NFOK21004U Brewing and Raw Materials

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology

Content

The course gives a theoretical background for the processes and technological solutions for malting and wort production.

The following topics are covered in detail:

  • Raw materials in brewing: barley, malt, adjuncts, hops and water
  • Beer styles and recipe development
  • Malting technology: steeping, germination and kilning, utilities in malting and malt specification
  • Wort production in the brewhouse: milling, mashing, mash separation, wort boiling, clarification, cooling and aeration
  • Brewing chemistry: barley & malting, brewhouse & wort
  • Brewing analysis: barley, malt and wort, theory and practical exercises
  • Microbiology: barley and malt
  • Pilot brewing of beer from the students own recipe
  • Brewing calculations: malting and brewhouse

 

Visit to e.g. a malting plant, a small size brewery, a medium size brewery and/or a large size brewery

Three topics, defined in the beginning of the course, will be discussed in teams. The student will make individual asssignments based on the team discussions.

Learning Outcome

Students will acquire theoretical knowledge and skills of malting and brewing  and get the competences to assess malting and brewing processes.

Knowledge

  • Identify and describe the processes in a standard brewery with respect to physical and chemical changes of raw materials, malting and brewing and normal analytical work to manage the process and the plant.
  • Understanding of quality and economical aspects of malting and brewing in small as well as in large scales.


Skills

  • Apply concepts from chemistry, microbiology and food proces technology to describe the malt and wort manufacturing processes.
  • Reading and using original scientific literature.
  • Calculate physical and chemical processes in malting and brewing.


Competences

  • Evaluate the physical and chemical changes happening in raw materials and brewing based on literature, on lectures and partly also own experimental data.
Literature

See Absalon for a list of course literature. In general, reviews, text book chapters and original scientific literature will be included

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Lectures, where a general theoretical overview of the subject is presented. Theoretical exercises that elaborate and illustrate the theoretical knowledge by using e.g. specific real-life examples. There will be weekly assignments, which will be reviewed in plenum. Practical pilot brewing and laboratory experience with chemical and physical analytical methods that are used for wort – and beer production. Visits to breweries and brewery-related companies.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 45
  • Preparation
  • 82
  • Theory exercises
  • 25
  • Practical exercises
  • 16
  • Excursions
  • 10
  • Project work
  • 25
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
On-site written exam, 3 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
Exam consists of a final written test with a total duration of 3 hours covering all subjects taught.

The on-site written exam is an ITX exam.
See important information about ITX-exams at Study Information, menu point: Exams -> Exam types and rules -> Written on-site exams (ITX)
Exam registration requirements

Three written assignments has to be handed in during the course and approved by the course coordinators.

Aid
Only certain aids allowed

The only allowed aids during the written exam are these, which are supplied on the ITX-computer:

  • Excel
  • Maple
  • Calculator
  • Dictionary
  • Book of brewing calculation formulas

 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Re-exam

The re-examination is the same as the ordinary exam. 

The exam registration requirement must be submitted and approved no later than three weeks before the re-exam.

If 10 or fewer register for the reexamination in the written exam  the examination form will be oral. In this case, there will be 20 minutes for preparation and 20 minutes exam.  

Allowed aids during exam: Basic calculator, book of brewing calculation formulas and dictionary. No text books, mobile phones, PC's or notes are allowed

Criteria for exam assesment

See learning outcome