This year, the annual Summer at the Powerhouse program kicked off with a behind-the-scenes tour of New Belgium Brewery. This gives students and staff an inside look at one of Colorado’s most recognized companies. Designed to connect students with industry leaders, Summer at the Powerhouse offers unique opportunities to explore real-world operations, learn from professionals, and build relationships that can help launch future careers.

New Belgium has long been recognized for its commitment to sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmentally responsible brewing practices, making it an ideal first stop for the program.

Throughout the tour, students learned about the brewery’s history, from its beginnings as a local craft brewery to its growth into a nationally recognized brand, while seeing firsthand how sustainability is integrated into every stage of the brewing process.

The tour followed the journey of a beer from start to finish, beginning with how New Belgium sources its ingredients and prepares its brewing materials. Students explored the fermentation process, learned how different beer styles are produced and aged, including the brewery’s sour beers, and saw the packaging and bottling lines that prepare products for distribution across the country. Along the way, they gained insight into the engineering, logistics, environmental stewardship, and innovation that support modern brewing operations.

By connecting classroom concepts with real-world applications, experiences like this demonstrate how sustainability and industry intersect while giving students valuable exposure to potential career paths and the professionals shaping them.