Free Online Beer Chemistry Course

[Hello]

Really wish the Janux system provided IPhone support as most of my free time is when I'm at work using a mobile platform. Unfortunately my work restricts access to external websites so no Joy for me at work anyway. (Which stinks as I have hours to kill watching machinery go round and round). Hope they will soon support mobile platforms. Not holding my breath however.
Updates are never timely when you need/want them. Oh well will have to hit the site and videos in the AM when I get done work. Unless somebody out there has a work around I'm not familiar with??

I read somewhere that the iPad app is in Apple's hands for approval. Ergo, there should be iOS support shortly.

 

[Ridire]

I've never been able to learn without reading material...don't learn much from lectures. I may bow out of this as a result.

EDIT: wait, I think I just found written materials. I'm all over the place trying to figure this out.

 

[youngdh]

I'm unable to get access to janux.ou.edu. It appears the server is overloaded and not taking new connections at this time. I hope this is just "first day of class" issues and not going to be an issue every evening.

 

[signpost]

I'm unable to get access to janux.ou.edu. It appears the server is overloaded and not taking new connections at this time. I hope this is just "first day of class" issues and not going to be an issue every evening.

I'm having the same issue. I, too, hope this is just a first day problem.

 

[signpost]

Ah, just got through. Watching the videos now.

 

[boydster]

Just signed up, late to the party. Username is boydster.

 

[Bigscience]

I think I may be screwed. Kindle Fire won't work, no iPhone app, work laptop on IE8 and I'll be on the road away from the only computer at home that will run it when first quiz is available. Feels like I'm trying to sign up for healthcare here.

 

[sablesurfer]

Having issues with videos loading here, wondering if it is a server load issue. I am betting they were not ready for EVERY home brewer in the world to sign up.

 

[coolharry]

I keep getting stuck on a loading screen after log in. I hope we didn't break Janux already...

 

[nukebrewer]

I am now getting the error message that "This webpage is not available" when going to the Janux page. No login screen, no menu, no nothing. Anyone else having this issue?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I read somewhere that the iPad app is in Apple's hands for approval. Ergo, there should be iOS support shortly.

Well I hope apple is on the ball then. It would make it so much more convenient to cover class material. For me anyway.

 

[abrix]

I am now getting the error message that "This webpage is not available" when going to the Janux page. No login screen, no menu, no nothing. Anyone else having this issue?

Same here. Hoping for better luck tomorrow.

 

[whitehause]

From earlier posts, it seems several people have taken it.

There is a 12 question "practice" quiz that you can take. I think that is what people are referring to.

 

[nukebrewer]

Same here. Hoping for better luck tomorrow.

Got in by clicking the Janux link on the main OU page. Not sure what happened, but I'm in, so that's what counts.

 

[motleybrew]

Wow. That guy is throwing out chemistry and biochemistry terms like nothing. I thought my background would have been enough, but where can I get primer kind of stuff to get me up to snuff?

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Home Brew mobile app

 

[satph]

The site is working for me. There is an "Overview of Brewing Self-Assessment". It's 10 practice questions. The first true Quiz isn't available until 1/21.

Ridire, don't bow out yet: There are written materials in addition to the videos. There's a history of beer and the brewing process and three "Chemical Concepts" articles on Carbohydrates, Proteins and Lipids. Motleybrew, I think this is what you're looking for. New info for me, but it doesn't look too bad.

I enjoyed the professor's videos. I think he's a dynamic presenter, and I learned a little bit of organic chemistry today.

I wasn't impressed with the other videos. There were a few errors in there, so I just don't know what was researched, and what is just off the cuff from these guys. One guy talks about the English discovering highly hopped IPAs on voyages to India. Ron Patterson's actual research on the subject debunks that myth. Here's a bit of it on his blog. The White House ale video is also on the list and the chef points at some carboys he's going to use for secondary fermentation and says "transfer it into these and let it distill" at about 1:58.

 

[Ridire]

Wow. That guy is throwing out chemistry and biochemistry terms like nothing. I thought my background would have been enough, but where can I get primer kind of stuff to get me up to snuff?

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Home Brew mobile app

Go to the written stuff. Much easier for me to follow.

 

[Setesh]

To those having problems, or are unable to install Chrome on their work computers, what about using the portable version of Chrome?

http://sourceforge.net/projects/portableapps/files/Google Chrome Portable/

 

[Ridire]

Ridire, don't bow out yet: There are written materials in addition to the videos. There's a history of beer and the brewing process and three "Chemical Concepts" articles on Carbohydrates, Proteins and Lipids.

Yeah, I found that and feel much better about my prospects now. Thanks.

 

[IanJ]

Hope we're not ruining the experience for those actually enrolled at the university paying for the course credit

I guess RDWHAHB... (while in class)

 

[brewkinger]

Subbed in to follow along.

Username is thedinguskhan.

 

[passedpawn]

I quit. I got 9 on the first time with the quiz (which didn't show up all day until just 30 minutes ago). I've gone through the quiz about 20 times. Seems easy enough... if you get any of the problems wrong, it gives you a chance to correct your work.

Well, I can't get the damn thing to work. I quit. Have fun. The web site / Janux was driving me nuts!

 

[JPrather]

I wasn't impressed with the other videos. There were a few errors in there, so I just don't know what was researched, and what is just off the cuff from these guys. One guy talks about the English discovering highly hopped IPAs on voyages to India. Ron Patterson's actual research on the subject debunks that myth. Here's a bit of it on his blog.

I agree with your overall assessment of the course, but I'm not sure I agree that this portion (the brewmaster's comment about IPAs) is necessarily incorrect per Patterson's research.

Patterson demonstrates that IPA's weren't necessarily any more hopped than regular Pale Ale's, by showing proof that IPAs were formulated the same as PA's in one region of England. At the same time, however, he concedes that this may not have been true in London, and summarizes that the term "IPA" meant different things in different parts of England.

The brewmaster in the video asserts that the English discovered highly hopped ales on voyages to India. That isn't mutually exclusive with Patterson's research whatsoever, IMO. It is entirely possible that IPA's were brewed no-hoppier than regular pale ale's in some or most of England, while someone somewhere formulated higher hopped versions for the voyage to India and it stuck.

You're right that having the brewmaster's say things that are not perfectly researched etc., is a bit dangerous, but I'm hopeful that the combination of the professor and student discussion (like we're having here) can clear those things up, and that they aren't too common.

P.S. Are we supposed to be discussing this somewhere on the site?

 

[mattd2]

I agree with your overall assessment of the course, but I'm not sure I agree that this portion (the brewmaster's comment about IPAs) is necessarily incorrect per Patterson's research.

Patterson demonstrates that IPA's weren't necessarily any more hopped than regular Pale Ale's, by showing proof that IPAs were formulated the same as PA's in one region of England. At the same time, however, he concedes that this may not have been true in London, and summarizes that the term "IPA" meant different things in different parts of England.

The brewmaster in the video asserts that the English discovered highly hopped ales on voyages to India. That isn't mutually exclusive with Patterson's research whatsoever, IMO. It is entirely possible that IPA's were brewed no-hoppier than regular pale ale's in some or most of England, while someone somewhere formulated higher hopped versions for the voyage to India and it stuck.

You're right that having the brewmaster's say things that are not perfectly researched etc., is a bit dangerous, but I'm hopeful that the combination of the professor and student discussion (like we're having here) can clear those things up, and that they aren't too common.

P.S. Are we supposed to be discussing this somewhere on the site?

I agree that I did not get much out of the Brewmaster videos (practically skipped most of some of them). The guy from Coop brewery, IIRC, seem like a good presenter. I guess what I would take from those videos is they are presented by the practical side of brewing - while not neccesaraly 100% correct they give an insite in how the theory of the coarse is actually applied in the real world... something that a lot of university programs do not emphisise all that well sometimes.

One thing that does bug me about the professor videos is the shots where Dr Morvant is talking to a "person" off-camera and not facing the camera... IDK just kind of makes me feel a bit alienated Other than that small gripe I'm am really enjoying the corse so far

11/12 on the practice test without going through the material! Don't know how I managed that really The brewing stuff was something a homebrewer should know and some good educated guesswork helped me get the chemistry stuff (and lots of luck ). Been through the coarse material once now, will let it sink in and review it again in a day or so.

 

[KVANTAN]

I signed up too

 

[jgourd]

If you are having issues with the videos loading, click on the transcript button (an icon that is superposed on the videos at the top of the page). It will take you to a larger video with a transcript that should load.

 

[coyote68]

I really enjoyed the presentation. i took the quiz before watching the videos and only missed 3 questions so i'll need to get a better handle on the chemestry stuff. but all in all i feel it's worthwhile and i'll stick with it.

 

[m3n00b]

Loving this course so far.

 

[The10mmKid]

I quit. I got 9 on the first time with the quiz (which didn't show up all day until just 30 minutes ago). I've gone through the quiz about 20 times. Seems easy enough... if you get any of the problems wrong, it gives you a chance to correct your work.

Well, I can't get the damn thing to work. I quit. Have fun. The web site / Janux was driving me nuts!

I'm with you passedpawn . . . . . . janux.edu is a buzz killer.

I quit college +10 years ago just for this reason, my advanced courses were going to be online with a W/E stint or two for labs per quarter. Yuck then, decade later . . . . not any better.

Thank You Dr. Morvant for doing this and because of your efforts, I will hang in there.

'da over 50yd Kid

 

[passedpawn]

I'm with you passedpawn . . . . . . janux.edu is a buzz killer.

One of the questions on the quiz required me to move around 5 objects to put them in order. I felt so dumb... I couldn't get the thing to work. I don't know if it's a java issue or what, but it was so random the way the thing worked.

I shouldn't just quit, so maybe I'll give it a few days and take a look again. The site was so frustrating, I needed to get off it.