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The World of Beer: Tastes of History, Science, and Culture

Trailer

01: Beer Tasting: From Helles to Lambics

Start your adventures in the world of beer with a step-by-step look at the best way to taste beer. You’ll explore how to choose the right glassware (or adapt to what you have on hand), how to pour a beer correctly, and the four sensory markers you want to evaluate every time you take a sip of a new beer.

35 min

02: Beer Archaeology: Civilization and Ancient Ale

What if a beer could take you back in time? What would it tell you about the people and places of the past? Find out with a dive into ancient history and archaeology as seen through the lens of beer. Topics include the brewing cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and the Indus River Valley—plus a guided tasting of an Ethiopian mead.

35 min

03: Beer Biology: Yeast, Fermenting, and Saisons

Plunge into the fascinating science of yeast and the microbiology that drives brewing. Along the way, taste a couple of beer styles that illustrate some of the biochemical processes involved in the art of brewing: a saison (fermented with a specialized yeast strain) and an Oud Bruin, or Flanders Brown (which has roots dating back to the 1600s).

36 min

04: Beer Botany: Barley, Hops, and IPAs

Beer is a thoroughly agricultural product which emerged as humans began to congregate in urban civilizations. Here, get a crash course on the two agricultural products that are used in nearly all modern beer: malted barley and hops. Finish with a guided tasting of a beer style known for highlighting hops: the India Pale Ale, or IPA.

39 min

05: Beer Geography: Terroir, Caves, and Guinness

While terroir isn’t a big deal for beer, there’s no doubt that physical and human geographies have deeply shaped beer culture and global beer styles. Explore how some beer styles—like Rauchbiers (smoked beers) and Burton Ale (from a town in the United Kingdom)—powerfully evoke a sense of place with every sip.

36 min

06: Beer and Religion: Monks, Bocks, and Trappists

Learn about the critical roles religion and ritual have played in shaping our beer tastes, and how beer, in turn, has influenced the way we practice our faiths. You’ll explore the relationship between beer and the divine (or sinful), the rise of brewing culture in medieval monasteries, and a sampling of some Trappist beer.

36 min

07: Beer Legends: Myths, Witches, and Vikings

Here, investigate some ancient and modern legends surrounding beer. Among them are folk songs welcoming guests for a drink, specific ales brewed for women in labor, the role of alewives in witch symbols and imagery, the custom of pouring a beer out for the dead, and even the (patently false) idea of sucking on a penny to pass a breathalyzer test.

35 min

08: Beer and Society: Taverns, Darts, and Witbier

Poke your head inside taverns, pubs, inns, and other places where beer has brought people together for thousands of years, and the role they’ve played in cementing beer as the drink of the common folk. Also, explore the role of pub games like darts, and the style of beer that co-evolved with English pub culture: the traditional “pint of bitter.”

35 min

09: Beer Industry: Porters, Steam, and Bottling

By the late 19th century, industrialization was in full swing and opening up the next big era in the history of beer. Follow the rise of the first truly international beer style, the London Porter; Anheuser-Busch and America’s first national beer brand; and more. Also, sample steam beer: a cheap, low-quality lager brewed to serve America’s thirsty masses.

34 min

10: Beer Politics: Purity Laws and Prohibition

Since as far back as the Code of Hammurabi, legal and political pressures have profoundly shaped beer culture, composition, and even styles. In addition to learning about the rise of temperance movements and America’s Prohibition Era, sample two beer styles that emerged in response to laws: the Märzen (or March Beer) and an American Cream Ale.

35 min

11: Beer Marketing: Advertising and Light Lager

Brewers have marketed their beer for a long time, but only in the 20th century did marketing practices reach bold new heights. Explore the rise of Budweiser as the first mass-marketed beer brand (with a tasting of the American classic), as well as other successful entrants into the global beer market, and the price competition that followed.

36 min

12: Beer’s Future: Craft Brews and New Styles

Turn now to the explosive craft beer revolution that continues to sweep through the United States. First, get a solid definition of a craft beer (and a craft brewer). Then, take a closer look at how today’s brewers push the boundaries of brewing with unexpected ingredients (including marshmallows), and even low- and zero-alcohol beers.

34 min

Overview Course No. 80600

How did early humans first come upon the idea of brewing beer? Why did particular styles of beer emerge where and when they did? What happens, at a scientific level, during the beer brewing process? How have politics and social mores influenced how we consume beer?

This engaging, immersive, and highly interactive series takes a look at beer through the lenses of everything from history and mythology to botany and marketing to economics and religion. In 12 lessons, this Certified Cicerone® (think the beer world equivalent of a sommelier) invites you to taste the incredible diversity of brewed beverages through a case of specific beers from around the world.

What makes this series such a unique way to learn about this unique beverage is that Jackson-Beckham uses different beers—all of which you get to taste alongside her—as a gateway to deeper lessons about where beer comes from, how it’s made, how it’s been incorporated into ancient mythology and modern politics, and where it may go in the future.

Whether you’re learning about the first written records of beer from ancient Mesopotamia, the influence of alewives on popular conceptions of witches, the rise of English pub culture and multinational brewing corporations, or even recent brewing trends like minimally invasive fermentation, this series will captivate you with every lesson and every sip.

Here’s proof that beer is more than just a beverage. It’s a veritable time machine.

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About

J Jackson-Beckham

Beer is woven throughout the history of civilization. It offers us a window into a human endeavor that dates back 13,000 years.

ALMA MATER

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

INSTITUTION

Brewers Association

J Jackson-Beckham is the Equity & Inclusion Partner for the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association for American craft brewers, and is the founder of Crafted for All, a consultancy and professional development platform. She earned her PhD in Communication and Cultural Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has published extensively on various aspects of beer history and the modern beer industry. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, USA TODAY, and VICE and by the James Beard Foundation. In 2020, she was named the Beer Person of the Year by Imbibe magazine.