5 Courses
It is often said that malt is the soul of beer, and it plays an important role as the source of nutrients and sugars that carry forward into fermentation and your finished product. Selecting the right malt and managing the malt quality are key to a good finished beer. In this course, you will explore different malts and their impact on the wort. You'll then read and interpret malt Certificates of Analysis so that you can choose and purchase the correct malt for each recipe you create. By the end of this course, you'll be better prepared to select the ideal malts to optimize your beer recipe.
Hops are a key ingredient that impacts finished beer aroma and flavor, and it's crucial to be able to differentiate among hop varieties. In this course, you will analyze different hop varieties and the unique chemistry they bring to your beer. You will work through calculations to reach the desired level of bitterness and aroma, and explore how different brewery processes can impact a finished beer. By the end of this course, you will be able to use hops to get closer to your desired aroma and flavor.
For consistent excellence in your final beer, you need to successfully manage yeast and microorganisms during fermentation. In this course, you will consider the role of yeast in your beer recipe and how to manage fermentation to produce your desired flavor profile. You'll identify the conditions needed to manage yeast for healthy production and practice evaluating yeast health ahead of fermentation. Finally, you will fine-tune yeast pitching rates and develop the skills to troubleshoot yeast-related issues revealed during fermentation. With this experience, you'll be better positioned to manage the health and vitality of your yeast and to achieve your final beer flavor goals.
Water in beer production has a role in both the flavor of the finished beer and the efficiency of production. The use of water in brewing necessitates practices centered around sustainability. This course focuses on water as an ingredient and how to evaluate its chemical makeup in order to create the water profile that's best for your recipe. In this course, you'll recognize sustainable water sources, what they offer and why they matter, and evaluate your water supply for use as brew water. You will match brew water profiles to beer styles and flavors, then adjust the water composition to meet your recipe requirements.

It is time to get your recipe ready for production! In this course, you will explore how production choices influence your beer recipe and outcomes. You'll examine the impact of ingredient interplay during the brewing process, including process aids and nontraditional sources of flavor. The focus is on the chemical processes and reactions that may be harnessed to promote and retain the target characteristics of your beer. Upon completing this course, you'll be ready to refine the production process to manifest your recipe goals.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

  • Malt Evaluation
  • Hops Flavor Chemistry
  • Yeast and Fermentation
  • Water Profiles
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