CSU submitted three other beers that didn’t win medals: a Saison brewed with special wild yeast, a California Common beer called “Steamroller” brewed with barley malted at CSU by Macdonald and the Brewing Analysis and Quality Control class, and “Weiz Guy Hefeweizen,” which the Brewing Science and Technology class released on April 20 at Odell Brewing Co.[1] as its featured brew of the semester.

[2]In addition to Macdonald, the brewing teaching staff included teaching assistants Justin Burditt, Alex Kurtz, Rachael Morris and Kelsey Snyder[3], as well as Professor Jack Avens, adjunct instructor Jeff Biegert of New Belgium Brewing and Katie Fromuth, Fermentation Science and Technology lab manager.

“It was great to be able to represent the school, and it’s exciting to have these medals bring some national recognition to our fermentation program,” Morris said.

“It was a fulfilling experience that I got to enjoy with close friends,” Kurtz added.

“Working with this team and the instructors was the highlight of the program, and we hope future generations will be able to take home gold medals on the brewery that is being installed this year,” Burditt said.

“We received two bronze medals last year, so progress this year to two silvers is excellent,” Macdonald said, adding that while he and three of the other teaching assistants graduated last week, the program is well-positioned for additional success. “I believe we, the teaching staff and myself, have set up a great competition pedigree to continue winning medals in this and other competitions in the future and cement CSU’s place as an important brewing school.”

The program is part of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.