Meet our Many Faces Summer Intern, Nichele! (Part I)

Nichele in the brew house, shoveling spent grain into cans for our local farmer to pick-up

When Lost Worlds was selected to be a mentor brewery as part of the Many Faces initiative to help increase diversity in craft brewing, we were thrilled to be part of the project. Fast forward to now, where our intern, Nichelle, has fully integrated into all aspects of operating a craft brewery.

Here’s how the internship works: Interns at each brewery will rotate through different areas of operations at their host brewery (brewing, sales, marketing, and taproom and event management). They will also work on a capstone project for a deeper dive into a craft beer topic of their choosing during the internship and will benefit from networking events and a guest speaker series.

Nichele, a senior studying Chemistry at Winston-Salem State College, applied for the opportunity based on a interest in food science and a change from typical reach internships working in a lab. Her chairman at the University, a home brewer himself, heard of the Many Faces program and thought it might be a good fit for Nichelle.

Nichele at the Lost Worlds Summer Market, June 12th

I wanted to do something tangible and see how chemistry applies to a product,” said Nichele, a Charlotte native and graduate of South Meck High. The internship is filled with field trips to gain exposure to all facets of craft brewing. like a trip to Epiphany Malt House to learn about how grains are grown and germinated. There’s also a recent trip to Sugar Creek Brewing for a Beer Flavor Class hosted by Advanced Cicerone, Joel Vogelbacher.

“I have to have a variety to stay mentally stimulated,” says Nichele. “That’s what this internship is all about and I’m learning so much!”

In addition to working in the brew house, Nichelle lends a hand in the taproom to learn about the guest experience and helps with marketing projects, including the Summer Market event held June 12th, where she assisted with set-up, vendor relations and social media.

Nichele’s summer syllabus is filled with all things craft beer, but her final act involves crafting her own brew on the Lost Worlds pilot system with the help of Head Brewer and Director of Brewing, David Gonzalez.

“I’m going to be making a rice beer and will leave the details as a surprise until after we brew,” says Nichele. “Im excited to have my beer on tap as part of my capstone project to complete the internship.”