Rodrigo Ribeiro Meireles is a 2022 graduate of Niagara College’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program. He worked with the Food & Beverage Innovation Centre as a Brewery Research Assistant, and later a Brewery Research Associate, from July 2021 to April 2022. He is now working as a consultant for the brewing industry, with his main client being Miski Brewing. They are a brewing company with gluten-free, kosher, organic, and vegan certifications, making beer from alternative grains.
Tell us about where you work.
I am currently working as a consultant for the brewing industry. My main client is Miski Brewing. They are a brewing company with gluten-free, kosher, organic, and vegan certifications, making beer from alternative grains.
What year did you graduate and what program?
I graduated from the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program in April 2022.
What led you to want to go to Niagara College in the first place?
What led me to want to go to Niagara College was the practical approach the College had to offer. I graduated in Chemical Engineering in 2014 and have been working in the beer industry since then, and sometimes university can be quite theoretical, so I did not want to go back to a theory-heavy program. Instead, I needed a more hands-on approach to better develop my skills but, of course, with a good theoretical base behind the practical aspect, which is also taught in the program.
The highly skilled and experienced professors working at the College also had a huge impact on my decision to join it.
On top of that, the College really improves our network with people from the industry. We graduate from the program feeling quite acquainted with the main suppliers and service providers for the industry.
When did you work with Research & Innovation? What was your role?
I started working with Research & Innovation (R&I) in July 2021, as a Brewery Research Assistant, later being promoted to Brewery Research Associate, and worked with R&I until April 2022.
My role was to assist in the development and production of beverages of different kinds, such as vodka, piquette wine, gluten-free beers, RTDs, seltzers, and dairy products. I also worked with batch and HTST Pasteurization.
Describe your current job and what you like about it.
My current job consists of developing and improving processes and creating recipes for gluten-free brewing with alternative grains, also working with non-alcoholic brewing, packaging, and management best practices.
I am driven by challenge and working in this “unconventional” side of brewing really motivates me to keep going, especially after seeing the final product and its quality.
How has your experience with R&I helped prepare you for your current role?
I was fortunate enough to work on projects at the College’s brewery, winery, and distillery. Having the opportunity to work with amazing people from these three different “worlds” (and also similar in some ways) really helped prepare me for my current role.
The equipment and process I deal with today are comparable to the ones I used during my experience at the College, and having this previous experience really helps during my day-to-day challenges.
Also, during my time at R&I, I started working with gluten-free brewing and I learned a lot on the subject during my time working there.
“The College offers a wide array of valuable experiences, besides the program itself. My advice is to try and participate in as many ‘extra-curricular’ activities as possible. Personally, participating in the Caps Corks and Forks and working with Research & Innovation was really important for my personal and professional growth.”
A memorable applied research project during your time at R&I?
All projects I have worked on were very memorable to me, but I would say that the Miski Brewing gluten-free beer project was the one that sparked my interest to improve my knowledge and keep working on this area of brewing in such a way that we are still working together, even after graduation, developing further and further on the aspects of gluten-free beer options.
Do have any special memories during your time as a student at NC?
Yes. Project Brew, which is an event created by the students at the end of the program where we display the beers that we created from scratch, was a very special moment for me and my colleagues.
Also having had the opportunity to be part of the beer team at the 2022 edition of the Caps Corks and Forks event was one of the highlights of my Niagara College experience.
Do you have a mentor who influenced you?
The Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program coordinator Adrian Popowycz really helped and influenced me along my Niagara College journey with his wealth of knowledge. We also worked together at Research & Innovation on a few projects, but many members of the faculty also had an important positive impact on my career.
What advice would you give to a current student?
The College offers a wide array of valuable experiences, besides the program itself. My advice is to try and participate in as many “extra-curricular” activities as possible. Personally, participating in the Caps Corks and Forks and working with Research & Innovation was really important for my personal and professional growth.
After being in the workforce, what have you learned?
I was able to learn even more about the brewing industry and processes in general, especially the gluten-free and non-alcoholic aspects of it.
What do you do in your personal time?
I train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a sport that is similar to wrestling and judo. I have participated in this sport since early childhood and continue to train 3 to 4 times a week. As a graduate from the Brewmaster program, of course, I enjoy going to bars with friends and trying different beers as well as eating food from different cultures.
Proudest achievement since graduating?
I feel very proud of being able to create tasty beers from non-standard ingredients, especially non-alcoholic ones, which is becoming a trend in the industry as some consumers are looking to reduce alcohol consumption.
If you could have a billboard message seen by many, what would it say?
“Be the change you [wish] to see in the world” which I believe was said by Mahatma Gandhi.
