In recent years, Florida has become a destination for craft beer enthusiasts looking for a bit of sunshine with their bubbly.
In 2015, the industry came to the University of South Florida, where Joe Askren, a professor in the MUMA College of Business and program director for USF’s Brewing Arts Certificate program, was teaching a three-credit elective called “Intro to Beer Science.”
That year, 3 Daughters Brewing and Green Bench Brewing came to him on the USF St. Petersburg campus to collaborate on a new pipeline of students into craft brewing careers.
“They, along with at the time Frank Biafora, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, they put together a program, and it's great. It's taught by industry experts,” Askren told WUSF’s Cathy Carter in a recent conversation on "Florida Matters Live & Local."
And so the USF Brewing Arts program was, well, brewed.
The 24-week online certificate program currently offers two courses per year, which start in February and August, and coursework covers the entire process of brewing, from the base ingredients to the science and business of craft beer.
"It's all taught by industry professionals, and by that I mean brewery owners, head brewers, microbiologists, anthropologists, chemists,” Askren said.
It’s followed by hands-on training in a brewery to apply students’ new knowledge.
Earlier this year, Mastry's Brewing Co. in St. Petersburg released the first official USF-branded beer.
“We have USF legal approval,” Askren said. "It's packaged and has the USF logo on it ... It’s pretty early, but it's making its way into different stores in and around St. Pete and Tampa."
The “St. Pete Pilsner,” described as a crisp, smooth pilsner with light herbal and floral notes layered over a clean, grainy malt base, was developed by the brewery and a USF alum who works at there helped create it.
“We are very community-focused, which is why this was a natural partnership,” said USF alum Matthew Dahm, owner and founder of Mastry’s Brewing, to Matthew Cimitile, director of communications and marketing for the USF St. Petersburg campus.
“Our goal is to develop the best hand-crafted beers and invest money in products made in our local community. And what better way than partnering with our local university to further brewing arts and using sales of the beer to support education for our industry.”
The label was also designed by a student of graphic arts Professor Jenny Yucus, who teaches a yearly packaging design class. In fall 2024, each student designed the label for the new beer, and Ashley Wiser’s design won.
It features illustrations of Rocky D. Bull, signature locations of the USF St. Petersburg campus, sea life and palm trees, and various pieces of brewing equipment.
Askren said the brewing arts program now has more than 45 partners around the Tampa Bay region that help teach the classes and guide students through their internships.
Shortly after the Pilsner was released, Mastry’s brewed up another USF-branded beer: the Green & Gold Lager. Dahm said it was intended to “better capture the entire USF community.”
Sales from both beers benefit USF’s brewing program.
This story was compiled from an interview conducted by Cathy Carter for "Florida Matters Live & Local." You can listen to the entire program here.
