Otago Polytechnic students will be brewing up lager and pale ale at their new facility in Cromwell - which has just been officially named the Rough Rock Brewing Company.
The brewery will form part of a $3million redevelopment of Otago Polytechnic's Central Otago Campus Bannockburn site, which also includes a trades facility for carpentry and automotive students.
An open day will be held on December 1, and the brewery, which cost about $1million to set up, will open in February.
Otago Polytechnic Central Otago campus head of school Alex Huffadine said students would work with a nano kit, which would allow them to experiment.
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Advertise with NZME.The beer would initially only be available to a "brew share'' club.
Later, if the polytechnic hit its production targets, its brews might be retailed locally.
The brewery might even become a ``destination cellar'' and gate sales might be offered.
"At this stage it's really about getting everything running. It's still a bit of a work in progress really.''
The commercial component of the brewery was important, as one of the major aims was to make students work-ready.
"We'd certainly like to turn a profit.
"We need to do commercial production because the graduates have to be able to brew in the real world.''
Three different qualifications would be offered through the brewery - the New Zealand certificate in brewing (level 4), the New Zealand certificate in brewing (level 5) and the New Zealand diploma in brewing (level 6).
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Advertise with NZME.Mr Huffadine hoped for about 15 students for the first cohort.
elena.mcphee@odt.co.nz
