Brewing Science and Practice MSc

This module will provide you, if new to brewing, with the necessary underpinning knowledge enabling you to benefit from the already existing modules which form the current part-time MSc in Brewing Science. It covers the fundamentals of the brewing process, definitions of beers and other associated beverages and brewery design and operation.

• Historical perspective and the factors which have shaped the modern brewing industry
• Beer definitions and styles (including RTDs)
• The brewing process (traditional and modern and to include a description of the various options for process and plant that can be used to perform individual stages in the brewing process)
• Brewery design and layout including a description of tank design, pipe-work layout, types of pump and valve
• Brewery operation and planning
• Engineering aspects of brewing including choice of materials for construction, heat exchange, refrigeration, and gas control
• Definitions of scientific units used in brewing and the methods used for their measurement
• CIP and hygiene
• Environmental considerations
• The impact of legislation on brewing practices
• The impact of R&D on modern brewery practice
• Future trends and career opportunities in brewing and other topics as deemed appropriate

This module will provide you, if new to brewing, with the necessary practical skills to enable you to brew and pack beer. It will be largely practically based using the nano and AB InBev micro-brewery facilities, but also supplemented with appropriate lectures, tutorials and visits to external commercial breweries. The module will culminate in an assessed group exercise, the object of which will be the production of a batch of packaged beer of style and recipe chosen by each team.

This module provides an understanding of the significance and quality parameters of the key raw ingredients used in brewing and of the underlying science and technology. Links between raw material and product quality factors will be considered. The collaborative group project will develop teamworking, communication and ultimately presentation skills at the assessment event.

This module considers biological and chemical processes that contribute to the maturation of beer once fermentation is complete. You will be introduced to scientific principles and relevance to industrial practice of 

• Maturation: flavour and aroma changes. Techniques to achieve product specification
• Formation of non-biological hazes and stabilisation against non-biological haze
• Carbonation: carbon dioxide addition, saturation and recovery
• Clarification and filtration. Removal of yeast and beer recovery, beer filtration
• Specialised beer treatments: low-alcohol, alcohol-free, ice beers, diet beers, bottle conditioning

This module considers brewing fermentations and the importance of yeast within the process. It considers:

• pitching and yeast quality
• fermentation and flavour metabolism
• fermentation systems and operations
• yeast flocculation, cropping and storage

Operational practice and challenges as well as potential innovative technologies are discussed.

This module considers brewing yeast management in relation to brewery fermentations. You are introduced to scientific principles and their relevance to industrial practices:

• Brewing taxonomy
• Brewing yeast cell biology
• Brewing yeast genetics
• Brewing yeast biochemistry
• Brewing yeast replication and growth
• Yeast culture maintenance and supply
• Methods of analysis (genetic, biochemical and physiological)
• Brewing yeast propagation and pitching

Develop an understanding of the science underpinning the processes utilised in the production of wort from raw materials. To consider the key constituents of wort which impact upon beer quality and the influential processing parameters involved. The module forms a part of the ‘brewing process’ component of the MSc in Brewing Science and links directly into the raw materials, fermentation and flavour development modules whilst also forming a core knowledge base for students studying the cross-disciplinary parts of the course in subsequent years.

This module considers the occurrence, frequency and biology of non-brewing microorganisms that are associated with spoilage during the brewing process or the final product. The impact of microorganisms on process and beer will also be considered. You will be introduced to:

• Spoilage microorganisms associated with the brewing process and final beer product
• Sampling, detection and identification of brewery microorganisms
• Disinfection of brewery yeast
• Cleaning- in – place (CIP) operations
• The principles and practice of brewery hygiene
• HACCP

Development of the key chemical & physical properties of beer which determine its’ quality & the analytical techniques which are used to measure them. When & where in the process should measurements be taken using a Brewery Analysis Plan and how are these measurements integrated into the necessary Brewery Quality Systems?

You will be required to carry out a practical project in brewing science which involves the application of contemporary concepts, theories and methodologies relevant to a selected topic. Content will be agreed with the course supervisor (and where appropriate industrial supervisor) appointed to the project to ensure that the academic content is suitable for a postgraduate course. Ideally the project will be carried out as a placement in industry to address a real situation; however, where this is not feasible or dependent upon the requirements of the research project, a laboratory-based project may be undertaken. Although an individual responsibility, the project will usually involve working with others and may be part of a team project (e.g. developing, brewing and marketing a new beer brand in collaboration with a local brewer).