Jennifer D Pereira (they/them)
Associate Professor College of Food Innovation & Technology Beverage & Dining Providence
Biography and Expertise
A native of Berkshire County, Pereira first fell in love with wine during Bachelor’s Degree studies at New England Culinary Institute in VT. She landed a winery internship at a sparkling wine producer on the south coast of Massachusetts and began absorbing knowledge about all facets of wine production and sales.
After achieving her WSET Diploma and teaching private wine classes, Pereira began teaching continuing ed WSET courses at JWU’s Providence, RI campus to faculty and other industry professionals. Now 20 years later, she is an Associate Professor and Certified Wine Educator, BJCP National Beer Judge, Certified Cicerone, and Certified Cider Guide. She continues to teach students of all ages how to design, craft, evaluate and appreciate wines, ciders, meads, beers, and spirits. Wine and spirit travels include Germany, Austria, France, Ireland, the UK, Napa and Sonoma, Washington, Long Island and the Finger Lakes.
Pereira has been instrumental in the development of JWU’s beverage curriculum, including many of the advanced wine courses, ciders and fruit wines, meads, the Craft Brewing Minor for undergrads, and the Professional Craft Brewing Certificate Program for continuing ed, which teach both the science and business of brewing. Pereira earned her MBA in Organizational Leadership in 2011.
As an award winning brewer, cider maker, and meadmaker, she coaches and mentors students in and out of the classroom, and has helped the school earn dozens of awards for their work. You can often find Pereira alongside students and alumni pouring these projects at festivals and fundraisers around the northeast.
Pereira is a National Beer Judge through the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) and is an active Wine, Beer, Mead, and Cider judge at both amateur and commercial competitions throughout the country. She also hosts and grades BJCP exams regularly, to help students, faculty, and peers gain this valuable experience and certification.
In 2011, she founded of the Ocean State Homebrew Competition, now one of New England’s largest and most well-respected competitions for beer, mead, and cider. In 2024, she launched the Rhode Worthy Cup, a commercial competition only for Rhode Island Producers. Both competitions raise funds for the Rhode Island Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action Committee, for which she is a founding member. This groups offers the JWU RIDEA Beverage Scholarship which aims to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Rhode Island beverage industry.
Education
MBA
Johnson & Wales University
BA
New England Culinary Institute
BJCP Provisional Mead Judge
Beer Judge Certification Program
BJCP Provisional Cider Judge
Beer judge Certification Program
WSET Level 2 Beer with Dinstinction
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
WSET Certified Educator
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
WSET Level 1 Beer
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
WSET Level 1 Sake
Wine and Spirits Educaiton Trust
Certified Cider Professional
American Cider Association
1st and 2nd Year exams for the Level 4 Diploma in Brewing Scoence
Institute of Brewing and Distilling
Level 2 Certified Cicerone
Cicerone Certification Organization
BJCP National Beer Judge
Beer Judge Certification Program
BJCP Certified Beer Judge
Beer Judge Certification Program
Certified Wine Educator
Society of Wine Educators
Food Safety Manager Certification (FSM)
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
Level 3 Professional Certificate in Spirits
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
WSET Certified Educator
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
WSET Certified Educator
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
Food Safety Manager Certification (FSM)
National Restaurant Assocation Educational Foundation, ServSafe
TiPS Responsible Alcohol Service Trainer
TiPS Program, Health Communications
WSET Approved Internal Assessor
Wine and Spirits Education trust
Diploma in Wine and Spirits
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
1st Place Specialty Meads
‘Mead Free or Die’ Competition, NH
1st Place Best of Show
FOAM (Fitchburg Order of Ale Makers) Homebrew Competition
1st Place Historical Beers
FOAM (Fitchburg Order of Ale Makers) Homebrew Competition
1st Place Specialty Beers
FOAM (Fitchburg Order of Ale Makers) Homebrew Competition
3rd Place Best of Show
FOAM (Fitchburg Order of Ale Makers) Homebrew Competition
National Finalist, Samuel Adams Long Shot Competition
Boston Beer Company
Outstanding Service Award
JWU CCA
1st Place Smoked Beers
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
1st Place Specialty Meads
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
1st Place Spiced Beers
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
1st Place Spiced Mead
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
2nd Place Mead
New England Regional Homebrew Competition
1st Place Mead
Knickerbocker Battle of the Brews, Homebrew Competition
2nd Place Mead
Knickerbocker Battle of the Brews, Homebrew Competition
3rd Place Mead
Knickerbocker Battle of the Brews, Homebrew Competition
Distinguished Scholarship Award
JWU
2nd Place English Brown Ales
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
3rd Place Belgian Strong Ales
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
1st Place Best of Show Mead
FOAM (Fellowship of Okalhoma Ale Makers) Cup, Homebrew Competition
1st Place Metheglin
FOAM (Fellowship of Okalhoma Ale Makers) Cup, Homebrew Competition
University Service Award
JWU
2nd Place English Pale Ales
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
1st Place Ales Category
South Coast Homebrew Competition
Outstanding Service Award
JWU CCA
1st Place Sour Ales Category
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
1st Place Stouts Category
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
5th Place Best of Show, Beers
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
University Service Award
JWU
2nd Place Spiced Ales Category
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
2nd Place Traditional Ciders Category
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
3rd Place English Brown Ales Category
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
3rd Place Dark Lagers Category
Ocean State Homebrew Competition
Department Service Award
JWU CCA
First Year Teacher Award
JWU CCA
What is Food Literacy? Counting Down to JWU’s Next FIT Symposium (Podcast)
This Week at JWU
October 3, 2024
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-erk9w-16f0da7?utm_campaign=w_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=w_share
A BTS Look at Judging the First Annual Rhode Worthy Cup Beer Competition (Magazine)
Rhode Island Monthly
September 12, 2024
https://www.rimonthly.com/a-bts-look-at-judging-the-first-annual-rhode-worthy-cup-beer-competition/
Rhode Island’s First Competition for Commercial Brewers is Here (Magazine)
Rhode Island Monthly
August 1, 2024
https://www.rimonthly.com/rhode-islands-first-competition-for-commercial-brewers-is-here/
What It’s Like to Be a Homebrew Judge (Magazine)
Yankee Brew News
April, 2024
http://www.yankeebrewnews.com/
It’s Fall! All things Cider with Jenn(sic) Pereira (Podcast)
JWU Culinary Now! Podcast
October 13, 2023
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/culinary-now-podcast/id1490695277
RIDEA Craft Beverage Festival Celebrates Diversity (Magazine)
RI/CT Beverage Journal
July 3, 2023
https://www.thebeveragejournal.com/ridea-craft-beverage-festival-2023/
JWU Craft Brewing: A Hands-on Learning ‘Hop’-portunity (Magazine)
JWU Magazine
April, 2023
https://www.jwu.edu/news/2023/04/jwu-craft-brewing-a-hands-on-learning-hop-portunity.html
Brewed Awakening: How craft beer’s #MeToo moment inspired a scholarship for beverage students from underrepresented backgrounds (Magazine)
JWU Magazine
May 2, 2022
https://www.jwu.edu/news/stories/magazine/2022/spring/brewed-awakening/index.html
JWU’s Professional Craft Brewing Certificate Program Graduates First Cohort (Magazine)
JWU Magazine
August 31, 2018
https://www.jwu.edu/news/2018/08/meet-the-new-grads-of-jwus-professional-craft-brewing-program.html
Beer Education in Rhode Island (Newspaper)
Providence Business News
July, 2018
https://pbn.com/tag/jennifer-pereira/
Deep Dive into Diacetyl (Podcast)
Gourmet Brewing
May, 2018
https://www.crowdcast.io/@gourmetbrewing
Liquid Assets (Magazine)
AICU RI Newsletter
June 29, 2017
https://aicuri.org/liquid-assets/
Beer Education in Rhode Island (Newspaper)
Providence Business News
October, 2014
https://pbn.com/
Selecting Great Beers for the Holidays (Radio)
WPRV Radio
December, 2013
n/a
Napa in the Berkshires (Magazine)
Berkshire Living Magazine
July, 2004
https://berkshirelivingmag.com/
Rhode Island Inclusion Diversity Equity and Action Committee
American Cider Association
Rhode Island Brewers Guild
American Society of Brewing Chemists
Institute of Brewing and Distilling
Beer Judge Certification Program
Brewers Association
Master Brewers Association of the Americas
American Wine Society
Society of Wine Educators
Wine and Spirits Education Trust
Sustainability Practices in the Brewhouse
Panel Presentation
Rhode Island Brewers Conference
Rhode Island Brewers Guild
Farm Fresh Rhode Island
Providence
RI
United States
Judging
Competition Judging
The Eastern States Exposition (Big E) Wine Competition
Eastern States Exposition
Eastern States Exposition
Springfield
MA
United States
JWU Craft Brewing
Pouring Samples of Student Work, Research Projects
Newport Craft Beer Festival
Rhode Island Brewers Guild
Fort Adams State Park
Newport
RI
United States
JWU Craft Brewing
Pouring Samples of Student Work, Research Projects
Rhode Island Brewers Festival
Gray Matter Marketing
Waterfire Arts Center
Providence
RI
United States
JWU Craft Brewing
Pouring Samples of Student Work, Research Projects
Ocean State Brewers Festival
Rhode Island Brewers Guild
Food Fresh Rhode Island
Providence
RI
United States
Judging
Competition Judging
The Eastern States Exposition (Big E) Wine Competition
Eastern States Exposition
Eastern States Exposition
Springfield
MA
United States
JWU Craft Brewing
Pouring Samples of Student Work, Research Projects
Newport Craft Beer Festival
Rhode Island Brewers Guild
Fort Adams State Park
Newport
RI
United States
JWU Craft Brewing
Pouring Samples of Student Work, Research Projects
Rhode Island Brewers Festival
Gray Matter Marketing
Waterfire Arts Center
Providence
RI
United States
Judging
Competition Judging
Cider Days Annual Cider Competition
Cider Days Festival
Private Residence
Northampton
MA
United States
Judging
Competition Judging
New England Regional Homebrew Competition (NERHBC)
Brew Free or Die Homebrew Club
New Hampshire Food Bank
Manchester
CT
United States
Judging
Competition Judging
Great International Beer, Mead, Cider and Sake Competition (GIBMCSC)
GIBMCSC
SoNo Collection Mall
South Norwalk
CT
United States
Judging
Competition Judging
Southern New England Regional Homebrew Competition (SNERHC)
Underground Brewers of Connecticut
Armada Brewing
New Haven
CT
United States
JWU Craft Brewing
Pouring Samples of Student Work, Research Projects
Ocean State Brewers Festival
Rhode Island Brewers Guild
Pivotal Brewing Company
Bristol
RI
United States