By Sarah Sell, University Communications and Marketing
When Sam Rosenstiel moved to the Tampa Bay area two years ago, he quickly discovered the region's expanding microbrewery scene and wanted to get involved. A former journalist from Cincinnati, Ohio, he was eager to explore a new career and came across a program to help him do just that.
On March 29, Rosenstiel was among nearly two dozen students who received their certificate of completion from USF's Brewing Arts program during a ceremony held at the Yuengling Draft Haus & Kitchen in Tampa.
Brewing Arts students come from diverse age groups, many of whom are pursuing second careers while balancing full-time jobs as they complete the program.
The interdisciplinary program at USF St. Petersburg is a 23-week online course that provides students with the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed for a successful career in craft brewing. The program offers two sessions annually, starting in February and August.
"I knew I was passionate about beer, and I wanted to be part of that industry," said Rosenstiel, who was part of the August 2024 cohort. "When I learned that USF had a Brewing Arts program with a built-in, paid internship, I jumped at the chance."
Rosenstiel completed his certificate with an 80-hour internship at Bayboro Brewing in St. Petersburg, one of 20 local breweries currently participating in the Brewing Arts program. The internships provide $15 hourly pay and are designed for students to learn core skills in the art of brewing and understand business operations.
"With Sam going through the course, he was able to pick up on many of the processes and ideas involved in beer making," said Aaron Hutchings, head brewer at Bayboro Brewing.
After retiring from law enforcement, Hutchings took a path similar to Rosenstiel's, graduating from the Brewing Arts Program in 2018. Both he and Rosenstiel developed a passion for homebrewing, which ultimately led them to pursue it as a career.
"It was nice having someone come in who already had a background in making beer," Hutchings said. "Our system at Bayboro is a giant homebrewing system, unlike the bigger breweries with automated systems where it's push-a-button and go. Everything here is manual."
The Brewing Arts program offers diverse courses with students studying subjects like anthropology, chemistry, microbiology and business. The program is a collaboration with USF's College of Arts and Sciences, USF's Muma College of Business and local and national breweries.
USF professor Frank Biafora founded the Brewing Arts program during his time as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and continues to support it by recruiting students and attending events.
"Our program prepares students for industry employment in all areas of the brewing industry, from production to business operations," said Joe Askren, director of the Brewing Arts program. "Understanding fermentation science is essential for creating a consistent, high-quality product. Mastering how to create a business plan is equally important for ensuring long-term success."
Launched in 2015, the program recently became the recipient of a gift that will further help train craft-beer entrepreneurs. In January, USF received a $2.2 million gift from Joey and Jennifer Redner, the founder of Tampa's Cigar City Brewing. Half the gift will support the university's on-campus stadium project in Tampa, including a 40,000-square-foot hospitality center and a 3,000-square-foot brewing space.
The other half is dedicated to the Brewing Arts program and supporting the education of students like Rosenstiel.
"I feel like I have a really good foundation to go out into the brewing industry and work for any brewery or own my own brewery someday," Rosenstiel said.
Interested students can apply to the next Brewing Arts cohort that begins on August 5, 2025.