Craft Brew University: Brewing Fundamentals

Craft Brew University is a flexible, online education platform designed to prepare students for success in the brewing industry. This program is built around the International Brewing and Distilling (IBD) syllabus for the Certificate in Brewing exam — a globally recognized credential for aspiring and professional brewers.

Students who complete the course will be well-prepared to sit for the IBD Certificate-level examination, having studied key topics such as raw materials, brewing science, wort production, fermentation, beer styles, microbiology, packaging, and quality assurance.

Expert-Led, Industry-Focused

Craft Brew University was created by Matthew Peetz, a brewing educator and professional with over a decade of experience in the field. Matthew holds a master’s degree in Biology and has worked in the brewing industry for 12 years, including 10 years teaching at Regis University, where he served as Program Director of the Applied Craft Brewing Certificate.

During his tenure at Regis, Matthew taught and mentored students who have gone on to brew at more than 75 breweries across the United States, Canada, and France. His former students have held roles at Bierstadt Lagerhaus, 4 Noses, Avery Brewing, Denver Beer Co, MillerCoors, and Anheuser-Busch, among others — and have consistently won awards at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup.

In addition to developing Craft Brew University, Matthew currently operates a yeast production facility in Golden, Colorado, where he continues to support craft brewers by producing high-quality, lab-cultured yeast strains for commercial use.

Through Craft Brew University, Matthew combines his background in biology, his passion for brewing science, and his years of teaching and industry experience to offer students a rigorous, practical education aligned with global standards.