Belgian Beer

This seminar on beer tasting and Belgian beer styles is a nonprofit event to support the teaching activities of the Fermentation Sciences Program in the UW-Madison Department of Food Science. The seminar will include a short history of brewing, followed by a sensory session examining the common flavors present in beer. The final talk, by noted beer writer, critic and Isthmus columnist Robin Shepard, will address the huge variety of Belgian beer styles available to American consumers, and will include a tasting of twelve different Belgian beers. This course is intended for individuals with an interest in the science of brewing and beer, including craft and home brewers, distributors, sales people, bartenders and craft beer enthusiasts.

Attendees must be over 21 years of age and be prepared to present proof of age before attending this event.

Agenda

1:00 - 1:45: Short History of Brewing

1:45 - 2:30: Basic Flavors of Beer - Sensory Analysis

2:30 - 2:45: Break

2:45 - 3:45: Belgian Beer Styles - Tasting and Appreciation

3:45 - 4:00: Wrap up and Discusion  

Cost: $50 ($52.74 w/service fee) / Location: 205 Babcock Hall, Madison WI

Register Online & Payment  

Parking: Parking will be available in Lot 40 adjacent to Babcock Hall.

Speaker Bios:

Jim Steele received a B.S. degree in microbiology in 1982, a M.S, degree in food science in 1985, and a Ph.D. in genetics in 1989, all from the University of Minnesota.  He joined the UW-Madison Department of Food Science faculty in 1989, where he continues to lead a research group examining the microbiology of fermented products. He leads the Fermentation Science Program in the Department of Food Science at the UW-Madison. 

Dana Wolle received his B.S. in biochemistry from the UW-Madison in 1987 and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1992. He worked as a professional brewer in the state of Wisconsin for 10 years, returning to the UW-Madison to take a position in the Cheese Industry and Applications group at the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research. In addition to his cheese research duties, Dr. Wolle teaches the brewing section of an undergraduate Fermented Foods and Beverages course in the UW-Madison Department of Food Science, and is involved in the Fermentation Science Program Short Course series. 

Luis Jimenez-Maroto received his B.S. in food engineering in 2005 from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM for its acronym in Spanish) in Mexico, and a M.S. degree in food science in 2009 from UW-Madison. He has worked as a sensory scientist at PepsiCo International Mexico, and was the sensory coordinator for the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research and the UW-Madison Department of Food Science for four years, where he supported academic and industry research efforts pertaining the sensory evaluation of foods, including the attribute evaluation and defect detection in beers. Luis is currently working towards his PhD at UW-Madison. 

Robin Shepard has a B.S. in botany and a M.S. in mass communications from Iowa State University, and a PhD in land resource management from the UW-Madison. He is a faculty member in the Department of Life Sciences Communication and serves as the executive director for the North Central Cooperative Extension Association (NCCEA) that provides support to 12 Midwestern states. Beyond his primary academic and administrative responsibilities he is perhaps as well known for his beer writing, historic brewery walks and presentations. His book Wisconsin's Best Breweries and Brewpubs: Searching for the Perfect Pint was given the top book prize in 2001 by the North American Guild of Beer Writers. He has also authored two additional books about the brewing industry and a number of academic articles. And, Shepard regularly contributes beer reviews, travel articles, and stories to a variety of beer publications and news media formats. His regular weekly column, BEER HERE, appears in Isthmus newspaper and isthmus.com.