OSU Craft Brewery Startup Workshop Scholarship Recipient Announced
The Pink Boots Society is proud to announce that Nardia McGrath of Newfoundland, Canada is the recipient of the Oregon State University Craft Brewery Startup Workshop scholarship.
Chosen by the PBS Scholarship Selection Committee (SSC), five very experienced women beer professionals who hold positions as brewers, educators and writers, they chose Nardia to receive this scholarship because “she has some practical knowledge” but being located “rather far from a craft centric city, she isn’t able to drive a few hours to do research.”
Nardia started her career in craft beer in 2008, taking a job at an Australian brewery as a bartender but also helping out in the brewery by washing kegs and assisting on the bottling line whenever she could. After a year there she sought out formal brewing education in the U.K. where she obtained a Diploma of British Brewing Technology, a step in her career that she describes as “invaluable.”
Returning to Australia and Bridge Road Brewers after her degree she quickly stepped into a role as a brewer where she oversaw expansions, increased production, introduced QC procedures and designed and released her own successful commercial beer. Over the next four years she held brewer positions at two other breweries, relocated to Newfoundland and made the decision to open a brewery in “an area of the world with very few craft breweries operating, but consumers crying out for more variety.” As this is her first time opening a brewery she feels this course “would be extremely beneficial in helping me achieve my goal of opening a brewery.”
The Oregon State University Professional and Continuing Education Craft Brewery Startup Workshop focuses on developing a working and feasible craft brewery business plan, best practices and marketing strategies for a small business and acquiring capital and infrastructure including how to source ingredients and beer brewing equipment. Participants will research brewery trends and gain entrepreneurial insights on business and management from successful brewery owners.
In addition to attending the course, Nardia will receive a pair of pink steel-toe rubber boots when she fulfills the Pay It Forward requirement associated with the scholarship.