Craft brewery Beau’s All Natural brewing celebrated of 10 years of brewing craft beer in Eastern Ontario, with a special gift to Niagara College.

At a ceremony held July 2 as part of Beau’s 10^th birthday celebrations, Tim and Steve Beauchesne announced that beginning with the 2016/2017 academic year, the brewery will be awarding three $1,000 awards and one $2,000 scholarship annually to students enrolled in the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program at Niagara College.

The $1,000 awards will be given to level two students who have shown promise in brewing innovation, be that in style, technique, or approach. The $2,000 scholarship, intended to promote diversity and equal representation, will be awarded to a student who is working with cultural, gender or health obstacles or opportunities that may affect his or her academic and career success in craft brewing.

“These legacy gifts are designed to inspire and help direct the promising future of craft brewing in Ontario and in Canada,” said  Beau’s co-founder and CEO Steve Beauchesne. “They reflect the values that our fans and fellow brewers have come to know and expect from Beau’s over the last decade.”

“Strong ties to Ontario’s craft brewers is a key ingredient in our Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program, and we’re very grateful to Beau’s for their generous contribution, which will support our students’ success,” said Craig Youdale, dean of Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute. “I’m particularly pleased that the Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company Scholarship will support students who demonstrate perseverance and an innovative approach – characteristics that we work hard to instill throughout our programs.”

The $1,000 awards will be awarded by faculty to students who meet the criteria. The $2,000 scholarship can be applied for through the college, with a deadline this year of September 30, 2016. Information about the scholarships and awards, including application details, will be posted soon at http://www.niagaracollege.ca/costs-financial-aid/scholarships-and-bursaries.

The Niagara College awards and scholarship are part of a series of announcements marking Beau’s 10^th birthday. In May, Beau’s announced the start of its transition to employee ownership, and in early June its partnership as the official brewery of Ottawa 2017. More 10^th Birthday announcements will be coming over the coming months as Beau’s looks back on 10 years, as well as forward to the future.

Beau’s All Natural is an employee-owned and totally independent Canadian craft brewery.