Colin Presby ’06 began homebrewing at Franklin & Marshall College under the guidance of chemistry professors. He never stopped. 

Being a brewmaster has taken Presby around the globe – he even oversaw Carnival Cruise line’s first on-board brewery in 2016. 

Concocting craft beer “allows me to be both creative and scientific at the same time,” said Presby, a mathematics major and chemistry minor at F&M.

Presby captained Red Frog Pub & Brewery on the 3,954-passenger Carnival Vista, the cruise line’s largest ship and first North American vessel with a brewery. He created beers with restaurateur Guy Fieri to launch Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse and Brew House on a second ship.

“You wake up in a different port every day and have the chance to explore a lot of really amazing places,” Presby said. 

“F&M, in one way or another, has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember."

Colin Presby '06

When the cruise industry stalled due to coronavirus, Presby pivoted to an adjacent career in distilling at Mount Hope Winery & Estate. He has served as head distiller at the estate’s Spirits Distilling Company since 2022. 

Mount Hope is home to the wildly popular Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, the fourth-largest festival of its kind in the U.S. 

Presby credits the STEM skills he honed at F&M for helping him craft the perfect pour.

“Upper math isn’t about numbers. It's about problem solving. Whatever field you end up in, being able to approach a problem from a systematic approach is really useful,” he said.  

Time spent in undergraduate chemistry labs helped Presby perfect pipetting (liquid sampling) and volumetric analysis skills.

Attending F&M was a decision steeped in tradition. 

“F&M, in one way or another, has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Presby, whose parents met at F&M. 

His father, Philip Presby, is a Class of 1972 graduate. His mother, the late Marcia Presby (née Maurer), attended F&M for two years as part of the College’s first co-ed class. An uncle and aunt – siblings Allen Presby ’69 and Rosamond Presby ’79 – provide another family tie. 

“I have a lot of fond memories. My first concert was Billy Joel at the ASFC [in 1997],” said Presby, who resides in Wernersville, Pa., with his wife and two daughters. 

From family legacy to award-winning brews, Presby’s unconventional career path shows the countless ways an F&M education can shape a lifetime.

 

The Science Behind Beer

"Brewing Science," a summer course open to F&M students and members of the public, will explore the science behind a perfect pour. Led by biology professor Robert Jinks, students will dive deep into beer fundamentals and develop their own recipes (non-alcoholic for those under 21).

Register by June 19