In Niagara College’s School of Wine, Beer and Spirits you can:

  • gain an understanding of the many aspects of distilling and fermentation;
  • play a leading role in the brewery, microbrewery, brewpub and distillery industries;
  • develop and improve beverages, products and operations; or
  • reduce beverage production safety risks and ensure regulations are met.

Niagara College's School of Wine, Beer and Spirits is located at the 125-acre Daniel J. Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Our campus sits in the heart of Niagara's agricultural, wine and culinary country, which features a burgeoning craft beer industry. Niagara College's School of Wine, Beer and Spirits offers opportunities unprecedented in Canadian education, with exceptional student experiences via on-campus labs, and enterprises such our 40-acre vineyard, NC Teaching Brewery, NC Teaching Distillery, NC Teaching Spa, NC Teaching Greenhouse, hop yard and apiary.

Programs are taught by expert faculty with significant industry experience. Students also gain industry experience by working with industry partners and at special functions held on- and off-campus, engaging the community via not-for-profit and catered events, recipe competitions, industry research and innovation.

Programs

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Artisan Distilling

Student pouring spirit into glass over wooden barrel.
Graduate Certificate 1 Year
Learn more about the Artisan Distilling program

Beverage Business Management
Online

Two visitors taste wine poured by a student sommelier at the NC Wine Visitor and Education Centre
Graduate Certificate 1 Year
Learn more about the Beverage Business Management program

Beverage Business Management - Barcelona, Spain

Two visitors taste wine poured by a student sommelier at the NC Wine Visitor and Education Centre
Graduate Certificate 1 Year
Learn more about the Beverage Business Management - Barcelona, Spain program

Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management

Students mixing in a steel drum in the teaching brewery.
Diploma 2 Years
Learn more about the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program

Winery and Viticulture Technician

wine and viticulture student putting wine from syringe into wine glass
Diploma 2 Years
Learn more about the Winery and Viticulture Technician program
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News

Alumni make their mark on Canada’s culinary scene, shine on 2026 MICHELIN Guide

October 15, 2026

From award-winning restaurants and wineries to craft breweries and bakeries, NC alumni are making their mark on Canada’s culinary scene, with several graduates connected to establishments recognized in the prestigious 2026 MICHELIN Guide selections. Seven NC alumni have been identified among the chefs, entrepreneurs and professionals associated with MICHELIN-recognized establishments across Canada, including two Niagara […]

Raising the bar: Teaching brewery taps into national gold for NC Craft Bitter

October 15, 2026

Staff and students at Niagara College’s Teaching Brewery are raising a glass to a golden pour with a new medal from the 2026 Canada Beer Cup. The popular NC Craft Bitter won gold, leading the English Bitter and Pale Ale category. “Canada Beer Cup is Canada’s national not-for-profit beer competition, and the most technical. Niagara […]

NC Craft Beverage Centre hosts inaugural Cheers Niagara Festival

October 13, 2026

Some of Niagara’s best sips and bites are ready to take centre stage. On October 16 and 7 the NC Craft Beverage Centre will transform into a lively community hub as the host venue for the first-ever Cheers Niagara Festival. Organized by the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce, the two-day event spotlights the region’s thriving craft […]

An Evening on the Dean’s List: Sip, savour and celebrate NC Teaching Winery’s finest

October 09, 2026

Niagara College is ready to shine a spotlight on the finest wines in the history of Canada’s first Teaching Winery with a unique dinner event this fall. On Thursday, November 19, the College will host An Evening on the Dean’s List. The ticketed dinner event, to be held at Benchmark Restaurant, will shine a spotlight […]

Niagara Parks and Niagara College present History on Tap at Old Fort Erie

October 06, 2026

Niagara Parks and Niagara College are proud to partner and present, History on Tap at Old Fort Erie – a one-of-a-kind experience combining NC Craft beer samples from Canada’s first Teaching Brewery and cider from Canada’s first commercial Teaching Winery with historically inspired food pairings and immersive storytelling. This unique event invites guests to step […]

Raise a stein for NC Craft Oktoberfest

October 02, 2026

Celebrate student-brewed traditional German beers, delicious food and campus community spirit at Oktoberfest. The NC community is gearing up for an unforgettable afternoon of tradition, music, and campus-crafted brews as NC craft hosts its Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, October 3. Crafted over the summer by third semester students alongside Brewmaster Professor Jon Downing, this year’s […]

Brewmaster grad to lead hands-on NC Craft Masterclass Sept. 29

September 25, 2026

For recent graduate Lachlan Robertson, beer isn’t just a beverage; it’s a study in chemistry, history and craft. Now the 2026 Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program alumnus is ready to tap into his expertise to lead an upcoming NC Craft Masterclass, “Beer: 4 Ingredients.” Scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, September 29 (6:30 to […]

Wine students stomp into harvest season

September 22, 2026

Isabella Geberdt never imagined her first few weeks of college would involve stomping frantically in a barrel crushing freshly picked grapes with her bare, purple-stained feet, but for the latest crop of students from NC’s Winery and Viticulture Technician program, the messy, high-energy grape stomp proved to be a perfect kickoff to their applied learning […]

Crafting a brighter future: NC supports Habitat Build and Brew Passport

September 18, 2026

NC Craft is pouring its support into affordable housing, welcoming community members to taste, explore and make a difference through Habitat for Humanity Niagara’s new Build and Brew Passport. The initiative, which launched September 14 and runs through December 23, supports building affordable housing and strengthening communities throughout Niagara. “NC Craft is proud to be […]

Collecting with a cause: Fundraiser taps into support for Brewmaster students

September 16, 2026

Nostalgia meets the next generation of craft brewing on Saturday, September 16 as collectors gather for the eleventh annual Niagara Brewery Collectibles Club (NBCC) Fall Trade Show in support of NC students. To be held at Casa Dante Hall in Welland from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the show invites the community to explore a […]

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