Madison academic brewery: Engineering the better brewer

At James Madison University we currently offer Brewery Engineering courses. To support these courses, we required a unique laboratory to provide for proper experiential learning. In this paper, we will chronicle the process that has taken us through three locations to our final home. We will also explore the decision made along the way in equipment selection and installation. In addition to the physical components of the Madison Academic Brewery, there was consideration to the system of courses offered and the creating the network of local and craft brewers that will be discussed. Lesson learned and future directions will be offered to assist others that may be undertaking a similar enterprise.