Founders Brewing Beer School will help craft beer lovers discover even more to love

Whether you love a hearty craft beer or have been too afraid to try one, Founders Brewing wants to help you learn about the art of beer brewing, the craft beer industry, and how to taste (and smell) the difference between the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Beginning Tuesday, August 5, Founders Brewing will offer two classes: Beer 101 and Sensory Evaluation.

Beer 101 will dive into the history of beer, the beer-making process, the evolution of brewing, and how beer ingredients have changed over the centuries. The class includes videos by Founders Brewing, discussions on different beer styles, flavor profiles, and beer and food pairings.

Sensory Evaluation is all about how to tell a good craft beer by taste, aroma, and appearance. The fun part here is, that, yes, participants get to sample different beers -- but they won't all be good beers. Each will have a "bad" beer counterpart that demonstrates what good beer should taste like, how it should look in the glass, and how it should smell.

"There are a lot of breweries out there that are making really bad beer," says Dave Engbers, Founders Brewing co-founder and VP of brand and education. "That has the potential for really damaging our industry. If a beer tastes "cardboard-y" or flat or like butterscotch, that's not good beer. (For the class) we take a beer that's not too complex, and we spike it fairly aggressively with the "off" flavors so they'll know a beer that tastes skunky or flat. Once you've gone through sensory evaluation, it's a different ball game."

The class also touches on what type of glassware to use, how to pour a beer properly, and the correct serving temperature for different styles of beers.

All classes are $40 per person, ages 21 and up. Classes will be taught by Founders Brewing's trained Education Ambassadors in the Centennial Room at Founders, 235 Grandville Ave. SW.

Beer 101: first and third Tuesdays, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Sign up here.
Sensory Evaluation: second Tuesdays, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Sign up here.

Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Founders Brewing