for the brewing industry.

02
Requirements for the Program
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  • Academic policies related to Minors.
  • The minor consists of completing five courses (20 credits) from the courses listed below, with a minimum grade of C- or better.
  • No more than 8 credits used to satisfy major requirements may be used for the minor.
  • Pass/Fail courses may not be used for the minor.
Required Courses
AGFS 415Introduction to Brewing Art and Science4
AGFS 515Technical Brewing4
Electives
Business/Finance Elective Course
Select one course from the following:4
ACC 501
Survey of Accounting
ADMN 502
Financial Accounting
ADMN 585
Marketing
ANSC 548
Agricultural Business Management
MGT 520
Topics in Management 1
MKTG 530
Survey of Marketing
Food/Culture Elective Course
Select one course from the following:4
AGFS 690
Agricultural and Food Policy
HMGT 401
Introduction to the Hospitality and Tourism Industry
HMGT 405
Introduction to Food and Service Management
HMGT 570
International Food and Culture
HMGT 771
International Wine and Beverage
HIST 425
Foreign Cultures (Topic: Beer in World History)
NUTR 403
Culinary Arts Skills Development
NUTR 525
Food and Culture in Italy
NUTR 550
Food Science: Principle and Practice
Additional Elective Course
Select one course from the following:4
AGFS 733W
Advanced Topics in Agriculture and Food Systems
AGFS 795
Investigations
Total Credits20
1

MGT 520 Topics in Management - fulfills this elective requirement.

 

Take a peek inside the UNH Brewing Science Laboratory where students can gain well-rounded knowledge to prepare them for the rapidly growing brewing industry. In response to the rise in the number of breweries and increased entrepreneurial interest in the business, the University of New Hampshire has designed a minor program that introduces students to the science, engineering and business process. The hands-on course helps train students for careers in micro and traditional brewing and gives them the much needed skills and understanding of the intricate steps in brewing from agriculture production of raw materials to the chemistry behind quality control and distribution channels of the final product.