Thirsty anglers and fishing aficionados got a refreshing taste of the latest brew by students from the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at the FIU Alumni Annual Scholarship Fishing Tournament held this weekend at the Sea Isle Marina and Yachting Center in Miami. The event has raised more than $100,000 for the Alumni Scholarship Fund since it launched in 2002.

By all accounts, the American Lite Ale style beer, created by students in the Introduction to the Brewing Process course, was a cheering success. But pouring fun is not the lesson here for the hospitality management students, according to Chaplin School professor Dr. Barry Gump. The course is an elective designed to provide students with a comprehensive look at the beverage-production industry and expose them to the science and the business, so they can become the future innovators, the leaders and entrepreneurs. “It has been exciting working with my students and instructing them on how to brew beer. Some of our former students have moved past the home-brew stage and are now professionals in the brewing industry,” said Dr. Gump.

The proliferation of the craft-beer industry throughout the U.S., especially in South Florida, has caught the eye of many lately, but FIU has been an industry leader in South Florida way before the craze. Students at the Chaplin School are now conducting experiments, using never-before-thought-of ingredients for beers, and achieving successes with many in different styles of beer, from light beers to full-bodied stouts with varying alcohol levels. They have even created and developed a beer festival as a class project. The South Florida BrewFest, now going on its third year, is scheduled for November 22, 2014.

Earlier this year, the Chaplin School announced the opening of a state-of-the-art Brew Science Laboratory, a facility equipped with some of the most advanced equipment available in the industry, a first for an educational institution. “I can’t think of any other university that has such a facility. There are some that offer beer courses, but nothing like this,” said Dr. Gump.

Beer courses are also offered to anyone interested in learning how to brew, or as professional development for the industry through the School’s Institute for Hospitality & Tourism Education & Research. For information, visit beer.fiu.edu.

Photo (left to right):
Dr. Barry Gump with Burnie the Miami Heat mascot. Participants at the fishing tournament.