Schoolcraft College is brewing up something special for its students and for the community. A new brew pub at the college just opened and it's serving beer made by students in the school's brewery and distillation program.
Called The Craft Grille at Vistatech, the concept is a dedicated space for students in the Brewing and Distillation Technology program. it will serve up beers on tap and a menu designed by the college's Culinary Operations program.
One of those students is John Huber. By day, he's an automotive engineer, but by night, he's a student perfecting his hobby and the art of brewing beer, something his wife got him hooked on 30 years ago. He's still learning new things.
"There's a lot of physics involved in brewing. There's chemistry, biology, electrical, plumbing, mechanical engineering," Huber said. "When you learn something new in these classes, it makes you want to go right away and get some new equipment."
Students at Schoolcraft have been learning the art of brewing and distilling since 2015.
"Hands on, to me, is the most important part of the program, and we do a lot of work in this brewery with our students," Tom Block, the director of the brewing and disitlling program, said.
Block has been brewing beer for over 30 years. He says everyone, from students to home brew lovers, apply to the program.
"We have the 20-somethings, all the way to people in their late 50s who might be getting ready to retire or have retired and are looking to work part-time at a brewery or even open up their own place as a second career.
The program's new brew pub has eight beers on tap and they're all created by the students. They serve everything from pints to flights.
"That gives the opportunity for guests to try four different styles of beer in a 5-ounce pour. We give them some background on the beer before they order it, so it's kind of like a try before you buy," Manager Jeff Groth said.
Groth was once a student at Schoolcraft and in the brewing class. He now manages the grill, and the craft doesn't stop at brewing.
"We take a lot of pride in what we serve here, but we also want to serve the perfect pint, so you get that glass filled with that beverage that is going to look and smell great," he said. "People think it's super easy to pour a beer but they have to understand the concept of how you tip the glass and get that nice foam color on the beer so you get all of the aromas."
For Huber, he wants to get into the beer industry when he retires.
The Craft Grille is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, as well as 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
