University of Texas at Arlington adds Brewing Science Certificate with help from Lakewood Brewing

Lakewood Brewing Co. is brewing up the next generation of beer talent through a collaboration with The University of Texas at Arlington, which is offering a new Brewing and Fermentation Science Certificate. The program is open to anyone – students, hobbyists and the curious – wanting to learn more about the science of making beer. 

Lakewood is helping provide the hands-on experience. Dylan Parks, Ph.D., biology assistant professor of instruction and former Lakewood Brewing lab technician, is head of the four-course certificate program.

Designed to teach students from the ground up, Dr. Parks has developed a curriculum that will include The Science of Brewing, Fermentation Science, Brewing Lab and Sensory Evaluation, QA/QC, and Product Design. There will also be a requirement for a 16-hour internship at a local fermentation or brewing facility, for which Lakewood is one of the first to participate.

“Hands-on experience is critical to anyone that is going to go on and work in a production facility, whether it be a winery, brewery, cidery, or distillery,” said Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood Brewing. “It’s important to have an educated workforce, or to even power someone’s future hobby – that’s how I started, and I’m stoked to help others go that path.”

Bens is a graduate of Southern Methodist University, which he has also worked with following the launch this year of PONY PILS, a beer Lakewood made for Mustang fans. After it flew off shelves after launching this summer, SMU added it PONY PILS to its concession offerings at home football and basketball games. The beer also has an associated scholarship with $1 from every case sold going to the LBC Future Brewer STEM Scholarship, which has a goal to “Inspire the passions of the next generation of craft brewers.” 

Lakewood Brewing Company exploded onto the Dallas-Fort Worth brewing scene in 2012 and became famous for its Temptress Imperial Milk Stout, which is now the best-selling craft stout in Texas. Its diverse beer portfolio includes IPA’s, Lagers, seasonal, and limited release beers.