Oregon State University is opening an on-campus creamery that will sell student-made ice cream, cheese and honey to the public.
The Beaver Classic Creamery will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday starting this week at the recently renovated Withycombe Hall. It will sell Beaver Classic products made and grown by students in Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
“This state-of-the-art facility enhances our ability to integrate teaching, research and hands-on learning,” said Staci Simonich, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. “It strengthens our role as a model for industry and education working together to prepare the next generation of leaders in Oregon agriculture.”
This is the second time OSU has operated a creamery from Withycombe Hall. The original creamery was completed in 1952 and was a popular gathering spot for students and community members. It closed in the late 1960s to make way for the OSU Theatre.
Now, more than 50 years later, following a $71 million renovation of the 81,000-square-foot Withycombe Hall, the creamery is back. In addition to the creamery, the new building includes:
- The 7,000-square-foot Tillamook Dairy Innovators Lab. The lab has new, state-of-the-art equipment that will better position students to pursue careers in the dairy industry.
- The Erath Family Foundation Winery Laboratory. The new lab is nearly three times the size of the previous one and has new and larger-scale equipment that will enhance student and workforce training.
- New labs and offices for the Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences.
Beginning in 2012, Oregon State began selling student-made cheese. In 2021, the Beaver Classic program was rebranded to include products made in other departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences, including honey from the Honey Bee Lab, produce from the Organic Grower’s Club and jerky from the Clark Meat Science Center.
Withycombe Hall is located at 2901 SW Campus Way in the northwest corner of Oregon State’s campus.
Source: Oregon State University