Last semester the microbiology and fermentation class took a field trip to the Carillon Park Brewing Company. The company brews their beers and ales in traditional practices as similar as possible to how people in the mid 1800’s would have brewed them.
The class falls under the biotechnology program, which is an applied degree separate from the biology program at Sinclair. Students enrolled in the fermentation class learn about a variety of fermentation processes, including brewing things such as beer.
Sarah Finch, a professor in Sinclair’s biology department, taught the fermentation class and coordinated the field trip. She said it was good for the students to get to see the actual fermentation process first hand, seeing as they couldn’t do that in class.
“Part of our course outcomes is to teach students actually how to brew, so not only beer but also spirits and wines, but we’re not allowed to do it on campus,” Finch laughed, “Sooo, we have to go off campus to do it.”
Finch talked about how it is important for hands on learning. Not just for the microbiology class, but for others as well.
“In science, in particular, I think you actually need to do stuff and experience things, see how the process works and see what’s going on, and specifically in our microbiology program.” Said Finch.
The class has gone on other field trips as well, learning about different brewing and fermentation processes and talking with different microbrewers and distillers.
When asked why the knowledge of the field trip was important, beyond that fact that it was a cool experience for the students, Finch said this:
“Just I think it’s really cool just to see, even at Sinclair in general, [that] we do things to take the students out into the environment. We’re a community college and I think it’s important to see what’s going on around us, and also to expose the community to us too.”
Cerridwyn Kuykendall
Managing Editor