Olds College Suspends Craft Beverage Diploma, Brewery to Close June 2026

Olds College announced it is suspending its Craft Beverage and Brewery Operations diploma and will wind down the Olds College Brewery, with brewery operations slated to close in June 2026. The decision follows a decline in enrolment tied to broader weakness in the craft beer market, and nine staff members are directly affected by the suspension and planned closure.

The college said, “Unfortunately, the craft beer industry has been on a downward trend for the last few years, which has resulted in significantly decreased student enrolment.” Instructors will “teach out” remaining coursework through the end of April 2026 so current final-year students in the two-year diploma can complete their studies and graduate. The brewery, which opened in 2013 as the program’s teaching and learning enterprise, will remain active as a learning site through the academic year and continue retail beer sales up to the closure point.

Olds College leadership framed the move as a strategic adjustment. Dean Dennis Beaudoin said, “After carefully weighing enrolment trends and the needs of our workforce, this decision is necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability, strength and focus of Olds College.” Vice-president academic Dalin Bullock added, “While we remain committed to providing high-quality education, the decision to suspend the Craft Beverage and Brewery Operations program and close the brewery is a difficult one. Decreasing enrolment trends have led us to this point, but we do not overlook the impact this closure has on our community and the pride we took in our brewery.”

The college release states the program has moved from an intake suspension to a full suspension; however, available accounts differ on exactly when new admissions stopped. One timeline indicates the college halted new student intake in February 2025, while the college’s release notes no new intakes have been accepted since Fall 2025. The release does not include historical enrolment figures or the size of the current final cohort.

Operationally, the institution says it will provide support to affected employees. “The suspension of the program and closure of the Olds College Brewery will regrettably lead to job losses and/or other employment impacts at the College - nine staff members are directly affected,” the release notes, and the college affirmed that “Olds College is committed to providing dedicated support to staff during this difficult transition.”

For those still interested in craft beverage training, Olds College’s Industry Training & Continuing Education will continue to offer two courses that remain unaffected: Introduction to Craft Beverages and Brewing and Craft Distilling. These continuing-education options may serve students and local brewers looking to gain practical skills while the diploma program is paused.

What this means for the community is immediate and practical: current students will finish their diplomas, the campus training brewery will operate through the school year and local retail sales continue until June 2026, but the formal two-year training pipeline at Olds College will pause. Expect the college to release more detail on staffing transitions, exact final retail dates and any future plans for the facility as the wind-down proceeds toward June.