The Hospitality Management Program at Northampton Community College will offer a new credit class this fall semester.

The 3-credit course, Fundamentals of Beer, Wine & Spirits, is offered as a part of both the AAS in hospitality management: restaurant option and the specialized diploma in dining room operations.

Director of Hospitality Management at NCC, David Schweiger, says, “There is a movement in the restaurant industry for more beverage information concerning beer, wine and spirits. Our program continues to stay current with the industry trends.

In the future, the program would like to create an entire AAS program or diploma based on Craft Beverage Management.”

This course will provide a foundational knowledge of beer, wine and spirits. It provides an overview of the origins, production, sales, and responsible service of wines, spirits and beers.

Topics include styles, service techniques, product knowledge, sensory analysis and beverage tasting.

Sensory analysis is a significant part of the course and anyone under 21 years of age can only use sight and smell analysis.

Robert Van Thiel, beverage director and sommelier of Molinari’s and NCC hospitality program graduate said, “One major benefit of my time in the NCC hospitality program includes the visibility the program gave to me in the community through opportunities on and off campus.

The network of upstanding individuals that I continue to rely on would not have been possible without my time spent in the program. I am confident that the addition of a course, specifically on the beverage sector, would have been an asset to my learning experience had it been a part of the already strong hospitality program being offered at NCC.”

With local breweries and distilleries popping up in the region, NCC hospitality and culinary experts at the college decided they needed to respond to the industry’s beverage segment in a new and unique way.

“Research is showing that when a customer is dining, they want to pay for an experience rather than a product. So, in turn, this class will explore experience innovation when it comes to beverages. The more knowledge the NCC students can poses when it comes to beer, wine and spirits, the more marketable they will be to industry,” said Schweiger.

According to AmericanCraftSpirits.org, Pennsylvania is one of the top states leading the craft spirits industry with employment in the craft spirits industry growing 47.8 percent over the past 12 months.

There are still seats left, but the course is filling up quickly.

The course, taught by Rebecca Heid, associate professor of hospitality management, will be held from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in Alumni Hall Room 126, Gates Center on the Bethlehem Campus.

Register on MyNCC today or speak with an academic adviser at the school via phone at 610-861-5346 or email at advinfo@northampton.edu.

View online at https://bit.ly/2NHcudb.