Strange Brew

As a homebrewer, Alexander Beeser, Ph.D., has learned that the finished product is not always as expected. Sometimes, it’s even better. The same can be said for his new fermen- tation science course.

Thanks to Beeser, assistant professor of biol- ogy, Lyon College became the first private col- lege in Arkansas to offer fermentation science to students ages 21 and older. With the support of Provost Melissa Taverner, the course was ap- proved to begin in spring 2020.

Students learn the science behind not only brewing beer but also the processes behind other products such as kombucha, a type of fer- mented tea.

“I hope students will leave with a better ap- preciation of fermentation,” Beeser said. “Evi- dence suggests that students who view util- ity in their classes are more engaged and retain more material.”

Taverner said Lyon checked with its legal coun- sel before adding the course. She was quick to add, “We’re not going to have products for sale.”

Word quickly spread about the course, and Beeser and his fermentation lab inside the Derby Science Building became quite popular among media outlets.

After visits from TV stations in Jonesboro and Little Rock, plus a feature in Arkansas Business, Beeser and the course caught the eye of WREG Channel 3 in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people who come onto campus now recognize me as ‘the

— Dr. Alexander Beeser

beer guy,’” Beeser said.

All in all, the story of Beeser and the beer brewing course was featured on TV stations in five states, including Florida, Texas, and Mis- souri. For the first two months of the spring 2020 semester, the course followed Beeser’s plans.

“It was going really well,” Beeser said. “Hav- ing students that have different experiences than I do led me to learning as much from them as they have from me.”

But his plans drastically changed on March 16 when the college announced students would leave campus and transition to remote instruc- tion due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Obviously, the course relied on in-person labs, and Beeser said the last half of the course was supposed to be “hands-on.”

Along with tours to local breweries, Beeser had planned for the students to go through a “whole brew day,” which is about a six- to eighthour process. But the changes ultimately brewed a result that Beeser is “really satisfied” with.

“Actually, this semester’s class has really informed me as to what can work and what won’t,” he said. “I will likely try to change the time of the class away from 8 a.m. and respon- sibly incorporate more aspects of subjective perception: tastings.”

Remote instruction has also inspired Bees- er to add another facet of fermentation to the course: breadmaking.

“I’d like to figure out if we could somehow incorporate some baking into the class as well, Beeser said. “Because who doesn’t like fresh baked bread?”

With breadmaking and brewing, Beeser hopes to expand students’ appreciation for fermentation.

“No matter how different beers are, fermenta- tion is at the core of every one,” he said. “If I can get students to consider quality over quantity that wouldn’t make me upset in the least.”