Brewing Science

Genetically engineered bacteria can revolutionise the way we obtain products, from medicines to fuels. The Synthetic Biology Research Centre at the University of Nottingham aims to develop fermentations capable of converting waste gases into useful materials. We modify micro-organisms and test their fermentation abilities. This talk will reveal how the fast analytical techniques have been used to understand the secrets of fermentation bio-processes, giving insight into the behaviour of modified micro-organisms. Paul is a Chemistry PhD who spends his spare time playing rugby or kayaking.

Sensory science is the science of the senses. Imogen and Marit are Sensory researchers and beer experts. They get excited about finding out how human beings perceive the world – more specifically beer products. They work with professional beer tasters and consumers and are happy to explain why their work is needed in the brewing industry. A brewer might be a beer expert, but they cannot always predict what consumers want to drink, and they may have a poor sense of taste and smell to begin with. Can they really be objective in evaluating the beer they made themselves?

The head brewer at the Angel Microbrewery, Danny Pearson, will be giving a talk about all things brewing. After home brewing for several years, Danny started his professional brewing career at the Angel. This talk will cover everything from the brewing process, ingredients used, how the recipes are created, and how their beers are kept vegan-friendly. There may also be some free samples!