What’s new at Siebel Institute?
News from CBC 2026
We had a great week in Philadelphia attending the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference. The trade show is a bit shorter —just two and a half days—which still made for a productive visit with alumni and prospective students. Siebel Institute was represented by our Director of Education and General Manager, John Hannafan, joined by Oliver Wesseloh, biersommelier and lecturer from Doemens Academy. Together, the two schools form the World Brewing Academy (WBA), which offers internationally respected brewing education at from entry to advanced levels. John and Oliver made a point of connecting with as many alumni as possible during their time at the conference and around the city, as reflected in the many photos.
The conference also gave us the opportunity to reconnect with Garrett Oliver and the Michael James Jackson Foundation (MJF). Siebel Institute is proud to support scholarship awardees, many of whom choose Siebel Institute and WBA for their brewing education. Seeing those students go on to build successful careers and earn industry recognition is one of the most rewarding outcomes of our work.
- Picture 1: John Hannafan with WBA International Diploma alum and MJF scholarship winner Kat Hess.
- Picture 2: John Hannafan with instructor Jason Pratt, a Master Cicerone and co-owner of the Ciceron
- Picture 3: (L to R) WBA alum Jose Bini with John Hannafan and Jose Ignacio.
- Picture 4: (L to R) Oliver Wesseloh, Sylvie Van Zandycke, Garrett Oliver and John Hannafan
- Picture 5: WBA Master Brewer alum and MJF Scholarship winner Anthony Haynes holding the World Beer Cup gold medal for the Piece Pizzeria and Brewery dunkelweizen beer at the World Beer Cup awards ceremony.
Getting ready in Montréal
With the Montreal campus opening this fall (see dates below), the final touches on the classroom are being completed this month. Books are being placed on the shelves, and pictures are going up on the walls to showcase the century-long legacy of the school and its alumni. The bar area is also being completely redesigned and will serve as the common space in the new facility shared with the Lallemand Baking Academy.
Courses and programs available in the fall
Our academic catalog is updated regularly, and we encourage you to visit our website to view the most current version.
Updated list:
- WBA International Diploma in Brewing Technology Program: September 14-December 11 (Montreal and Munich)
- WBA Blended International Diploma in Brewing Technology Program: November 2-December 11 (Munich) Note: For those who have previously completed the WBA Advanced Brewing Theory program
- WBA Advanced Brewing Theory Program: September 14-October 23
- WBA Raw Materials and Wort Production (Module 1): September 14-25 (Montreal)
- Master of Beer Styles Course: September 21-23
- Brewing Microbiology Course: September 28 – October 2 (Montreal)
- WBA Beer Production and Quality Control (Module 2): September 28-October 9 (Montreal)
- WBA Concise Course in Brewing Technology: October 19-30 (Montreal)
- WBA Packaging and Process Technology (Module 3): Oct 12-30 (Montreal)
- Sensory Panel Management Course: October 27-30 (Montreal)
- WBA Fundamentals of Brewing Technology Course (online on demand)
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WBA Curso Corto en Elaboración de Cerveza (online/en linea – on demand/bajo demanda) -
WBA Stand Alone Lectures (online on demand)
We look forward to welcoming you to our new Montreal classroom and continuing our shared commitment to brewing education.