Brewing offers refreshing capstone tasting session

A new “ingredient” was added to the brewing & fermentation science capstone with the addition of an informal tasting session in Le Jeune Chef Restaurant and the major’s lab, both located in the Hager Lifelong Education Center at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

The event, held earlier this month, featured the graduating students’ final brews accompanied by hors d’oeuvres and desserts to complement the tastes. The gathering was attended by students’ families and friends, industry professionals, brewing alumni, and college employees.

For their final project, the brewing students were challenged to craft a beer of their choice, and they were given two opportunities to achieve their target outcomes. Samples of each attempt were offered and assessed by guests at the tasting session.

Ethan R. Barley, of Conestoga, presented an American Pale Ale with Jack Daniels oak wood chips added into the fermentation vessel; the chips enhanced a fruity, coconut and pineapple/citrus note with a slight oaky, dry finish. He named his beer “Chipped In” Pale Ale.

Mia Demas, of Ulster, and Devin L. Shellhammer, of Clarion, created a West Coast IPA with lemondrop hops and rosemary that they titled “Get Herb to the Greek.”

Troy-Thomas C. Elhajj, of Hummelstown, crafted an American Pale Ale called “Strawberry Peels” that offered strawberry and orange notes.

Ryan M. Kori, of Camp Hill, presented a dark Amber Ale with dried fruit, bready, tobacco and spearmint flavors.

In addition to the informal tasting session, the brewing & fermentation science major held technical capstone critiques with industry professionals and Penn College chemistry and biology faculty assessing the graduating students’ efforts.

The students earned certificates in brewing & fermentation science on May 10.