Objectives

The Zymurgy Tutorial is team-taught by David Hall (Chemistry) and Kurt Krebsbach (Computer Science) to a maximum of 12 students who seek to to broaden and deepen their knowledge of beer. It is taught as a tutorial (not as a regularly-scheduled class), and is offered for 3 units on an A-F grade basis.

We welcome applications from Lawrence women and men of age from a diversity of majors and minors across the university. Interested students should contact either Prof. Hall or Prof. Krebsbach either in person or via email to get on the preliminary list well in advance. Because this tutorial is typically over-subscribed, we may ask students to write a statement describing their academic background and particular interest in the course to keep the enrollment at a manageable level.

Specifically, students will learn:

• How and why different styles of beer have historically developed.
• How different styles are categorized according to ingredients, brewing techniques, and tradition.
• How to judge beer to style.
• How to detect flaws in finished beer.
• How to brew beer.
• How the process of brewing converts raw ingredients into that golden elixir.
• What chemical and biological processes are at work when beer is brewed.
• What other interesting stuff about beer is worth knowing.

Textbook

The many readings will be distributed in class or available online at the Moodle site.

Moodle Site

When the course is being taught, the course Moodle site can be accessed after the first day of class by enrolled students at http://moodle.lawrence.edu.