Introduction to Beer Brewing – without the exams

Aspiring beer makers of all educational levels can now master the basics of modern brewing practices from the convenience of their CD player or iPod.

UC Davis professor and world-renowned brewmaster Charlie Bamforth is now offering his introduction to beer brewing course to the general public, with a 14-segment collection of 35-minute audio lectures, available in MP3, CD or cassette form.

“‘Brewmaster’s Art’ is a series of lectures that talk about the history and production of beer, beer quality and health, and most of the topics covered by my FST 3 class on campus, without the tests or exams,” Bamforth said.

Bamforth’s class consistently attracts between three and four hundred students each quarter, and has been nominated by students as the “Best G.E. Course” in The Aggie’s annual “Best of Davis” publication. The course introduces students to the art of beer-making, and examines the history and science of beer as a significant and “uniquely satisfying” beverage.

Lindsay Guerdrom, a graduate student in the food science and technology department, has worked as a teaching assistant for Bamforth’s intro to beer brewing course. Guerdrom said the course is entertaining and applicable to a wide audience, and the option to purchase the audio lecture series is a great way to learn the course material at your own pace.

“I absolutely would purchase the audio lecture series if unable to take the course in person,” she said.

“It’s nice to be able to refer back to an old lecture when your friends get into an argument about what defines a real lager or what a Burton ale is,” Guerdrom said. “I’d refer back to the series just for a good laugh, because Charlie is hilarious.”

Besides the convenience of being able to multi-task while listening to the brewing lectures, the general public can avoid the hefty fees that normally accompany a university-level course by paying as little as $20.99 to download the entire series online.

“The main difference between the audio series and my class is that you can do it at your own pace, and at the end of the day you don’t get any credit for it,” Bamforth said. “Instead of having the great pleasure of coming to a classroom you can just put it in your CD player and listen to it … or at the very least you can go to sleep, which you can’t get away with in my class.”

The audio portion of “Brewmaster’s Art” can be downloaded online at audible.com for $20.99, or purchased on CD or cassette at recordedbooks.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=scholar.home, which includes the course and a detailed, full-color guide for $98.75.

MICHELLE IMMEL can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.