Module Title:The Brewing Process
Language of Instruction:English
Credits: 10
NFQ Level:7
Module Delivered In No Programmes
Teaching & Learning Strategies: The full time version of the module will be delivered as 2h lecture per week. These lectures provide the learner with a broad overview of each topic in the syllabus. Learners will be required to supplement this with significant independent reading. Key analytical and applied competency skills are developed by learners in a laboratory environment 2h per week whilst working both individually and in groups. The part time version of the module will be delivered as 3h theory/practical class for 20 weeks. Learners will be exposed to theory and practice through exposure to and study of academic materials and industry practice materials. Learners will be required to actively engage with module materials and problem solving exercises.
Module Aim: The aim of this module is to provide students with an understanding of the brewing process including wort production, separation and boiling
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner should be able to:
LO1 Describe the stages involved in the malting process including steeping, germination and kilning and be able to conduct the analyses required to detect malt quality
LO2 Explain the milling process including malt handling procedures, techniques used during grist preparation and the different mill types
LO3 Evaluate the effects of milling on the composition and quality of the final product
LO4 Discriminate the biochemical and physiological reactions during mashing and understand wort composition and separation
LO5 Explain the processes required to remove hop and hop product debris from wort, and examine the processes involved in wort cooling, dilution and aeration
LO6 Develop the practical skills and techniques required for the brewing process
Pre-requisite learning
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.

No recommendations listed
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed.
No requirements listed
 

Module Content & Assessment

Indicative Content
Barley
Barley intake, storage, drying, separation and grading
Malting process
Steeping, steep regimes and air rests; germination, moisture, temperature, biochemical changes, malting loss; kilning, free drying, forced drying, curing, kiln technology, biochemistry of kilning; malt analysis, malt quality, speciality malts
Water
Brewing water, source, composition, management
Hops
Hop biology and cultivation, chemical composition, hop products, hops in the brewing process, analysing hop quality
Millling
Malt handling procedures, dry goods, malt dust; techniques used during grist preparation; mill types and operation; effect of milling on composition and quality of beer
Mashing
biochemistry of mashing; mashing techniques and regimens; wort composition, separation, Darcy's law; wort boiling, process and equipment, wort classification, wort cooling, dilution, aeration
Fermentation
Centrifugation, flocculation, maturation, clarification, packaging
Practicals
1. Milling and mashing regimes/enzyme analysis. 2. Water analysis – ion content. 3. Sweet wort separation and composition – sugar and amino acid/total N analysis. 4. Wort boiling, hop conversion, estimation of bitterness/iso-alpha acids. 5. Beer fermentation, oxygen, pitching, monitoring of fermentation/OG-PG/pH/PP/attenuation. 6. Green beer processing: separation, flocculation, centrifugation, clarification. 7. Beer maturation/gyle/GC analysis of diacetyl and acetaldehyde. 8. Bright beer polishing/packaging. Estimation of oxygen content/oxygen flavour damage. 9. Packaged beer testing: Haze, colour, gravity, alcohol content, pH, acidity, bitterness, oxygen, carbon dioxide, head space air content. 10. Bacterial and yeast contamination of beer and the brewery environment.
Adjuncts and other cereals
Other cereals and adjunct raw materials. Gluten free raw materials. Alcohol-free and diat beers. Industrial enzymology and malting.
Wort Separation
Operation of lauter tuns, mash filters. Trub removal from hopped wort ex kettle.
Carbonation
Carbonation. CO2 production in breweries. Carbonation of final beer. CO2 measurement in bottle/kegs.
Assessment Breakdown%
Continuous Assessment10.00%
Practical40.00%
End of Module Formal Examination50.00%
Special Regulation
Students must achieve a minimum grade (35%) in both the practical/CA and final examination.
Continuous Assessment
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Examination Short exam 1,2,3,4,5 10.00 n/a
No Project
Practical
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Practical/Skills Evaluation Laboratory work 6 40.00 n/a
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Formal Exam Final examination 1,2,3,4,5 50.00 End-of-Semester
Continuous Assessment
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Examination n/a 1 10.00 n/a
No Project
Practical
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Practical/Skills Evaluation n/a 3,4,6 40.00 n/a
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Assessment Description Outcome addressed % of total Assessment Date
Formal Exam n/a 1,2,4,5 50.00 End-of-Semester

SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture 30 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Laboratory 30 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Independent Learning 30 Weeks per Stage 2.00
Total Hours 180.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Practicals 20 Weeks per Stage 3.00
Independent Learning 20 Weeks per Stage 7.00
Total Hours 200.00