The Technograph

On our University campus, it seems that beer just magically comes in the can available to buy and chug. Have you wondered how that beer made it in to that can, or the more expensive beers make it in to the bottles? You can experience it first hand and enjoy a great beer at the Blind Pig Brewery, the only brewery in Champaign.

“Actually, it’s more of a nano-brewery,” Blind Pig owner Chris Knight says. Knight reveals that the well-equipped brewery that sits inside of the front window of the bar and trails to the back of the bar produces an even smaller amount of beer than a microbrewery would. This brewery produces up to 62 gallons (or two barrels) of Blind Pig beer (which went on sale in November) every time they make a complete brew. “In theory, if we worked 24 hours a day we could make all four beers a day, but generally we will produce one or two beers a week,” says Knight. Knight believes that the reason that his bar stands as the only brewery is because of its high expense.

Currently, the Blind Pig Brewery is currently brewing a familiar Curtis Apple Orchard Beer. Knight explained that they are currently using pasteurized apples, but are exploring the use of unpasteurized apples from the orchard. The reason behind this is because the skin of the apples has yeast of its own and too much yeast can create problems in the beer.

The Blind Pig holds many events in light of its recent opening in May 2009 and their “love for great beer,” says Anthony Benjamin, president of Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots, a campus-wide club that allows members to celebrate “beer appreciation.”

This past fall, there was a science of beer seminar held that featured University professor William Artz. Artz explained the chemistry of the beer brewing process.

During his lecture, he mentioned that the types of hops, yeast and, roasted or unroasted grains have much to do with the flavor and texture of the beer. The yeast is very important because it produces very different flavors depending on the different compounds brewed at different temperatures and the sugars with which it is paired: “If you make a beer completely out of malted grain, it will taste completely different than if you use the same yeast and mix it with a little bit of sugar and different grain,” says professor Artz. According to Artz, some beer makers add a little carmelized sugar to their beer which increases the alcohol content and produces sugars that are similar to the sugars in wine.

Artz also conducts a graduate course on campus that explains the chemistry of beverages including beer in his FSHN 517 course on Fermented and Distilled Beverages. “Generally forty percent of the course focus is on beer, forty percent is on wine, and the other twenty percent is on other distilled beverages,” says Artz. The course study emphasizes “the compositional chemistry, microbiology, and technology” of the beverages.

While FSHN 517 is not a beer-tasting course, the Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots is a 17-year-old brewing club that holds an annual beer competition. Taking place in June, the club joins residents of the C-U community in judging beers from around the country. Artz stands as an advisor for the home brewing club, says that their meetings consist of “about twenty minutes of business, and an hour tasting beer.” The club also holds training to be certified as a judge in the annual beer-tasting competition. “We probably get 200 to 300 [beer] samples mailed in from across the U.S.,” says Artz.

Whether you like light or dark beer, sweet or bitter, the Blind Pig Brewery offers many taps of beer including (what will be) four of its own, and so much more. You can visit the brewery at 120 N. Neil St. in Champaign.

Tagged with: blind pig, alcohol, beer, brewing