CO School Offers Beer 101 for Credit

It's a college student's dream come true: Beer 101 - for credit!

Students in the hospitality and restaurant administration program at Metropolitan State College of Denver are learning the art of beer in one of the only programs of its kind in the country.

When you think of college and beer, these kinds of imagines may come to mind: "Drink, drink, drink!"

But students are learning to appreciate beer on a whole different level.

Michael Wray, Restaurant and Culinary Administration, says, "We treat it just like an art and a science."

The Sandlot Brewery is their classroom, and their homework, tasting different types of beer!

Brewmasters are their teachers.

Brewmaster John Legnard says, "They can smell the brewery. They can see the brewery. They can taste the brewery."

Students learn the difference between German hellas, Irish stout, Belgium white and everything in between. They also learn the chemistry and biology of brewing.

Wray says, "It's an important part of a restaurateur to understand the different nuances in beer styles."

So they swirl it, sniff it, and taste it to analyze different styles and quality.

"After taking this class, I'm better prepared and might have an edge over someone who has similar background but doesn't understand scientific production of beer," says student David Weiss.

Legnard explains, "We try to take them from being just beer drinkers to beer geeks."

And as beer geeks, they take away a new appreciation for a frosty cold one and all that went into making it a fine brew.

Students will also design their own beers for a hypothetical brew pub. It's a six-week course, and the first part of the class includes a course on safety issues regarding serving and consumption of alcohol.

Students must be 21 or older to get into the class, and there's usually a waiting list.