Matthew Farber, PhD, is the program director of the Brewing Science Certificate program at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia where he is also an assistant professor of biology. He received a BS in Biology with a minor in writing from Seton Hall University and a doctorate in molecular and cellular biology with a minor in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on innovative applications of biotechnology for the improvement of beer production, and he is an inventor on two pending patents in brewing. He is an active member of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, the Master Brewers Association of the Americas, and the Brewers Association.

Roger Barth, PhD, has been a faculty member in the chemistry department at West Chester University in Pennsylvania since 1985. He created a course entitled The Chemistry of Beer and is the author of its textbook. Barth’s research interests center upon brewhouse processing and beer and malt analytical methods. He has a BA in Chemistry from La Salle College. His doctorate is in physical chemistry from The Johns Hopkins University, and he has done postdoctoral work in the area of catalysis at University of Delaware and Drexel University. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Sigma Xi, the American Society of Brewing Chemists, and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas.

Brewing is a creative art. Underlying that art is a framework of technical knowledge, mostly in chemistry and biology, but with significant contributions from physics and engineering. To make five gallons of drinkable beer requires little scientific background, with the definition of drinkable up for debate. To make hundreds of batches of beer, each of which meets the expectations of the customers, each of which is consistent with the last, sound science is required. This is the goal of modern brewers.

This book is written as an instructional resource for teaching or learning brewing practice and theory with a focus on the underlying science. We try to strike a balance between critical scientific concepts, beer production, and day‐to‐day practical issues in beer quality. By understanding the science of beer production, readers will be better equipped to troubleshoot problems in the brewery, one of the most critical skills for a successful career in beer. We have produced hundreds of illustrations to demonstrate key concepts and to demonstrate the numerous pieces of equipment commonly used in breweries. Unlike drawings provided by equipment suppliers, our drawings do not inform operation or maintenance. Rather, they illustrate essential design elements and concepts as they pertain to the process.

In this book, we first introduce a high‐level view of the brewing process. Then we dive into the fundamentals of biology and chemistry with appropriate application to the brewing process. These concepts will be critical to better understanding of subsequent chapters. The remaining material is presented in order, from raw materials, through the brewing process, and on to methods for quality. All employees at a brewery should be trained in basic concepts of quality. Quality is best managed at the source where response time is quick.

As more and more brands line the shelves, the consumer has more and more options. If one batch of beer is flawed in the eyes (and palate) of the consumer, it is easy to move on to another brewery. Brewing with quality requires a high level of awareness of the procedures, the materials, and the equipment used in brewing. Our goal in this book is to address essential concepts in quality and consistency to help the readers become better brewers. At the conclusion of most chapters are review questions to check for understanding, followed by a case study for critical analysis and discussion.

We make extensive use of primary and secondary references, but we deliberately omitted all in‐line references and any citations that might be distracting to the student. Useful and critical references are mentioned at the end of each chapter under “Bibliography.” Many of the facts that we present were won by the brilliant insights and very hard work of thousands of scientists. We herewith acknowledge their contributions, even if, for the benefit of readers, we did not give them citations. We hope that this approach will be more effective than voluminous citations in putting the work of our colleagues into the hands of students, who will be the next generation of brewers and brewing scientists.

We gratefully acknowledge our wives, Dr. Grace Farber and Marcy Barth, for their love and support. Marcy provided outstanding expertise and artistry in the photography, design, and execution of illustrations. Grace provided guidance and advice in the teaching of essential concepts in biology. We humbly thank our families for their patience, encouragement, and love.

Donna‐Marie Zoccoli and Dr. David Barth, our eagle‐eyed copy readers, read the manuscript multiple times, corrected errors, and made countless suggestions that make the book easier to read and understand. Dr. Naomi Hampson took some outstanding photographs. Kent Pham, Dave Goldman, Michelle McHugh, and Eric Jorgenson provided additional pictures. Our friends at Deer Creek Malt House, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Sly Fox Brewing Company, Susquehanna Brewing Company, Victory Brewing Company, Yards Brewing Company, and Yuengling Beer Company were generous with their time and gave us insights, explanations, and access for photographs. Our professional societies, The American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) maintain outstanding resources and networking opportunities that were critical to our own development as brewing chemists. Our institutions (University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and West Chester University) and their libraries and librarians provided essential support. Our editors at Wiley, Jonathan Rose, Aruna Pragasam, and Viniprammia Premkumar, have been supportive, helpful, and responsive. Our students motivated the entire project with their enthusiasm and unquenchable desire to learn.

We are forever grateful to the supporting words and actions of our own teachers and mentors in years past. Dr. Farber acknowledges Dr. Peter Berget for his mentorship and Dr. Angela Weisl for the inspiration to pursue writing. Dr. Farber is incredibly thankful for his parents, Dr. Phillip and Larice Farber, for instilling endless curiosity and creativity in him. Dr. Barth acknowledges his physical chemistry teacher and father, the late Dr. Max Barth; his high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Dugan; and his high school English teacher, Mr. Martini, who taught the importance of clarity and precision in writing.