Private Instruction - Brewing, Winemaking, Cider, Cheesemaking

We are now making our staff available to you for Private Instruction. We hope this will offer our hobbyists more than a group class ever could. Up to 4 people may attend each lesson. Private instruction takes place on premise at The Beverage People's Fermenters Warehouse in Santa Rosa, CA.

Our private instruction lesson plans are instruction only. They do not include beverage/food production on site or any beverage/food handling.

About Scheduling a Private Instruction

Home Brewing

Approximate time per lesson: 40-60 minutes

Full Lesson Plan Includes:

Lesson 1 - Beer Components & Sensory Training – Basic
Lesson 2 - Basic Brewing – Extract
Lesson 3 - Bottling, Kegging & Counter Pressure Filling
Lesson 4 - Water Profile & Adjustment – Basic
Lesson 5 - The World of Brewing Yeast
Lesson 6 - The World of Hops
Lesson 7 - The World of Malt
Lesson 8 - Recipe Design and Adjustment
Lesson 9 - Wild & Sour Beers
Lesson 10 - Sensory Training – Advanced
Lesson 11 - All-Grain Brewing – Part I
Lesson 12 - All-Grain Brewing – Part II
Lesson 13 - Water Profile & Adjustment – Advanced
Lesson 14 - Barrel Aging Beers – Barrel Care

Making Wine

Approximate time per lesson: 40-60 minutes

Full Lesson Plan Includes:

Lesson 1 - Basics of Wine Components, Tasting, and Testing
Lesson 2 - Preparing for Harvest - Harvest Math and Assessment of Grape Ripeness
Lesson 3 - Basics of Red Winemaking - Overview of process and equipment
Lesson 4 - Basics of White Wine and Fruit Winemaking - Overview of process and equipment
Lesson 5 - Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Sulfiting
Lesson 6 - The World of Wine Yeast - Yeast Choices, Nutrition, Residual Sugar, and Restart of Stuck Fermentation
Lesson 7 - Malolactic Fermentation
Lesson 8 - Common Wine Flaws - How to Avoid or Fix Them
Lesson 9 - Tannins, Oak and Other Enhancement Products
Lesson 10 - Clarification - Filtration, Finings & Cold Stabilization
Lesson 11 - Bottling and Kegging Wine
SPECIAL TOPIC* - Winemaking Math and Testing - In Depth
SPECIAL TOPIC* - Barrel Usage and Care
SPECIAL TOPIC* - Assisted Evaluation of YOUR Wine
*"Special topics" - there are prerequisite lessons required prior to participation in these lesson plans

Making Cider

Approximate time per lesson: 40-60 minutes

Full Lesson Plan Includes:

Lesson 1 - Basics of Cider Styles, Key Components, Tasting and Testing
Lesson 2 - Preparing for Harvest - Apple Varieties, Harvest Math and Assessment of Apple Ripeness
Lesson 3 - Basics of Cidermaking - Overview of process and equipment
Lesson 4 - Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Sulfiting
Lesson 5 - Yeast and The Mysteries of Malolactic - Yeast Choices, Nutrition, and Malolactic Fermentation
Lesson 6 - Cider Flaws and How to Avoid or Fix Them
Lesson 7 - Tannins, Oak and Other Enhancement Products
Lesson 8 - Clarification - Filtration and Finings
Lesson 9 - Bottling and Sweetening Still Cider
Lesson 10 - Carbonated Cider - Bottling, Kegging and Counter Pressure Filling Carbonated Cider
SPECIAL TOPIC* - Approaching Different Heritage Cider Styles and Fun Modern Variations
SPECIAL TOPIC* - Cidermaking Math & Lab Testing
SPECIAL TOPIC* - Barrel Usage and Care
SPECIAL TOPIC* - Assisted Evaluation of YOUR Cider
*"Special topics" - there are prerequisite lessons required prior to participation in these lesson plans

Cheesemaking

Approximate time per lesson: 60 minutes

Full Lesson Plan Includes:

Lesson 1 - Cheesemaking Introductory Overview, Starter Cultures, Coagulants, and Sanitation & Safety
Lesson 2 - Affinage (Cheese Aging) – Humidity, Temperature and Rind Development
Lesson 3 - Advanced Cheesemaking - Handling Curds, Monitoring pH, Salting Techniques, Pressing, Stretching Cheese, and Fun Enhancement Techniques - Leaf Wrapping, Wine & Beer Brining, Using Ash, Smoking Cheese

Our instructors can combine one-on-one support, with deep knowledge of the products available in the supply chain and the support of The Beverage People---a company that goes back to 1980, essentially the beginning of legal homebrewing in California.

About Scheduling a Private Instruction

Private Instruction - Brewing, Winemaking, Cider, Cheesemaking

Home Brewing

Making Wine

Making Cider

Cheesemaking

Our instructors can combine one-on-one support, with deep knowledge of the products available in the supply chain and the support of The Beverage People---a company that goes back to 1980, essentially the beginning of legal homebrewing in California.

Owner, Teacher, Author, BJCP Judge, Enthusiast

Gabe Jackson

Owner, Trained Hobbyist, Inventory & Purchasing Manager

Jane Jackson