Beer & Brewing History
Course - 2 classes
Enjoy one or both!
Brewing History 1: Jan 8
Brewing History 2: Feb 5
6:30 – 8:00 in McFleshman’s Prohibition Room* unless noted.
Have you ever dreamt of being in school and drinking beer while talking about beer? If so, your dreams are about to come true. The educational team at McFleshman’s is proud to offer our 2023-24 beer academy. This course will focus on how beer has impacted American History from Pre-Columbian times to the Craft Beer Revolution of the 21st century! This course promises to take you into beer’s deep past by connecting our favorite beverage to almost every time period in US History. The McF team will be connecting their fantastic line of artisanal ales and lagers with samples, discussion, and explanations connecting the beers to the time periods they were born. If you want to amaze your friends and wow complete strangers with your vast library of beer facts–this is a great place to start.
This course is a lot of fun…but don’t take my word for it. Here are some testimonials from past students. Note, these are all happy testimonials, I couldn’t find any negative ones because we were drinking beer and talking about beer. Also, sometimes tasty treats were provided…actually it was all the time.
Student #1: Jake
I highly recommend taking the history of beer at McFleshman’s Brewing Company. It was entertaining, educational and delicious. What a fun way to spend an evening laughing and learning with fellow beer-loving friends.
Student #2: Chad
Joel has a way of creating an engaging environment that is unparalleled. While we all clearly love beer, his passion for sharing information and knowledge makes the class much more interesting and entertaining.
This course is a three-part offering on the unique place beer holds in American History. The growth and development of beer from Pre-Columbian times to the present is a fascinating topic, we think we have just the guy to tell you that story! The course will focus on how beer has been acted upon by a number of social, political, technological, and geographic factors. In addition, we will also focus on how beer has been a catalyst for change across those same areas. The course will be a lecture/discussion format with visual aids, a few exhibitions, and of course relevant sampling and beer discussion.
Session Overviews:
- Beer in Early American History: Date: 1/23, 6:30 – 8:30 this session will focus on the development of your favorite drink in the New World and how it changed across the period of European expansion into the Americas. In addition, we will explore the extraordinary history of beer in Colonial America and how the Founding Fathers used their favorite drink as a source of inspiration and aspiration for the new nation. We’ll wrap up the session with how the struggles of early America challenged the brewing industry amidst a series of tumultuous events. 2-hour class includes one 16 oz pour of standard-priced McF Beer, four beer samples during the class, a McF branded beer glass, and notes for the information provided.
- The Rise of Lagers and the Crisis of Prohibition: Date: 2/20, 6:30 – 8:30 the story of beer in America took a dramatic turn in the early 19th century as the development of brewing in Europe opened new doors. The arrival of lagers and bottom feeding yeasts forever changed beer production and consumption. We’ll of course touch on key topics like beer in the Civil War and the impact of westward expansion on beer. We’ll wrap up the conversation by examining the progressive age in world history and considering how prohibition impacted brewing America. 2-hour class includes one 16 oz pour of standard-priced McF Beer, four beer samples during the class, a McF branded beer glass, and notes for the information provided.
- Beer since 1945- World War and the Astonishing Rise of Craft Brewing: Date: 3/20, 6:30 – 8:30 There is no doubt that the Great Depression and World War II had profound implications for America and brewing. We’ll explore that tumultuous relationship. We’ll also explore the unique subject of beer in 1970s cinema and how our obsession with macro brews crumbled in the face of a revolution of craft beer geniuses that would forever transform the beer universe. 2-hour class includes one 16 oz pour of standard-priced McF Beer, four beer samples during the class, a McF branded beer glass, and notes for the information provided.
This course is a two-part offering on the unique place beer holds in American History. The course will focus on how beer has been acted upon by a number of social, political, technological, and geographic factors. In addition, we will also focus on how beer has been a catalyst for change across those same areas. The course will be a lecture/discussion format with visual aids, a few exhibitions, and of course relevant sampling and beer discussion.
Session Overviews:
- Beer in Early American History: Date: 10/23, 6:30 – 8:00 this session will focus on the development of your favorite drink in the New World and how it changed across the period of European expansion into the Americas. In addition, we will explore the extraordinary history of beer in Colonial America and how the Founding Fathers used their favorite drink as a source of inspiration and aspiration for the new nation. We’ll wrap up the session with how the struggles of early America challenged the brewing industry amidst a series of tumultuous events.
- Beer Prohibition, the World Wars and the Astonishing Rise of Craft Brewing: Date: 11/6, 6:30 – 8:00 There is no doubt that the Great Depression and World War II had profound implications for America and brewing. We’ll explore that tumultuous relationship. We’ll also explore the unique subject of beer in 1970s cinema and how our obsession with macro brews crumbled in the face of a revolution of craft beer geniuses that would forever transform the beer universe. 2-hour class includes one 16 oz pour of standard-priced McF Beer, four beer samples during the class, a McF branded beer glass, and notes for the information provided.
Beer Tasting Science
course - 2 classes
Enjoy one or Both!
Brewing Tasting Science 1: Jan 22
Brewing Tasting Science 2: Feb 19
6:30 – 8:00 in McFleshman’s Prohibition Room* unless noted.
This is the science class you wish you had! The final exam is tasting more beer! Come enjoy learning what makes beer taste like beer. Flavor, Aroma, Color, Foam and of course, the Glass, all contribute to the experience of drinking a beer. In this two-part course, we’ll explore what makes McF’s beers taste so damn good, as well as discuss what compounds you DON’T want to find in you beer! (What happens when the beers become sun-struck).
This class is taught by a Lawrence Chemistry Professor, who happens to own McFleshman’s too! Rumor has it she is the funniest member of the McF team, so you won’t be disappointed! Sign up with a friend and come enjoy some beer!
This course is a three-part offering on how beer’s story has been sculpted by science. Did you know the water chemistry of a region dictated the kinds of beer styles that would develop or how sunlight can make your beer change from tasting great to smelling like skunk? These classes will take you through some of the many aspects of what science can teach us about beer. No science background is required, but a love for beer is expected.
Session Overviews:
- Science of the Beer Styles: Date: 2/6, 6:30 – 8:30 “It’s the Water” is the slogan to encompass how beer styles came to be and this session will dive deep into why. Learn what makes many styles unique to specific regions of Europe and America. 2-hour class includes one 16 oz pour of standard-priced McF Beer, four beer samples during the class, a McF branded beer glass, and notes for the information provided.
- Science of Beer ingredients: Date: 3/6, 6:30 – 8:30 Water, grain, hops, and yeast are the main ingredients in beer, but what is so special about each of these? This class will introduce you to components of each ingredient and how they come together in the brewing process. You’ll get to taste ingredients with their final product side-by-side. 2-hour class includes one 16 oz pour of standard-priced McF Beer, four beer samples during the class, a McF branded beer glass, and notes for the information provided.
- Science of Beer Tasting: Date: 4/3, 6:30 – 8:30 What are you tasting when you drink a beer? We’ll go over the basics of how to describe flavor compounds of malt and hops, what compounds give many varieties of beers their unique flvaor and give insights into the science behind them. Part of this class will also introduce you to off-flavors and offer a taste of the compounds that we don’t want in beer. 2-hour class includes one 16 oz pour of standard-priced McF Beer, four beer samples during the class, a McF branded beer glass, and notes for the information provided.
This course is a two-part offering on how beer’s flavor can be broken down by science.
Session Overviews:
- Beer Tasting Science: Date: 10/30, 6:30 – 8:00 We taste with our eyes! We’ll go over the basics of why beers have the colors they have, what makes the foam so varied across styles, and why the glass is so important!
- Beer Tasting Science: Date: 11/13, 6:30 – 8:00 We taste with our nose! This class will also focus on the unique flavors of each beer and where those flavors originate. We’ll also discuss the off-flavors and offer a taste of the compounds that we don’t want in beer.
