Spring Break
OSU's got a hop on fermentation
University's rare fermentation science program will host
Nick Vardanega
Issue date: 8/8/07 Section: News
The various research facilities on the OSU campus contribute a multitude of information to OSU's body of knowledge in a wide variety subjects from climate change to computer engineering.
But for the last decade, OSU has been one of the few colleges in the United States on the cutting edge of a subject that, while overlooked, may be of great importance to college students all over the country: making better beer.
Housed in Wiegand Hall on the northern boundary of campus is the Pilot Plant Brewhouse containing a two-barrel, temperature controlled brewing system where researchers in OSU's fermentation science program produce and research beer.
"Our mission is to educate students in Oregon," said Tom Shellhammer, an associate professor in fermentation science. "[And] to disseminate information at professional meetings, published in scientific journals and in reports to the industry."
Fermentation science is an option in the department of food science and technology which is equipped with both an on-campus brewery and winery.
At the Pilot Plant Brewhouse barley, grown in greenhouses on campus, is crushed and mixed with heated water and later combined with hops from the nearby USDA hops farm to create any style of beer.
OSU is one of the only two universities in the country - the other being the University of California Davis - to offer this kind of academic program.
Shellhammer said that the type of hops used in any American beer product were probably developed at the USDA hops farm located on campus.
"We're kind of the ground zero of hops," he said.
As a result, OSU has been selected to host the first international symposium on hops, organized by the Master Brewers Association of America and the American Society of Brewing Chemists.
Thursday and Friday, over 140 brewmasters and scientists from 13 countries will be on campus attending talks and presenting research on how the different flavor, stability and bitterness characteristics of hops affect the taste of beer.
But for the last decade, OSU has been one of the few colleges in the United States on the cutting edge of a subject that, while overlooked, may be of great importance to college students all over the country: making better beer.
Housed in Wiegand Hall on the northern boundary of campus is the Pilot Plant Brewhouse containing a two-barrel, temperature controlled brewing system where researchers in OSU's fermentation science program produce and research beer.
"Our mission is to educate students in Oregon," said Tom Shellhammer, an associate professor in fermentation science. "[And] to disseminate information at professional meetings, published in scientific journals and in reports to the industry."
Fermentation science is an option in the department of food science and technology which is equipped with both an on-campus brewery and winery.
At the Pilot Plant Brewhouse barley, grown in greenhouses on campus, is crushed and mixed with heated water and later combined with hops from the nearby USDA hops farm to create any style of beer.
OSU is one of the only two universities in the country - the other being the University of California Davis - to offer this kind of academic program.
Shellhammer said that the type of hops used in any American beer product were probably developed at the USDA hops farm located on campus.
"We're kind of the ground zero of hops," he said.
As a result, OSU has been selected to host the first international symposium on hops, organized by the Master Brewers Association of America and the American Society of Brewing Chemists.
Thursday and Friday, over 140 brewmasters and scientists from 13 countries will be on campus attending talks and presenting research on how the different flavor, stability and bitterness characteristics of hops affect the taste of beer.
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