Talking about beer - general public

[Edward's Beer Cellar]

I have been asked as part of our local library's community "TED" talks to give a maximum 1 hour presentation about beer.

I have some ideas outlined, but I'm curious about what this community would include in a short presentation to the general public.

(and no beer samples are allowed)

 

[Bassman2003]

1 hour is a long time! Are you being presented as a "beer expert"? Or a brewer? Topics related to brewing or drinking/styles?

 

[Broken Crow]

There are so many perspective to approach this from! Given it's your community library, I'd make it about the community;
Do you have local breweries? How did the community handle prohibition? What part does beer have in your community? Does your community produce barley or hops? Do you have a strong homebrew community, and if so how did it begin and where is it now?
Just my 2-cents... I'm very much about the local community, especially when using the valuable and ever-diminishing community resources.

 

[Edward's Beer Cellar]

1 hour is a long time! Are you being presented as a "beer expert"? Or a brewer? Topics related to brewing or drinking/styles?

They were looking at local hobbyists. I got tapped for beer & BBQ

 

[huckdavidson]

A lot can be covered in an hour. If there's a Q&A it may take up a significant amount of time.

History of Beer:
Ancient Beer in various parts of the world, Egyptian, Viking (yeast sticks), Europe and Asian civilizations
What it tasted like, bittering compounds, etc...

Early making of wheat and barley malts and advancement of malting...

The Advancement of Beer
Discovery of yeast, hops (different bittering compounds), Louis Pasteur - microorganisms are the cause of fermentation and diseases (not magic, etc...)

The Industrialization of Beer
Reinheitsgetbot(sp?), From family responsibility to commercial enterprise, government involvement

Modern Beer Industry and Conglomerates

Health and Beer

Different beer styles and examples of their origins and evolution in time and location (IPA, Porter, Lager, etc...)

Getting started in homebrewing

Myths of beer... drinking beer/wine because it was safer than water, dark beer is stronger than light beer, etc..

Beer "Accidents"... vats of beer exploding and drowning people, contaminated sulphuric acid killing or poisoning people, etc...

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/1814-beer-flood-killed-eight-people-180964256/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_... 6,000,made with contaminated sulphuric acid.
The role of water in beer, water salts and their effect on the final product.

Different malt types and their properties.

Hop properties and the different compounds that contribute to the beer (cohumulone, lupulin, alpha acids, etc...)

Yeast types and their effect on the final product (ale, lager, sacc vs. brett vs. lacto vs. pedio)

Sour beers and wild yeasts

 

[MaxStout]

You could discuss each step in the brewing process, from ingredients to serving. Break down the science for your audience. Dispel some common myths about beer.

While they don't allow beer samples you can still bring samples of grain, hops and yeast packets for people to see. You could even let them taste a few roast malt kernels and crush hop pellets to smell the aroma.

Will you put together handouts or PowerPoint slides, or just go in to talk?

I like @Broken Crow's local focus. Discuss brewing history in your town, etc.

 

[rallenhall]

It's been awhile, but I used to get called on quite often for programs ... from nursing homes to Rotary Clubs to a church Father-Son Banquet. Topics have varied a great deal depending on the audience. Brewing process, history (Oktoberfest, local, etc.), production and economic impact of beer & ingredients (for Farm Bureau ... lots of good charts/graphs online). My standard traveling kit included jars of malts and hops for tasting and sniffing. Sometimes samples were allowed, usually not. It can be hard to talk about beer without ... well ... beer. I'm wondering if NA beers would be acceptable samples in certain situations.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Lots of great suggestions here but I would figure out who your audience is then gear the topics towards them. You don't want to talk over their heads with details that might lose them or talk too general on subjects they already know.

Maybe ask how many have brewing experience then talk from there.