MOUNT PLEASANT, MI — With the growing popularity of craft beer and the emergence of small breweries, Central Michigan University officials are planning a certificate program in fermentation science for the College of Science and Technology.

In this file photo, Kevin Peil, founder of Bay County's Tri-City Brewing Co., pours a glass of beer in the brewery.

University officials say the program, which is expected to enroll its first class in fall 2015, would be the first of its kind in the state to provide a hands-on education focused on craft beer and the sixth such program in the country.

Students would study sciences such as biochemistry, chemistry and microbiology, with lecture-based and hands-on laboratory courses covering all aspects of brewing, from farm to glass, a CMU news release states.

In addition, students would be required to do an internship of at least 200 hours in a production-scale facility.

The Mount Pleasant area's Mountain Town Brewing Co. and Hunter's Ale House are key partners in the proposed fermentation science program.

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According to the Brewers Association, brewing education programs currently are offered at the University of California–Davis, University of California–San Diego, Oregon State University and Central Washington University, the release states.

Ian Davison, dean of the College of Science and Technology, sees a demand for such a program in Michigan.

"As of 2013, Michigan ranked fifth in the nation in number of breweries, behind only California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington," Davison said in a prepared statement. "This growing industry contributes significantly to the state's economy, supporting jobs in breweries as well as in farms producing barley and hops."

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"In 2012, the Brewers Association calculated that Michigan craft brewing contributed 11,666 full-time equivalent jobs and had about a $1 billion economic impact."

In the Great Lakes Bay Region, Saginaw County is home to Frankenmuth Brewery, 425 S. Main, and Cody Smith and Chris Younk plan to open Oracle Brewing Co. at 122 N. Michigan, formerly Saginaw County Democratic Party headquarters, in Old Town Saginaw, next year.

In Bay County, there's Lumber Barons Brewery, 804 E. Midland, and Tri-City Brewing Co., 3020 N. Water. And Midland County touts Midland Brewing Co., 5011 N. Saginaw.

Bay City's Lumber Barons Brewery is located at 804 E. Midland St.

In addition to the state's growing number of breweries, two malt houses, a brewing yeast supplier, a brewing system manufacturer and hundreds of acres of hops have emerged in the last five years, the release states.

But educational opportunities for brewers in the Midwest are limited primarily to the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas in Madison, Wisconsin. Programs often have long wait lists, the release states.

"The undergraduate certificate in fermentation science will fill a need in the state and across the region for students to learn the science and technology underlying brewing," Cordell DeMattei, CMU director of fermentation science, said in a prepared statement. "This opportunity expands CMU's leadership in the sciences and provides the training needed by future leaders of the craft brewing industry."

Officials expect the program to appeal to students studying the sciences and other fields, as well as brewery employees who want to advance their careers.

The program would prepare students for industry-wide certification tests, such as the Institute of Brewers and Distillers General Brewing Certificate and its Diploma in Brewing Modules. And students studying fermentation science would gain real-world experience at the Mountain Town Brewing Co. Tap Room, the release states.

"I am most excited about developing the scientific research component with CMU," Jim Holton, a 1995 CMU alumnus and owner of Mountain Town Station Brewing Co. and Restaurant and Mount Pleasant Brewing Co., said in a prepared statement. "To me, the more beer you brew, the better you get at it."

Holton and Kim Kowalski, Mountain Town Brewing Co.'s brew master, say they're passionate about teaching others the nature of fluid dynamics, the importance of safety and quality control, how to identify problems faster and craft better beer, and how to develop new brands, packaging and styles.

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"What once was a hobby to brew beer requires more skills than ever to exceed customer expectations," Holton's statement continued. "I believe CMU is on the cutting-edge of a great program to help educate individuals on the art and science of brewing with an emphasis on fermentation science."

Cheryl Hunter, owner of Hunter's Ale House in Union Township, added, "The brewing of a malt beverage is very scientific. ... Hunter's Ale House brew master and Michigan Malt Co. founder, Wendell Banks, and I appreciate the opportunity to share our knowledge and professional experience of how great craft beer should be made."

The eatery's expansion into brewing is nearly complete, with the recent installation of a 10-barrel brewing system from the Saugatuck Brewing Co., the release states. Hunter also developed an urban hop farm, with 90 plants in a dozen varieties growing in front of the restaurant.

— Heather Jordan covers business for MLive/The Saginaw News/The Bay City Times. She can be reached at 989-450-2652 or hjordan@mlive.com. For more business news, follow her on Twitter and Facebook.