There was beer, brewery tours, pizza, science, and trivia for all to enjoy at Beer Science last Saturday at the Walkerville Brewery, a new event presented by Evidence for Democracy in collaboration with the Faculty of Science.

"Walkerville Brewery gives tours on a weekly basis, but they are usually focused on the brewery's rich history," says Allison Mistakidis, the event's host and ambassador for Evidence for Democracy.

“We wanted to give the public a chance to learn a little bit more about the science involved in the creation of their favourite beverage, while also encouraging our science community to engage with the public in a novel way."

Each ticket for the sold out event included tastings, a 12 oz. beer, and a free beaker courtesy of VWR Scientific. The tour was conducted by Walkerville Brewery head brewer Michael Beaudoin, who said he enjoyed the opportunity to talk more about the science of brewing.

"It was a nice change to have questions about what really 'makes' beer", and to have people interested in learning more about the process.”

Department of Biological Sciences professor Tanya Noel then gave a talk about the biology of beer before participants tested their knowledge with Mack Flash Beer Trivia.  

Several UWindsor faculty and staff members participated, including Women and Gender Studies professor Emily Rosser who said:  "It was great to get out in the community to do something fun and educational. I really enjoyed this event and would love to see more like this."

Beer Science was the first of the Science on Tap Series of outreach events where the Faculty of Science will engage with the public. The next event, Science Uncorked, will be held on September 14th at the Art Gallery of Windsor and will feature talks by Earth and Environmental Sciences professors Maria Cioppa and Alan Trenhaile on the topic, From Ice Age to Ice Wine: the beginnings of Canada's Wine Industry.

Dean of Science Chris Houser says the vision for the Science on Tap series is to, "bring science to the public and allow people to ask questions and learn how it’s relevant in their everyday lives.”

Tickets for From Ice Age to Ice Wine are $15 and available on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/from-ice-age-to-iced-wines-the-beginnings-of-canadas-wine-industry-tickets-36517374450