Jeffery (Owen) A. Williams
Lecturer
Office: 79B-2210B
Email: jefferyw@csupomona.edu
Phone: (909) 869-4148
Fax: (909) 869-4805
Owen Williams began teaching in fall 2008 at The Collins College of Hospitality Management (CCHM) at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He teaches HRT 312 Beer and Culture.
Prior to joining CCHM, Owen performed various duties in the brewing industry, working up from a homebrewer to a brewery director in less than 20 years. Owen’s brewing career began as a homebrewer, and in 1994 he startedworking as a brewery assistant at the Riverside Brewing Company working under the brew master.Owen worked his way up in the Brewery from the brew-pub to the "factory."
Owen moved on to BJ's Restaurant, Grill and Brewery as its first brewer in 1996 at the Brea location. He won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival for Jeremiah Red, the second batch of beer produced for BJ's in 1996. He moved up in the company, designed, installed, and oversaw construction, implementation, production, financials and commodity negotiations for most of the company’s breweries and raw materials. He worked on developing the prototype restaurants and defining the "Brewhouse Concept." Owen helped the company grow from a privately held local restaurant chain of nine restaurants and one brewery to a national chain of 77 restaurants and 11 breweries in 12 years.
Owen is a brewery consultant assisting in design, construction, production, formulation of recipes, contract negotiations, and everything in-between for new and/or existing breweries, brew-pubs, restaurants or individuals looking to break into the brewing industry.
Education:
California State University, San Bernardino, BA (Psychology)
University of LaVerne, AA (Liberal Arts)
Publications:
Owen has and continues to provide industry related articles for publication in The Beer Magazine.
Professional Speaking Background:
Lead training seminars at all BJ’s restaurants/brewery openings (multiple), Staff and group hands on training, Beer Appreciation Nites, Beer Dinner presentation, Optimist Club, and Inland Empire Home Brewers (IEHB) Guest Speaker. Owen has been a guest on Tom Leykis’ The Tasting Room radio program.
Teaching & Consulting Interests:
- Beer & Culture
- Beer Appreciation & Tasting
- Beer & Food Pairing
- Beer Judging
- Beer Formulation
- Brewery Design, Construction and Operations
- Restaurant Operations
- Restaurant & Bartender Training on Beer
Awards & Certifications:
- BJ’s Special Achievement Award/President’s Award, 2006
- Silver medal at Los Angeles County Fair – Nutty Brewnette (American-Style Brown Ale), 2006
- Silver medal at Los Angeles County Fair – Kamalani Saison (French-Style), 2005
- Silver medal at Los Angeles County Fair – BJ’s ESB (Bitter), 2004
- Gold medal at Los Angeles County Fair - Nutty Brewnette (American-Style Brown Ale), 2003
- Silver medal at the Real Ale Festival – Tatonka Stout (Cask Foreign), 2000
- Silver medal at GABF - Jeremiah Red (Old Ale), 1996
