What role does fermentation play in the brewing process?

Fermentation is the most important process. Well besides sanitation… Fermentation is the process that makes the beer. Before fermentation, the beer isn’t that good tasting but after fermentation, it is a different story.

From a scientific standpoint, what is the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ beer?

Most of the flavor flaws are directly caused by particular organic molecules that get produced through metabolic pathways during fermentation. Acetaldehyde and diacetyl, for example, are produced by yeast under stressed conditions. Some particular minerals weren’t in high enough concentrations, a low amount of viable cells were added or not properly monitoring fermentation temperatures can all lead to off flavors.

What makes beer bitter?

Beer is bitter by “alpha acid” compounds found in hops. When the beer is boiled, you are actually conducting a reflux. The precursor molecules found in the hops isomerize during the boiling process and cause it to become bitter.

What is the ‘correct’ way to pour a beer? What goes on at a chemical level?

I am not a stickler when it comes to how a beer is poured. I mostly prefer it to be cold, carbonated and poured in a clean glass. I do like to see a bit of head on the poured beer and I want the foam to remain on top of the beer while I drink it. On a chemical level, beer protein foam stability is a huge subject of scientific research. Scientists know mostly what proteins are involved but exactly how they interact is a still a mystery. Also, foam and foam proteins interaction only form once. So the more foam you generate, during production, packaging and serving, the less amount will actually stay on top of the beer.

What are two fun science facts about beer that not many people know?

1.Enzymes were discovered by a scientist who was researching beer. The scientist lysed a yeast cell and discovered that there was something inside the yeast that continued to ferment the beer. He called these “things” En-Zymes which translates to In-Yeast from Latin. 2. Louis Pasteur was the scientist who discovered that yeast was the organism responsible for fermenting beer. Before Pasteur, it was scientific dogma that the sugar in beer spontaneously decomposed to alcohol and CO2. It almost ruined his career trying to convince the scientific community and this fact was overshadowed by his other contributions to science and food stability.

What are some common inaccurate myths about beer?

The color of the beer indicates strength and that low alcohol beer has less flavor. Consumers often assume that Guinness is heavier and has more calories but Guinness is around 3.5% ABV which is lower in ABV than Bud and it has less calories. This example disproves both myths.

What is one of the biggest lessons you learned as you left your research position and launched a brewing company?

The biggest lesson was being able to balance what I wanted to brew or what I personally find interesting with what will sell or what the customer wants. I always want to brew interesting styles or with odd ingredients and sometimes the beer just doesn’t sell. Which can be disappointing, but I try to sneak in some more interesting styles like Lagers, sours and dark beers in my onsite taproom to help educate consumers and introduce them to different styles of beer.