CSU Brew Science

By: Brittany Lancaster 

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper once said, “ Colorado has become the Napa Valley of beer…Denver is the Munich of the West.”

            This state, well known for its skiing, snow and wildflowers, also has a growing recognition for its beer. As the current number one beer producing state in the country, Colorado communities reap the benefits of the $83.2 million dollar industry of beer brewing.  So why don’t the universities of the Centennial State have prominent majors, programs or even courses in brewing science?  That’s the question Colorado State University graduate student Dave Davis posed to CSU Professor Jack Avens in 2005, the year Avens and Davis started to brew beer in a microbiology lab before contriving CSU’s and the state’s first brew science class, FTEC 460. 

            On Feb.1 as part of an alumni-sponsored Spotlight on CSU, Avens presented the inner workings of his brewing science and technology class on the commercial brewing industry. CSU Alumni Coordinator Katie Bennet expressed her excitement for the presentation.

“ We do this (Spotlight at CSU) two to three times a year, either highlighting research, professors or new programs that benefit the school and the community. This one demonstrates great value to both the university and the Fort Collins community with the numerous surrounding breweries here.”

The class, now in its 11^th semester, alongside Avens is team taught by what he likes to call “brew masters.”  Dave Davis, the original class brew master, was an avid home brewer and won a prize for his own brew on the East Coast. The brew masters currently assisting in teaching the class are Kevin Davis, Dan Strevey and Tony Rau. Kevin Davis, no relation to Dave Davis, is a CSU affiliate faculty member who is a brewer for New Belgium Brewing Company; he is not on CSU’s payroll but gets compensation from New Belgium for helping with the class.  Strevey is a CSU graduate teaching assistant who also works for Avery Brewing Company who went into brewing after taking Avens class. Rau is a CSU undergraduate teaching assistant and an Intern at Odell Brewing Company. 

“Thank goodness they have expertise,” Avens confessed, “the only beer expertise I have is to hang, drink beer, look cool and hang out with people who are loose, fun and also drink beer.”

            As a professor in food science and food microbiology, Avens says he mainly contributes to food processing of fermentation and safety of the mechanics. 

“I’m not a hobbyist, I’ve never home brewed and besides I like what I do studying food from farm to table into food processing… it’s these guys who really make the class.”

The class focuses on the commercial side of the brewing industry, facilitating the learning to brew, ferment, package and evaluate microbrew styles and ales. The class has had 200 students thus far accepting 20 to enroll each semester. It is not a course in home brewing but the science behind how beer goes from grain in the field to beer in a mug; students learn beer styles, laws and policies regarding the industry, and the necessary ingredients such as grains, barley, wheat, water, hops and yeast, and how to apply them. CSU is one of four schools with a university program or course in brew science, along with University of California-Davis, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Oregon State University.

According DRAFT Magazine, three Fort Collins beers were selected in the top 25 beers of 2001. The article recognized New Belgium’s Le Terroir and Crooked Stave’s Wild Wild Brett Rouge for the specialty beer category, and Odell’s Freik for Fruit Lambic serving style.

There are 142 licensed breweries in Colorado and Fort Collins is home to 10, unless you count the one on CSU’s campus in the Gifford Building.

Fort Collins Breweries

            Brewery size is measured in barrels produced or marketed per year; a barrel is equal to 31.5 U.S. gallons, companies in the industry round the number to 32.

Mass Market	Regional	Micro	Brew Pubs
More than 2,000,000 barrels	More than 15,000	Less than 15,000	Craft beers sold on premises (restaurant)
Anheuser-Busch	Odell	Equinox	CooperSmith’s
	Fort Collins Brewery	Funkwerks
	New Belgium	Crooked Stave
		Pateros Creek
		Big Horn