Beer Science

The debate continues The leading brewer’s chemists in both England and Scotland may have been convinced that pure yeast was a dead letter in their countries, but the subject refused to lie down. In a paper given in Manchester in December 1900 to the North of England Institute of Brewing, entitled ‘The Development of Scientific Ideas, as Applied to Fermentation Industries’two academic scientists, Drs William A. Bore and H.C. Harold Carpenter, in applauding Hansen’s work and the transformation it...

Problems in Burton Murphy’s diversion was not followed up and instead Hansen himself returned to the fray in support of the views expressed by Jorgensen. In a letter to the Journal of the Federated Institutes of Brewing published in January 1900, characteristically peppered with references to ‘my pure cultivation system’- Hansen was very possessive of his achievements - he rehearsed the arguments and evidence in favor of pure yeast from both continental and British sources. He blamed the lack of...

The origins of pure yeast culture Production of beer using a single strain of yeast, as opposed to a mixed population, was first performed at the Gamle (Old) Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen in November 1883. The instigator of this radical departure from custom and practice was Emil Christian Hansen, head of the Physiological Department at the Carlsberg Laboratory. Hansen’s original conception of the idea of pure yeast was that such cultures should be free from ‘disease yeast species’. It soon became...

Gender Identity Not only is the overwhelming majority of craft beer people male but masculinity and even virility are significant aspects of craft beer culture. While many women do drink beer, the association between men and beer is a strong one throughout the United States and Canada. Not unlike adolescents affirming their gender and sexual identities, members of craft beer groups frequently make sexual jokes, describe certain beers as “girlie,” and generally use beer as proof of their manhood...

Generational Identity Craft beer people vary in age. Some people become craft beer enthusiasts as soon as they reach the legal drinking age of their region and some craft beer people remain passionate about craft beer after retirement. Yet the stereotypical image of the middle-aged craft beer person might relate to yet another dimension of cultural identity. While it is undergoing important changes in this respect, craft beer is usually not seen as a typically “cool” drink by younger people in most parts of the United States and Canada...

Use of Stereotype Concerned primarily with cultural identity, this presentation centers on a stereotype. While stereotypes may be harmful, they often help in the analysis of a social group. Elements of this stereotype may help us identify important elements of the cultural identity of craft beer people. It must be noted that this specific stereotype is a compound description of homebrewers and other craft beer people based on interactions with members of the culture. Some specific elements of this...

Exploring Craft Beer It is safe to say that, as an industry, craft beer affects thousands of people directly and millions of people indirectly. As a culture, craft beer serves as a stage for the negotiation of different dimensions of cultural identity. Today, I will describe North American craft beer culture and discuss some aspects of cultural identity as they are negotiated by members of that culture. This presentation is the result of my preliminary exploration of craft beer culture as a craft beer enthusiast and homebrewer for the past several years...