Abstract:   The history of beer brewing will be discussed, from its first recorded history with the ancient Sumerians, to its refinement to beer as we know it by the Germans in the 15-16th centuries, to its importance and role in the development of modern US society, and to the latest trends in microbreweries, brew pubs, and home brewing. We will discuss briefly the chemistry of the fermentation process including the role of the catalyst (yeast), the types of sugars present in malt, and the chemical constituents of hops. We will learn about the different types and styles of beer, how beer is made, who makes it, who drinks it, and which countries drink the most beer. Several popular misconceptions will be dispelled.

Speaker:     Mark Konings was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. He graduated from Calvin College in 1983 with a B.S. with honors in chemistry. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1987 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Subsequently, he spent three years in Berkeley, CA, first performing postdoctoral research at the University of California and then at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories. He has been employed in 3M's Dental Products Division since 1990 in a variety of product development and management functions. Currently he leads the laboratory's efforts to develop new dental cement technologies and products. He went back to school in 1998 and received an MBA from the University of Minnesota in 2000. He began making home-brewed beer in 1988 and in 1992 he won the 1st Annual Minnesota Homebrew competition. In his spare time he enjoys running, reading, camping, investing, and playing with his new daughter.