Syllabus for Fermentation & Distillation

Texts (not required, but really interesting):

Course Outline:

Date Class Type Topic Assignments
Wednesday August 23 Lecture Introduction, Chemistry refresher: organic structures and functional groups  
Friday August 25 Lecture Biochem #1: Intro to basic biomolecules PS1 released
Monday August 28 Lecture Biochem #2: basic metabolism - why yeast make alcohol  
Wednesday August 30 Lecture Intro to Beer and Beermaking: What is beer? solubility/water/intro to organic chemistry PS1 due
Friday September 1 Lecture Beermaking #1 - sugars/starches, chirality, milling/mashing, wort separation, boiling PS2 released
Monday September 4 Lecture Beermaking #2 - Fermentation, tests/measurements, flavor  
Wednesday September 6 Lecture Beermaking #3 - process: full mash vs. extract, equipment PS2 due
Friday September 8 Lecture Hands on brewing, specific gravity measurement PS3 released
Monday September 11 Lecture Intro to wine and winemaking (Winemaking #1)  
Wednesday September 13 Lecture Winemaking #2 PS3 due
Friday September 15 Lecture / Demo Intro to Spirits, Whisky smelling lab PS4 released
Monday September 18 Lecture Review of Intermolecular forces  
Wednesday September 20 Lecture Vapor pressures, partial pressures, Henry's & Raoult's laws PS4 due
Friday September 22 Field-trip
(Iron Hand winery)
equipment and processes in a small craft winery PS5 released
Monday September 25 Lecture Distillation basics: equipment, theoretical plates, heads, hearts, tails  
Wednesday September 27 Lecture Azeotropes, other separation methods PS5 due
Friday September 29   NO CLASS  
Monday October 2 Lecture Aging, oaking, botanicals, blending  
Wednesday October 4 Lecture / Demo Aromas and compounds that smell; physiology of smell and taste  
Friday October 6 Lab Distillation lab Lab 1
Monday October 9 Lecture Effects of alcohol on the human body  
Wednesday October 11 Exam Exam 1  
Friday October 13 Field Trip
(Virtuoso Distillery)
Equipment and process in a small craft distillery  
Monday October 16-Friday October 20: Fall break
Monday October 23 Lecture Wine Styles, Secondary fermentation (ML, champagne)  
Wednesday October 25 Lecture Wine processing, preservation, and aging Lab 1 due
Friday October 27 Lab Testing for ML, TA, Brix, Specific gravity Lab 2
Monday October 30 Lecture Wine flaws and their origins  
Wednesday November 1 Field Trip
(Gezelter Home)
Bottling activity Lab 2 due
Friday November 3 Lab sulfite testing in winemaking Lab 3
Monday November 6 Lecture Advanced aspects of beermaking: Chemistry of styles, classification  
Wednesday November 8 Lecture Advanced aspects of beermaking: Foams, haze, stability, oxidation Lab 3 due
Friday November 10 Field Trip
(Crooked Ewe)
Equipment and process in a small craft brewery PS6 released
Monday November 13 Lecture Other fermented beverages  
Wednesday November 15 Lecture Industrial Fermentation PS6 due
Friday November 17 Field trip
(Nobles America Ethanol Plant)
Field trip to ethanol plant  
Monday November 20 Lecture Fermented foods  
Wednesday-Friday November 22-24: Thanksgiving
Monday November 27 Presentations Final projects 1 Final Project papers due
Wednesday November 29 Presentations Final projects 2  
Friday December 1 Presentations Final projects 3  
Monday December 4 Exam Exam 2  
Wednesday December 6 LAST DAY OF CLASS

Field Trip

(Goodson Home)

Tasting lab: fermented foods