probably the world – to boast an onsite
teaching winery, brewery and distillery.
Gill, who came from the local wine
industry himself, credits the college with
realizing the unique vision. “Colleges
are quick to react to help local industry,”
he told Poured Canada. “I think Niagara
College was riding the crest of the wave
when they did this.”
Hard on the heels of that first program
came the teaching winery, which opened
to the public in the fall of 2002. Then,
in 2008, a Wine Business Management
Program was rolled out. Two years later,
Niagara College ventured into the beer
industry with its Brewmaster and Brewery
Operations Management Program,
complete with a teaching brewery.
“The teaching distillery was just a
natural, in 2018,” said Gill. “We’ve done a
winery and brewery, so let’s finish it off
with a distillery. There are a lot of wineries
and breweries looking to diversify into
distilling, so we launched the Artisan
Distilling Program and teaching distillery.”
While those are the main programs
at NCLEC, students can also learn how
to make cider. The school’s wine centre
sells all of the beverages made by students,
including wine labels Balance and Dean’s
List, as well as Beer 101, Cider 101, School
Spirits and Spirits 101.
Currently, the Niagara College
teaching winery produces the top
sparkling wine in Canada. The brewery
is not to be outdone, having taken home
many honours, including a gold and two
silvers at the 2020 Ontario Brewing Awards.
The distillery also earned a bronze for
its rum at the U.S. Spirits Championship.
The facility delivers anywhere in Ontario
with a minimum order, and its beverages
have made the “A” list at several local
restaurants in Niagara and the Greater
Toronto Area.
Sampling the industry
No matter what program they’re enrolled
in, every Niagara College student gets
a well-rounded education designed to
equip them for the region’s multi-faceted
beverage industry.
“This campus is one of a kind,” said
Gill. “We have the Canadian Food and
Products Tailored for the
Craft Brewing Industry
Serving the Brewing & Distilling Industries Since 1964.
Pumps &
Spare Parts
ROLEC DH (Dry Hopping)
Induction Systems
1-800-361-5361 • 705-743-5361 • sales@harco.on.ca • www.harcosupply.com
675 The Parkway, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7K2
Heat Exchangers
Valves, Pumps
and Spare Parts
Model DH90
Model DH45
Valves,
Instrumentation
and Spare Parts
Hose &
Fittings
Sanitary
Gauges
EDUCAT I O N
26 § POURED CANADA § www.poured.ca
/www.harcosupply.com
/www.poured.ca
link
