Tag: science

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Science Grants

The Brewers Association has selected the 2020 recipients of its Research and Service Grants Program. This funding, which began back in 2015, funds research into science that will effect brewers and how they make beer. This year the Brewers Association parceled out 13 grants totaling $389,370 to thirteen projects (8) barley and (4) hops projects, and in a change one draught quality project which I found a pleasant surprise. Overall, in six years, this program has invested over $2 million for research.

Below are the (4) that I think will have the most future impact on consumers in the years to come:

Controlling Hop Enzymatic Potential – Hop Kilning and Brewery Treatments

  • Partner(s): Oregon State University
  • Principal(s): Thomas Shellhammer

Analysis of Various Metabolites in Hops as Potential Key Parameter for Thiol and Ester Release by Yeast During Beer Fermentation

  • Partner(s): Nyseos, Barth-Haas Group
  • Principal(s): Laurent Dagan, Christina Schoenberger

Deeper Explorations of Barley and Terroir Contributions to Beer Flavor

  • Partner(s): Oregon State University
  • Principal(s): Pat Hayes

Evaluation of Biofilm Growth in Chemically Treated Beer Draught Tubing

  • Partner(s): Montana State University, Center for Biofilm Engineering
  • Principal(s): Darla Goeres
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No Bitterness

Science. Dumb people don’t trust it but it can do amazing things given enough money, intelligence and time. Obsession too.

A recent POST on NPR’s website discussed a new coffee product that is beanless and bitter-less. This is on the heels of explosive growth for meatless burgers that has left supplies low.

But, this is a beer blog, Sean. Yes, but the increase of alcohol-free beers is growing and probably will continue to do so. Hops have gone from pellets to cryo to who know what in the future so why not a fake engineered flavor that is close to hops? Especially if it can consistently provide a flavor that the brewer wants.

Beer is based on agricultural products but considering our stewardship of the planet so far, beer may need to science its way out of a possible problem.

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Let’s Get Astrophysical

Some brewery should start a series of beers named in honor of people who are promoting science in this age of pretending it doesn’t exist. No climate change here, move along.

Maybe Asheville Brewing Company will take up that mantle since they have recently debuted their Bier Lemongrass Tyson in honor of Neil DeGrasse Tyson the noted astrophysicist and often guest on TV shows like the Daily Show.

Apparently, he let slide that he was a fan of weissbeers so the ABC brewed up a Belgian wit style made with lemongrass, sweet orange peel, coriander, and dry-hopped with, wait for it, Galaxy Hops. It won’t make it outside of Asheville but hopefully it will sell well since a portion of the proceeds go to a local museum of science.

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The Foam is Sonic

I have to admit that I was skeptical about the Sonic Foamer. I am wary of beer gear that promises an improved beer tasting experience. My radical enjoyment plan is to enjoy the beer.

And getting the Sonic Foamer up and running did not help matters. First, it requires six AA batteries. My Apple mouse and keyboard need four between them. Anything over two should be given an electrical cord. End of story. The battery cover requires a screwdriver as well.  The next design flaw is the on/off switch being on the bottom. Put it on the side people. Especially considering you have to put two teaspoons of water on the top. Which leads to the next issue.  Now your glass is wet.
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I know this sounds petty and trivial but design is important. A light at the bottom does not eradicate other design flaws no matter how many colors it can become. After all of this mini-hassle, I put the shaker pint on the conducting plate with the water. I had two different beers for the experiment. A session IPA and a Festbier. Hoppy and malty. I smelled and tasted each before and after the hot foaming action.

To my pleasant surprise, the Sonic Foamer worked. Each beer was noticeably more aromatic after a few button pushes. Watching the bubbles flow upward and new foam being created was quite cool. I would use it at the halfway mark of drinking to freshen up the beer in the glass.

Since aroma is so important this tool helps to teach that lesson. Take one sip midway through your beer, foam it, then taste again. How did the beer change?  Did it change for the better?  I could see this helping with 22oz bottles that might have lost a little luster.

Foam Test 1
Foam Test 1

If you, as a beer drinker, are fond of beer educational items.  This might just be one to showcase the power of aroma on beer.

Foam Test 2
Foam Test 2

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Year of Podcasts – Gastropod

I love reading about the history of beer (and the people saying other people’s history is incorrect) and I love the scientific underpinning of beer.  As of yet, there is no meshing of those two for beer in the land of podcasts but over on Gastropod, you can find a lot of information that can be taken back to our interaction with craft beer.

Especially this podcast that goes into detail about natural and artificial flavors and designer yeast…

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Pasteur in Pasadena

Continuing a day of Pasadena-centric posts, we head out to the Huntington. A fabulous museum and garden that has recently added some special documents of beer importance.
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At the intersection of beer-science-history, sits Louis Pasteur. Pasteurization came from his study of fermentation and the museum has recently purchased “eight leaves of Pasteur’s lab notes on beer brewing from the 1870s”

These notes led to the advancement of beer quality by simply heating to at least 122 degrees to kill off the bad microbes that were making beer of that age spoiled and rotten.

I also found this quote from the Huntington website to show how far craft beer has made inroads. “These notes provide a key window into a particular area in the history of science, but my sense is that these may well be of interest to researchers who more and more are investigating the history of food and drink, as well as hand-crafted beer.”

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Beer and the senses

If you are a science geek or you enjoy taking the beer tour and learning about the process of making beer then you should also enjoy the science of how we enjoy our beers.

Beer Sensory Science gets a little wonky at times but there is good information and nuggets of wisdom in each of the posts that I have read so far.

The tips for buying beer has some good information and learning about the “off” flavors is interesting too. Another good post has loads of descriptive adjectives that really can help the beer reviewer.

One word of caution, the posts tend towards the negative results. Not in a sky is falling way but in a slightly patronizing tone. Maybe it was just my interpretation but most people will not notice that oxidization in beer is rampant. The writer is a professional and has a palate that is much more attuned to nuance than mine and probably most people. If you don’t taste oxidization or diacetyl as much then count yourself blessed and keep drinking.