California
DAVIS
RECOMMENDED BY Dr. Charles Bamforth
Rock 'n' roll fantasy camps have sprung up stage left and right in recent years, giving air-guitar avatars and assorted wannabes a chance to rub shoulders under the klieg lights with slightly past-their-prime rock stars. There is an equivalent for homebrewing enthusiasts. But instead of being holed up for the weekend with the bassist from a slightly forgotten eighties hair band, you'll be learning at the feet of a veritable brewing hall of famer—Dr. Charles Bamforth—at the August A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory of the University of California, Davis.
"We attract three basic types of people to the Introduction to Practical Brewing Class," Charlie began. "First, there are the homebrewers who want to improve their craft. They're quite passionate—sometimes their beer goes well, sometimes not so well. They really want to understand how and why things happen. The second type of attendee is the homebrewer that's hoping to gain the skill set to make a career out of it—develop their own brewing company. The other group that comes to Davis consists of people who are already in the brewing industry, perhaps working in a smaller company seeking greater knowledge, or with a bigger company but in a nontechnical role."
The University of California, Davis, sits amidst rolling farmland fifteen miles east of the Golden State's capital city, Sacramento. From the early twentieth century, UC Davis has been lauded for its contributions to agricultural science and animal husbandry. With the growth of the wine industry in nearby Napa and Sonoma counties. Davis's beer curricula, which has been part of the university's offering since 1958, gained momentum with the growing popularity of craft beer in the nineties and rocketed to prominence with the recruitment of Charlie Bamforth to lead the program in 1999. Charlie came to California as the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences after twenty-one years in Great Britain's brewing industry. Alumnae of Davis's brewing program dot the craft beer landscape.
Charlie explained the genesis of the week-long programs geared toward hobbyists. "Extension programs, even those for master brewers, had previously been very theoretical. When I came to Davis, we were able to build a gleaming brewery complete with four smaller brewhouses. I wanted to see it used. What better way to teach brewing than to grind down the dust of the science in the classroom and then cross the corridor to a hands-on setting in a real brewery. I'm not paid to do the classes, but the money we raise gets ploughed back into my program so I can maintain the facility, employ my brewer, even expand the facilities. The National Institutes of Health isn't likely to send me money to brew beer; the introductory classes help support our work. It's a win-win."
According to an American Homebrewer's Association study conducted in 2013, there are an estimated 1.2 million homebrewers in America. Given this considerable population of enthusiasts, gaining entry to one of the sixty coveted spots in Introduction to Practical Brewing (which is offered four times a year) is a tall order. If you're able to score one of the spots, Charlie described what you can expect.
"In the classroom, we cover everything from raw materials to finished product. Why different barleys have (or don't have) suitable properties for brewing; how to make a great malt; the significance of water and how different chemical properties in the water can influence the end product; how different hops and hop preparations influence flavor, why you use them at various stages of the brewing process, and benefits beyond flavor; and different types of yeast and the role yeast plays. Many discussions surround quality—how to get the right color, the proper clarity, the right head. After all, they call me the Pope of Foam. We also look at the systems necessary to ensure quality for different levels of production—homebrewer or commercial brewer. The atmosphere is very informal and relaxed, with a good deal of banter. For many participants, it's a chance to have an informal conversation with someone who's been there and done that. I often say that the brewing industry is full of opinions. As long as you listen to mine, you'll be fine!
"In the brewery, each student gets to brew in our 1.5-barrel brewery. It's as fancy as any brewery anywhere. Students don't just push knobs; the experience is very hands-on. There's also a chance to brew on one of the smaller systems. To get perspective on the behind-the-scenes operations of a real craft brewery, we visit Sudwerk. The brewmaster there walks us through the operation, including the laboratory and packaging facility.
"We have a tasting at the end of the week, though the beer the students have produced is very young. We also taste some beers that students have brought along. Some of it's good, some less so. One student asked me to taste the beer he'd made. I did and told him that it smelled like halitosis. He asked why, and I responded that he hadn't brought the wort to a vigorous enough boil to drive off any nasty flavors. He called me a few weeks later and said, 'You've cost me a lot of money.' I asked how, and he replied that he'd felt compelled to buy a new brewery."
DR. CHARLES BAMFORTH is distinguished professor and leader of malting and brewing studies at the University of California, Davis. He has more than thirty-seven years of academic and professional brewing expertise, including senior roles with Brewing Research International and Bass Brewers. Charlie's current research program focuses primarily on the wholesomeness of beer, including studies on the psychophysics of beer perception, on polyphenols, and on the residues from non-starchy polysaccharide digestion that constitute soluble fiber and potential prebiotics in beer. He has published many papers on the topic and a number of books, including Beer Is Proof God Loves Us. Charlie has received the Award of Distinction from the American Society of Brewing Chemists and the Cambridge Prize from the Institute of Brewing & Distilling. Unbeknownst to many of his beer acolytes, Charlie is also a passionate soccer fan and an accomplished soccer writer. His efforts include countless articles and a book, In Keeping with the Wolves.
If You Go
Getting There: Visitors to Davis can fly into Sacramento, which is served by most major domestic carriers.
Best Time to Visit: UC Davis Extension's (800-752-0881; introductory brewing courses are offered four times a year.
Spots to Visit: You'll be busy most of the week, but you will pop over to Sudwerk (530-758-8700; www.sudwerk.com) at least once.
Accommodations: The Yolo County Visitors Bureau (530-297-1900; www.visityolo.com) highlights lodging options in Davis and the vicinity.