Brewers partner with colleges to teach science of beer

TAMPA When you pour yourself a cold one, youre probably not thinking about the complex series of biochemical reactions that take place in order for malted barley, hops, water and yeast to turn into beer.

But local craft brewers are taking the chemistry of beer seriously.

Theyre partnering with the University of South Florida St. Petersburg on an internship program that is sending students from science disciplines into new labs built into brew houses in St. Petersburg and Tampa.

Theres a lot of science in beer, said Desiree Chubb, who is working toward an associates degree in biotechnology at State College of Florida in Bradenton, after performing a yeast cell count at 3 Daughters Brewing recently.

Chubb is one of five interns based in labs at 3 Daughters and Green Bench Brewing Co. in St. Petersburg and Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, with several more local brewers expected on board soon.

The internship typically yields three credit hours and requires about 160 hours of work. The students are required to write a paper on quality assurance.

Insert a joke about college students and beer if you must, but the interns take their work very seriously.

Zyad Asi, also based at 3 Daughters, has been accepted into USFs medical school.

I dont think youd be getting as much hands-on experience anywhere else, said Asi, who is majoring in biology at USF St. Petersburg. Its a really cool environment. You dont have many people trying to tell you, Do this, do that. You learn directly from him you learn a lab method, you learn the purpose, and you just do it.

Him is Jim Leonard, an adjunct chemistry professor at USF St. Petersburg who was tapped by Arts and Sciences Dean Frank Biafora to launch the program. Biafora said a fateful 2013 lunch with 3 Daughters owner Mike Harting resulted in this crazy idea of working with these craft brewers.

Read the original post:
Brewers partner with colleges to teach science of beer