Science

Here is the complete video of my two presentation at The Buffalo Museum of Science on March 5, 2016 at a beer event entitled “Beerology”. The festival is a yearly festival that features food and beer from around the Buffalo region. Beerology focuses on the science of beer and includes …

I am currently team-teaching a course on the Microbiology of Brewing Beer at Erie Community College as part of its Brewing Science and Service Certification program. A recent lesson topic on yeast biology and genetics led me down the rabbit hole of the origins of lager yeast. I became so …

I will be the first to admit that when I attended the Spiegelau glassware demonstration held at the KegWorks Store on November 5th, I had absolutely no idea the affect that glassware could have on the aroma, taste, mouthfeel, temperature, and overall psychological impression of a beer. I am convinced …

Building a Buffalo Beer for the World How does one go about building a Buffalo beer? By that, I’m referring to the creation of a beer with all Western New York ingredients. I’m referring to a beer that other regions of the world will recognize as an exclusive and unique …

As this Buffalo summer flourishes and blossoms, many of you have enjoyed the benefits of many budding beauties. Not trees or flowers, but very small cells known as yeast. Invisible to the naked eye, these fungal friends make alcohol for a living. No, really, these cells would die if they …

Beer Bitterness: Is Hoppiness a Choice? If you are new to craft beer, or know someone who is, you have undoubtedly witnessed “bitter beer face”. In 1995, Keystone Light made sure you knew what bitter beer face looked like in a popular television advertisement. “Never a bad taste, never a …

Last weekend I was visiting friends when a bottle of Off Color Brewing’s Troublesome unexpectedly was poured into my glass.  A few minutes later, we also tried another beer: Ithaca Brewing Company’s Cayuga Cruiser.  Not being incredibly familiar with either of these beers, I was essentially conducting a blind taste …

BEEROLOGY The Science of Beer Buffalo is in the midst of a craft beer movement that has swept across the nation. New breweries are being opened at an increasing rate. A plethora of imported beer offerings from across the world are now distributed across Western New York. Homebrewing is on …

DO YOU KNOW YOUR BEER? Prove It With Cicerone Certification Training Along with the craft beer craze sweeping the nation is the need for more people who are considered trained authorities in the field of beer. While a sommelier is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, until recently there was …

As the last of a three-part write-up on important compounds found in hops, this installment deals with essential oils.  The last two science write-ups were regarding alpha acids and beta acids, and can be found by clicking the links.  But the focus of this article is essential oils.  The flavors …