Beer. The mere thought of those beautiful flavors, the varying degree of amber colors, and the sound of the bottle cap as it hits the floor appeals to the senses of many. From wheat beers and IPAs to Oktoberfest specials and pumpkin blends, it is quite obvious that Buffalo residents love their beer.
The Buffalo Museum of Science has created an event to fulfill that love.
Beerology is a fundraiser for the Buffalo Museum of Science that allows the audience to experience and learn about the science behind making beer. Tickets are now on sale for the event, which will take place on Saturday, April 9.
"We say that it features science on tap," said Erin Collins, business development manager at the Buffalo Museum of Science. "It's a beer-tasting event, but we really try to focus on the science behind beer: how beer is made, home brewing, ingredients that go into beer. It's all a very scientific process, and it also give us a chance to reach an audience that might be different than a family with kids that comes in during the day."
The Buffalo Museum of Science was looking for a new fundraiser idea that would appeal to a more mature audience. The museum wanted to play off of an already-existing event called "Star Lights, Drinks & Bites," which is a wine-tasting event held on the museum's rooftop in the summer.
Beerology offers a wide variety of activities, which includes beer tasting from participating breweries including Magic Hat, Flying Bison, Lake Placid, and Great Lakes Brewing Co.
"It's the only chance you'll get to walk around and check out some dinosaur bones while enjoying a tasty beverage," Collins said.
Experts on various science and beer-related topics will give "beer talks." Topics will include beer and food pairing for beginners, the science of beer, and what goes into it. A presentation will also be given on "malting," which is a process in beer making, and on the history of beer in Buffalo, according to Collins.
When most people think about beer, the science that goes into the beverage typically gets overlooked.
"There certainly is both an art and a science to brewing. Especially when you start to talk about industrial levels of production, the science really comes to the floor, " said Ethan Cox, president of Community Beer Works, a nano-brewery in Buffalo that opened in June of 2010. "If you want to put out a product that is the same and consistent every time, and your customers expect that, then it's the scientific aspects of the brewing process that matter, like the repeatability, replicablity, and all that stuff. To do that, even as a home brewer, but especially at a production level, you need to make sure that every stage in the process happens the same way every time."
This year, instead of speaking about the science behind beer, Cox will be educating the audience on the ample array of beer and food pairings.
"I'm of the strong opinion that beer is actually a better complement to a wider range of food than wine," Cox said. "I don't hate wine, but I do think that wine gets far too much spotlight."
Benjamin Briggs, a sixth year student in the Medicine and Molecular Virology doctorate program at UB, will discuss the science behind making beer. Briggs, who studied biological sciences at Cornell University, is no stranger to the science behind brewing.
"When I was an undergraduate…I did some of my honors thesis work in a yeast genetics lab," Briggs said in an e-mail. "I got into brewing beer just after coming to Buffalo six years ago, and my reasons stemmed mainly from my interests in microbiology. In general, I enjoy applying science to every part of my life, and it's fun to turn your kitchen into a fermentation lab."
Even though this event isn't scheduled to take place until April, tickets – which cost $40 and include drink tickets, unlimited food, a commemorative mug, and access to the museum – are expected to sell out weeks before opening night.
"The first two years, we sold out at 500 tickets in a matter of weeks," Collins said. "This year, we were able to double that, so we originally had 1,000 tickets and right now, we have only about 100 left. Everybody in Buffalo loves beer, and it turned out to be a great thing for us."
Tickets for this event are available at the Buffalo Museum of Science or online at www.sciencebuff.org/events/beerology.
All of the proceeds from this event will help to fund the educational programs that the Buffalo Museum of Science currently has in Buffalo.
For more information on Beerology or Community Beer Works, visit their websites at www. sciencebuff.org and www.communitybeerworks.com.
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