Culinary Institute of America to add brewery

Construction is brewing at the Culinary Institute of America”™s student recreation center in Hyde Park.

Built by Kirchhoff-Consigli Construction Management, the $25 million addition to the student recreation center will almost double its size, from 55,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet, and will include a microbrewery. The seven-barrel microbrewery will be run by Brooklyn Brewery. It will be viewable through a glass-walled exterior and serve as a classroom for the CIA”™s advanced wine, beverage and hospitality curriculum.

In addition to its role as a classroom, the brewery will sponsor continuing education programs and produce four signature beers for the institute. Designed to evoke an old warehouse, the teaching brewery is the most recent result of the CIA”™s 25-year partnership with the Brooklyn-based brewery.

The school received legislative approval to manufacture and sell alcoholic beverages in August.

Waldy Malouf, senior director of food and beverage operations at the institute, said at the time of the legislation”™s approval by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that the jointly operated campus microbrewery “will teach students about fermentation, using grains in brewing, food pairings, as well as the management of a ”˜brewpub”™ hospitality operation. As a bonus, Hudson Valley residents and visitors will be able to sample the work of the students in all of our restaurants on campus.”

The centerpiece of the student recreation center expansion, called “The Egg,” is an oval area that will host a range of dining options, including a café, pastry shop, pop-up restaurant space and a marketplace for fresh provisions.

Architectural firm Noelker and Hull, in collaboration with interior architect Adam D. Tihany, famous for his design of luxury hotels and restaurants, designed the new student commons, which will include recreation facilities and a new dean”™s wing.