Apr 15, 2024  
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2022-23 
    
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2022-23 [Archived Catalog]

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CHEM 4500 - The Principles of Brewing Science


Aims to demonstrate fundamental principles and concepts of biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, and plant biology through beer brewing. The practice and study of fermentation first defined the field of biochemistry and combines skills/concepts taken from microbiology (yeast cultivation; inhibition of bacterial growth by hops and ethanol; assay of bacterial contamination), biochemistry (an understanding of aerobic vs non-aerobic respiration and glucose metabolism, lipid oxidation, enzyme kinetics and assay as in starch degradation by amylases and protein degradation by proteases), physiology (the effects of alcohol on the body), and plant biology (barley and hops cultivation, harvesting and malt production; the contribution of plant tannins to beer flavor). This course combines a series of lectures, labs and field trips to the Plant Biology Gardens to demonstrate the concepts invoked in lecture. This course exploits a general public interest in alcohol and its production to demonstrate fundamental scientific concepts using a hands on approach. As many students seem unaware of how alcohol interacts with the body in the long term, this course also informs students about the devastating effects of alcohol abuse on the body and society. As such this course outfits students with a wide range of key scientific concepts coupled with practical skills.

Requisites: Senior status and 21 years old. No credit if PBIO 4501.
Credit Hours: 3
OHIO BRICKS Capstone: Capstone or Culminating Experience
General Education Code (students who entered prior to Fall 2021-22): 3
Repeat/Retake Information: May be retaken two times excluding withdrawals, but only last course taken counts.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 2.0 lecture, 4.0 laboratory
Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
Learning Outcomes:
  • Students will be able to integrate the principles of biochemistry, microbiology, and plant biology as they apply to fermentation and beer brewing.
  • Students will be able to perform and understand the technical aspects of brewing.
  • Students will be able to design and create new recipes for brewing.
  • Students will be able to explain the enzymatic steps in yeast metabolism and apply them to brewing science.
  • Students will be able to define and apply terms used in fermentation and brewing.



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