Brewing and Distillation Technology

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After a career in accounting, Eric Sokoloski found himself wanting more. So he enrolled at Schoolcraft College to learn how to brew the perfect craft beer. 

Real-life experience from his instructors was a critical part of Eric Sokoloski’s education at Schoolcraft College. 

A Dearborn High School graduate, Sokoloski had spent several years working in accounting. But he found himself wanting more. A radio spot he heard advertising Schoolcraft College’s Brewing and Distillation Technology program piqued his interest.  

A passionate homebrewer, he thought combining his business sense with his creative sense would lead to a successful new venture. 

“I have an artistic side, but I also have my numbers side. Brewing’s both,” Sokoloski said. “That worked out for me.” 

Those looking to join the exciting field of brewing are invited to an event this weekend. Schoolcraft College will hold an open house for its Brewing and Distillation Technology program from 3-6 p.m. Saturday, June 22 in the Vistatech Center, 18600 Haggerty in Livonia. There, prospective students can see the brewing facilities, learn more about the certificate program and enjoy a pint of student-brewed beer.  

He’s since found his new passion: Sokoloski is the owner/brewer of Great White Buffalo Brewing Company, which opened in 2023 in the heart of downtown Northville. The brewery boasts onsite brewed beers, seltzers, house made root beer and offers Michigan made wine and ciders from New Hudson-based Whole Hearted Winery located in New Hudson. They also have a full menu, including a kids menu as well as gluten free and vegetarian options. They have a full patio with events going on every week at the brewery.  

 It’s a venture he would not have been able to be a part of without the education he received at Schoolcraft College. 

wall of framed photos
Photos surround the Great White Buffalo Brewery logo on the wall inside the downtown Northville business. 

“The program taught me a lot, honestly. The program’s amazing,” Sokoloski said. “It has amazing teachers that have real-life experiences. Not only can they teach from the book, but they can tell you how it really is.” 

Sokoloski began looking for spaces to open a brewery in 2019 looking across the region before finding the brewery’s current home at Main and Center in Northville. He and his team transformed the space, a former frozen yogurt spot. Understanding all the needs for launching a business – from the utility costs to filing the regulatory paperwork – were skills he learned while earning a Brewing and Distillation Technology Certificate. 

Even after graduating several years ago, Sokoloski still keeps up with the happenings on campus. That includes regularly speaking to Tom Block, the head of the Brewing and Distillation Technology program at Schoolcraft College. That comradery extends not just to his alma mater, but with brewers from across the region. 

That’s just how the industry looks after its members, Block said. It’s not uncommon for either Block or Sokoloski to call each other, looking for advice or some additional product.  

“That’s one of our advantages of our craft beer industry,” he said. “We can reach out to other breweries owners.” 

Opening his own place has been an eye-opening experience for Sokoloski, who said it was always his goal to do just that. Gone are the days of his friends simply trying the beers he brews; now, the beer he creates is examined closely by paying customers. 

“I think it’s getting a better, bigger picture of what you’re doing. When you’re homebrewing and you have a crappy batch, your friends are going to drink it. They’ll support you through whatever,” he said. “Now I have a brand that I hold to very high standards and if we make a bad batch, we choose to dump it rather than serve a inferior product.” 

The drive to open his own shop was something Block saw in Sokoloski right away when he enrolled.  

“Eric was an awesome student. Not everybody comes in and says, ‘I’m going to open a brewery,’” Block said. “There’s a few of them that come in bound and determined.” 

With a year under his belt, Sokoloski said he’s looking forward to the next year as members of the community get to know his product better.  

His advice to those looking to change career paths and join the brewing field? Get ready to learn. 

“Take the class, get to know the instructors. And get ready to work because it’s tough,” Sokoloski said. “I knew it was going to be tough, but I didn’t know it was going to be this tough.” 

Main image caption: Eric Sokoloski pours a beer from the tap at Great White Buffalo Brewing Company in downtown Northville.  

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Schoolcraft has won 37 medals overall since 2017

The medal count for Schoolcraft College’s acclaimed Brewing and Distillation Technology program keeps rising and now stands at 37 following another excellent performance in the 2022 U.S. Open College Beer Championship and the 2022 U.S Open Beer Championship. 

Schoolcraft brought home two gold medals (Haggerty IPA and Grand Cru) and one silver medal (College Pale Ale) in the college competition, which is in its sixth year and is for colleges and universities that teach brewing courses. Schoolcraft College also tied for second overall.

Here’s a brief description of those award-winning beers:

Haggerty IPA

  • Classic American India Pale Ale has a touch of rye malt to enhance the malt character, and a high bitterness from the use of Simcoe hops. Piney and fruity notes.

Grand Cru

  • Golden in color, this strong Belgian-style ale has notes of bready malt alongside a touch of fruitiness and spice from both the Belgian yeast strain, and the addition of coriander and orange peel.

College Pale Ale

  • Brewed with pale malts and Australian Galaxy hops, this American Pale Ale has aromas of crackery malt and tropical fruit. Moderate bitterness.
Group of people in brewing distillery
Students in the Brewing and Distillation Technology program learn in a working brewery.

“We are always honored to have our beer win medals against our peers and fellow brewers,” said Thomas Block, Director of the Brewing and Distillation Technology program. “Our faculty is top-notch and our brewery on campus is second to none compared with other brewing schools. We focus on process in the brewery and the program. If the process is solid, the beer will be as well.”

All beers were submitted by one of each school’s brewing professors/instructors, and each school could enter up to four beers of their own choosing. Those four entries were judged according to the U.S. Open Style Standards.

In addition, each school was invited to submit a beer from a specific category to be judged head-to-head according to the U.S. Open Style Standards. This year’s category was German Kölsch, with Schoolcraft College earning a bronze medal. Here’s a description of that beer:

275 Kolsch-Style

  • A golden beer based on a German classic, soft maltiness, low bitterness and a crisp finish with just a touch of spice aroma from German hops.

In the U.S. Open Beer Championship, Schoolcraft won a silver medal in the Altbier category for its German Alt.

The U.S. Open Beer Championship judges more beer styles than any other competition in the world, with more than 9,000 brews representing over 150 styles of beer to be judged, along with home brews that have medaled at the 2021 American Homebrew Association’s national competition.

About Schoolcraft’s program

Students learn the brewing science to craft award-winning beer in a state-of-the-art brewery that’s the largest of any brewing program in Michigan. State-of-the-art analytical equipment measures alcohol percentage, bitterness, CO2 volume, dissolved oxygen, color and more to craft a superior beer.

The 360-degree approach helps students learn the real-world aspects of the beer and distilled spirits industry, including:

  • Business and operations
  • Product finishing and packaging
  • Draught systems management
  • Beer history and customer service

Schoolcraft’s six faculty members have experience as head brewers, brewmasters, owners, buyers, sales managers and more, with over 100 years of combined experience in the craft beer industry. Students learn their skills in an actual brewery that features:

  • A 7-barrel brewhouse
  • Six 7-barrel fermenters
  • Two 3.5-barrel fermenters
  • Three 7-barrel “Brite” tanks for conditioning
  • One 2-head bottling line
  • One 2-head canning line
  • One crowler machine

To learn more about Schoolcraft College’s Brewing and Distillation Technology program, please go to schoolcraft.edu/beer

Registration for the Fall 2022 semester is now open. Classes start Monday, August 29.

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Proceeds enhance scholarships and grants

One of the most prestigious annual events at Schoolcraft College is returning in February.

The Culinary Extravaganza (CulEx), billed this year as the Diamond Jubilee Culinary Extravaganza, will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 24, in the VisTaTech Center. The Diamond Jubilee Culinary Extravaganza will showcase the skills of the distinguished and award-winning students and faculty of Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Arts and Brewing and Distillation Technology programs.

chefs preparing plates in a kitchen
The Diamond Jubilee Culinary Extravaganza will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 24, in the VisTaTech Center.

Proceeds from this fabulous strolling dinner will enhance scholarships and grants for the benefit of students and programs through the Schoolcraft College Foundation (SCF).

A wide array of sponsorship and ticket options are available. For more information, contact Carole Booms, Director of Annual Giving & Scholarship Administration, at 734-462-4455 or [email protected].

For more information, visit the Schoolcraft College Foundation website.

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Another strong showing in U.S. Open Beer Championships

Schoolcraft College, home of the acclaimed Brewing and Distillation Technology program, recently won a total of five medals in two prestigious competitions, underscoring the excellence of its instructors and students.

Four beers, all different types
Schoolcraft College students in the Brewing and Distillation Technology program learn to create a variety of craft beers.

Specifically, Schoolcraft College won a gold medal in the 2021 U.S. Open Beer Championships and two gold medals and two bronze medals in the 2021 U.S. Open College Beer Championships. 

The U.S. Open Beer Championships judges more beer styles than any other competition in the world, with more than 8,000 beers representing over 140 different styles vying for prizes. Schoolcraft’s gold medal came in Australian-Style Pale Ale for its College Pale Ale. The College has won 32 medals in competition since 2017, including a silver and a bronze in the 2020 U.S. Open Beer Championships.

Brewed with pale malts and Australian Galaxy hops, the College Pale Ale has aromas of crackery malt and tropical fruit with moderate bitterness.

“The U.S. Open Beer Championships is always one of the most competitive events we enter.”

Thomas Block, Director of the Brewing and Distillation Technology program.
Schoolcraft College’s Brewing and Distillation Technology program combines state-of-the-art equipment with experienced faculty with a combined over 100 years’ experience in the craft beer industry.

“The U.S. Open Beer Championships is always one of the most competitive events we enter,” said Thomas Block, Director of the Brewing and Distillation Technology program. “With around 40 beers in each style category, it’s a tremendous honor when one of our beers earns a medal – especially a gold medal.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, judging was held in both the U.S. and Canada. Judging is blind, with judges knowing only the categories, but not the names or locations, of beers.

U.S. Open College Beer Championships

Schoolcraft College finished in a tie for second overall in the U.S. Open College Beer Championships and had the best showing of any college or university in Michigan. The results with the students are:

  • Gold – 275 Kolsch (Dan Nieland and Kasey Bunio)
  • Gold – College Pale (Mitchell Wayne and Gerry Morin)
  • Bronze – SC Baltic Porter (Dan Nieland and Kasey Bunio)
  • Bronze – Grand Cru (Dan Nieland and Kasey Bunio)

“Our students did an outstanding job against excellent competition,” Block said. “We are very proud of them and each has a bright future in the craft brewing industry.”

About Schoolcraft’s program

Students learn the brewing science to craft award-winning beer in a state-of-the-art brewery that’s the largest of any brewing program in Michigan. State-of-the-art analytical equipment measures alcohol percentage, bitterness, CO2 volume, dissolve oxygen, color and more to craft a superior beer.

Four brewers standing in brewery
Schoolcraft College’s students in the Brewing and Distillation Technology program learn in an actual brewery. 

The 360-degree approach helps students learn the real-world aspects of the beer and distilled spirits industry, including:

  • Business and operations
  • Product finishing and packaging
  • Draught systems management
  • Beer history and customer service

Schoolcraft’s six faculty members have experience as head brewers, brewmasters, owners, buyers, sales managers and more, with over 100 years’ combined experience in the craft beer industry. Students learn their skills in an actual brewery that features:

  • A 7-barrel brewhouse
  • Six 7-barrel fermenters
  • Two 3.5-barrel fermenters
  • Three 7-barrel “Brite” tanks for conditioning
  • One 2-head bottling line
  • One 2-head canning line
  • One crowler machine

To learn more about Schoolcraft College’s Brewing and Distillation Technology program, please go to schoolcraft.edu/beer

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Dorian Hall and James Ellison are on a mission to change the perception of craft beer, and more important, craft beer brewers in Metro Detroit.

Each is a recent graduate of Schoolcraft College’s well-respected Brewing and Distillation Technology (BDT) program. Already close (they are brothers-in-law – James is married to Dorian’s sister), they have a passion to make their mark through their own label, The Black Hop Brewing Company, and to raise awareness for a new path for budding entrepreneurs.

“There aren’t a lot of minorities in Detroit doing this,” Dorian said. “James and I are trying to bridge that gap, diversifying what craft brewery owners look like in Metro Detroit.”

Finding Schoolcraft College

Dorian found out about Schoolcraft College’s program by accident while he and his wife were enjoying a happy hour in Royal Oak. Dorian’s wife wanted to try a beer with a fruity taste and asked the server for a recommendation. The recommendation was a hit; after more conversation, the server revealed he was a student at Schoolcraft College “majoring in beer.”

“I thought, no way there’s a school that teaches that,” Dorian said. Intrigued, he called James about his discovery. After learning more about Schoolcraft College’s program, they enrolled in the spring of 2018. Both earned the Cicerone®* Certification Program’s Beer Server Certificate and TIPS® (“Training for Intervention Procedures”) alcohol server certification and were top of their class.

Passionate Instructors Focused on Your Success

James and Dorian appreciated the personal attention they received in the BDT program at Schoolcraft College.

“You can tell the instructors are incredibly passionate about what they do,” James said. “They are proactive about reaching out to make sure you’re succeeding.” 

Dorian said most people don’t realize craft brewing combines elements of art and science – especially chemistry.

Schoolcraft College’s six faculty members have more than 100 years’ experience combined in positions across the spectrum of the craft brewing industry.

“Every instructor is in the industry,” James said. “They’re not just telling you something out of a book – they’re living it. They challenge you, but they also will be with you every step of the way.”

Before beginning their formal education, Dorian and James had experimented with a home beer kit. Although dissatisfied with the results, they were on the right track, but just needed a bit more of the expertise Schoolcraft College provides.

“We’re still home brewers,” James said. “Once you’re a home brewer, you don’t stop – you just buy bigger equipment!”

Focused on a Bright Future

Dorian and James wanted to learn even more about distillation of spirits, so they contacted businesses around Michigan for opportunities. They said Schoolcraft College’s excellent reputation helped open doors as they learned how to make award-winning vodka.

“Schoolcraft College has won 27 awards for their beer,” Dorian said. “That means they’re doing something right.”

And now Dorian and James are eager to put the knowledge they gained at Schoolcraft College to work with their own establishment and perhaps serve as inspiration for others to follow that path.

“People don’t know a program like Schoolcraft is out there, and yet it’s right here in their local county,” Dorian said. “Schoolcraft College broadened my horizons and will open your eyes to realize craft beer doesn’t have a ‘look.’” 

James is ready for what promises to be an exciting next chapter.

“Our biggest mission is to open a new avenue for everybody whowants to step up and do something different,” he said. “Follow your passion. Schoolcraft allowed us to do that.” 

*A Cicerone is an expert in pairing beer and food, among other abilities.