Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) has been named 鈥榖rewery of the year鈥� at the .

The annual bash honoring the best ales and IPA鈥檚 in the province was held on Oct. 19 in Vancouver at the Croatian Cultural Club.

There were more than 1,185 beer entries from 122 breweries vying for dozens of specific category titles ranging from 鈥榖est fruit beer鈥� to 鈥榖est North American porter & stout.鈥�

KPU鈥檚 two-year brewing program is the only one of it鈥檚 kind in B.C., instructing students on the science, production, and business of craft beer. All of the winners were collaborative efforts between faculty and students enrolled in the program.

Derek Kindret, a brewing program instructor who also went through the program, said the top brewery prize is an honor that continues to showcase how innovative KPU鈥檚 program is.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to share this award with everybody,鈥� Kindret said. 鈥淭his is a proud moment for, not just our current students, but our alumni as well.鈥�

Additional to best brewery, KPU took home first place in the 鈥楴orth American amber & brown ale鈥� category with their brew, Birra Rossa.

As the awards kept pouring in, Kindret said the award ceremony host, Stephen Quinn, referred to KPU as the evening鈥檚 dark horse.

Read More: Raising a pint, and some finds, for 91原创鈥檚 next brewers

They also took home two silvers in the 鈥榙ark and strong European beer鈥� and 鈥榮pecialty beer鈥� categories and two bronzes for 鈥榖est German wheat beer鈥� and 鈥榖est pale German beer鈥�.

Kindret laughed at the names of several of KPU鈥檚 award winners, Pilsbo Baggins and May the Schwartz Be With You 鈥� stating the brewers are all a bunch of big nerds with an evident sense of humour.

Kindret added that the B.C. Beer Awards win follows a recent 鈥榖est brew school in North America鈥� title earned through the U.S. open college championships.

鈥淓ducation is valuable, and shows that KPU not only can teach you how to make beer, but how to make really excellent beer,鈥� Kindret said.

One of KPU鈥檚 instructors, Nancy More, also received a 鈥榣egend award鈥� that evening, as she was recognized as the first female brewmaster in North America.

For more information on KPU鈥檚 brewing program, people can visit .

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