Humans have been brewing alcohol since the dawn of recorded history, and distilling alcohol stretches back over a thousand years. Brewing and distilling play a major role in the Kentucky and U.S. economy. Industries as diverse as farming, tourism, construction, and retail all rely on, and contribute to alcohol production. This multidisciplinary certificate is designed to complement an existing major in a related field, by providing a background understanding of topics related to the brewing and distilling industries-the science, the business, and the history, as well as an internship-students need to become competitive in the marketplace.Students who want to work in the business side of the industry might take a business degree and then the extra coursework for this certificate. People who want to be brewers might take a biology or chemistry degree, while someone interested in supplying the industry might take an agriculture degree, or someone looking to design bottles or labels might take a graphic or industrial design design degree.<br><br>Brewing and distilling represent one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy in the United States, with craft brewing and craft distilling providing tremendous opportunities for innovative people to make in impact. That impact goes beyond the simple production of alcohol. While it is true that learning to brew and distill can lead to long and rewarding careers, there are many facets of the industry that don't require extensive knowledge of either. The brewing and distilling industry provides opportunities in a wide variety of fields-from graphic design to industrial design, from the restaurant and hotel industry to agriculture and construction. The certificate was designed after a series of interviews with brewers and distillers, asking them what they wish they had known more of before they got into the industry. With that in mind, this program is designed for students to gain knowledge specific to the brewing and distilling industry in order that they can use their existing majors to add to the range of fields in which they can find employment. A crucial part of the educational experience is the capstone internship experience. Students will work with one of the program coordinators and a faculty advisor in the students' primary major to find an internship in an area of the industry relevant to the student's career aspirations. That might involve working alongside a brewer, with an architect designing a brewpub, with a graphic arts company specializing in labels or bottle design, or any of a number of fields.