Free Online Beer Chemistry Course

[ArcLight]

>.As with many of you, I have found the course to be more about memorizing and searching for chemistry terms than the processes. Even with a background in Nuclear Engineering and Culinary Arts, this quickly became a disappointment.

>.I agree, if it continues with Unit 3 I may bail. I'm a Biochem undergrad and it has been a rather disjointed, random trip so far.

It strikes me as something thrown together haphazardly.
It's all about memorizing detailed facts.
And I don't think the material is explained well. If I were teaching, I'd have links to supplementary material.

X is an AAAAA

I can memorize that but what do I learn? Provide a link so that I can read about AAAAA and understand why thats important.


X is a lager yeast
Y is an ale yeast

You can memorize that but if you understand that you use different fermentation temperatures (and why) and about Diacetyl rests, then it's easier to remember and use this information.

 

[IvanBrew]

I seem to recall being frustrated numerous times in my academic career by the preference of academia in supplying tools before supplying a reason to appreciate those tools.

For anyone who's taken calculus before taking physics, or learning imaginary numbers before taking a course in digital circuits, or learning how to work with matrices before needing to solve simultaneous sets of equations..., you know what I mean.

I'm holding out hope that this is another instance of that. We're being given tools; building understanding, before we've been shown the application.

By the end of the course, hopefully the need for what we're reading now will be crystal clear. I'm willing to wait and see.

 

[mattd2]

I seem to recall being frustrated numerous times in my academic career by the preference of academia in supplying tools before supplying a reason to appreciate those tools.

For anyone who's taken calculus before taking physics, or learning imaginary numbers before taking a course in digital circuits, or learning how to work with matrices before needing to solve simultaneous sets of equations..., you know what I mean.

I'm holding out hope that this is another instance of that. We're being given tools; building understanding, before we've been shown the application.

By the end of the course, hopefully the need for what we're reading now will be crystal clear. I'm willing to wait and see.

You must be an engineer! That just summerised my exact experience of engineering school - the pure theory would always be taught one year before the class that would put that theory into practice, and it was only during that practical class that you actually understood how and why you were doing any of that stuff in the theory class the year before

 

[IvanBrew]

You must be an engineer! That just summerised my exact experience of engineering school - the pure theory would always be taught one year before the class that would put that theory into practice, and it was only during that practical class that you actually understood how and why you were doing any of that stuff in the theory class the year before

You've caught me! Lol. BSME (heavy on the BS)

One of these days, somebody need to sit an academic down and explain that students would show a lot more interest in complex material if they knew before-hand how useful it could be, lol

 

[akillys]

You've caught me! Lol. BSME (heavy on the BS)

One of these days, somebody need to sit an academic down and explain that students would show a lot more interest in complex material if they knew before-hand how useful it could be, lol

Most teachers and professors do try to explain how useful and important the materials, tools, and knowledge can be. We as students, fail to realize what the teachers are saying about how useful or important they are until we apply those things into a real world situation. It is when we are faced with these situation we realize how important they are, and wish we would have listened better or payed closer attention.

 

[ArcLight]

Most teachers and professors do try to explain how useful and important the materials, tools, and knowledge can be. We as students, fail to realize what the teachers are saying about how useful or important they are until we apply those things into a real world situation. It is when we are faced with these situation we realize how important they are, and wish we would have listened better or payed closer attention.

For me it's much harder to grasp something unless I'm first shown why it's needed and how it will help solve the problem. I'm sure some can learn abstract concepts but at least for me, showing me some examples then the theory makes it much easier for me to learn. I think the problem is recognizing how people learn.

When I first started reading brewing books, some of the material was in one ear out the other because I had no frame of reference. I had never done all grain, I had never used 12 types of hops or 17 types of Crystal, etc.

 

[passedpawn]

For anyone who's taken calculus before taking physics, or learning imaginary numbers before taking a course in analog circuits, or learning how to work with matrices before needing to solve simultaneous sets of equations..., you know what I mean.

Fixed that. But yea, I agree with all of what you said. Funny.

 

[joelrapp]

but what the hell, you can't learn just sitting on your ass watching Sponge Bob, right?

My boss can, she even wears bedazzled sponge bob shirts to work.

 

[IvanBrew]

Fixed that. But yea, I agree with all of what you said. Funny.

Lol! That's why I'm an ME and not an EE

 

[dstranger99]

Well, I aced the health quiz, the real test comes out tomorrow, after this the next few areas look to be about "actual" beer making......We'll see...........

 

[dstranger99]

Ok, test came out today. 12 questions, I got 3 wrong! But it should have only been 2, (I read one question, the simplest one, wrong !!) lol...........

 

[coyote68]

All i can say is ARGH.......

 

[Hello]

All i can say is ARGH.......

Like a pirate?

 

[IvanBrew]

Like a pirate?

No, no... as in The Legendary Black Beast of Aaarrrggghhh! (just before the animator suffers a massive heart attack)

 

[kja]

no, no... As in the legendary black beast of aaarrrggghhh! (just before the animator suffers a massive heart attack)

my brain hurts!!!!!!!

 

[coyote68]

my brain hurts!!!!!!!

That's more like it!

 

[Bigscience]

Once again problems with the quiz, the drag and drop part. I think there may also be an issue with another questions key too. I guess I shouldn't complain about free though. I wonder if this is a joint effort with their Comp Sci program or what?

 

[dstranger99]

Once again problems with the quiz, the drag and drop part. I think there may also be an issue with another questions key too. I guess I shouldn't complain about free though. I wonder if this is a joint effort with their Comp Sci program or what?

I use Chrome and the drag/drop sections work fine.

 

[ClaudiusB]

Once again problems with the quiz, the drag and drop part. I think there may also be an issue with another questions key too. I guess I shouldn't complain about free though. I wonder if this is a joint effort with their Comp Sci program or what?

No problem with Crome only with my Firefox

 

[govner1]

My brain hurts, too, but it wasn't as hard as I expected. Still missed one thought *&^%^&!

 

[POAS]

I use Firefox and everything worked fine. Did way better than the first quiz even though I think both the quiz and the material were harder. I took someone's advice here and really concentrated on the course outcomes. I also studied a lot harder than for the first unit. At least I'm not failing anymore!

 

[brewdawgs]

Totally know what I did wrong. Took the quiz and I was drinking wine instead of beer ... Dang!


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[kja]

...I was drinking wine instead of beer...

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blasphemy!

 

[PLOVE]

Was it good wine? If we're talking two buck chuck , I'd agree - blasphemy


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[PLOVE]

I'm hang in there for week 3. Almost feels like the course was intentionally difficult to drive off those of us who aren't paying. I think it will get better and more applicable to brewing procedure as we move forward. Really hard to complain when you're getting it for free.

I just wish there were 10x the examples to practice. One example and then a test question is pretty unfair



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[sfrisby]

really hard to complain when you're getting it for free.

+1,000,000

 

[TNGabe]

+1,000,000

Have you not read this thread or looked at the comments on the corse page? Seems pretty easy to complain.

 

[brewtus_]

The second module quiz was pretty rough for those without some biochemistry (the self-assessment quiz should have told you that from the get-go), but the good news is that if you've taken the self assessment quiz for module #3, anyone who has actually brewed beer should get 100% on it. I'm thinking that Module #3 ("Beer Styles") will be an easy one for most of us here. That said, once the "Fermentation" module (#7) kicks in, I'm suspecting that the biochemistry will overtake many of the non-chemistry folks. Best to study the course material and not rely on your homebrewing experience for this module.

 

[yeahfairly]

I am enjoying the class but the Chemistry has been kicking my Arse! The last time I sat in a science class...... cell phones and Nintendo had not yet been invented and a computer was actually a word processer and similar in size to my Kegerator!

It is a Beer "CHEMISTRY" class..... Don't know how I missed that (lol)! Looking forward to the rest of the course! I'd venture to guess that all who stick it out will walk away from the class with a better understanding of the process and the ability to brew a better Beer!

 

[b-boy]

I'm enjoying the class. I think this would be difficult for someone with absolutely no chem background.

I have a Bio Chem degree, but I haven't used it since the late 80s. It's amazing how much I've forgotten. It's coming back - but slowly. I can usually get the harder quiz questions down to 2 possible choices. Then it's a coin flip. For me, it's much easier to learn when it's put in a context to which I can relate. I'd have a hard time getting motivated if this were just pure chemistry.

I really do appreciate the opportunity to take the course.