Per Matt
Mixing alcohol and excitement with some education proved to be a winning combination at the Adventure Science Center.
The fifth-annual Science of Beer fundraiser was brewed to perfection. As previewed by
Philanthropy Associate Timothy M. Sears, the event was a hoppy good time.
Upon entry, each attendee received a commemorative pint glass. As they explored the museum, separate stations, hosted by different breweries, were located throughout the museum, all available to sample. I decided to visit each booth in chronological order, chatting up each host along the way.
photo courtesy of John Hawkins
Craft Brewed hosted a great sensory game, where they added a secret ingredient into your beer and you had to figure out the new ingredient. I was lucky. Mine was a banana additive, which was very pungent.
As a huge dark beer fan, I am always constantly seeking the latest and greatest microbrew beer. I was pleasantly surprised to find more than a few great stouts at this event. Turtle Anarchy Brewery had a GREAT stout with cinnamon added, offering a great Christmas beer option to your holiday wish list. I was also introduced to Mayday, a local brewery in Murfreesboro, TN, which offered a few great beers, as well.
Cooking with beer was a priority for me to learn about, combining my two favorite things: beer and food. The gastropub {Pub}licity had a chef on hand to display baking a great cake with caramel icing, which was so good, all the samples were gone by the time I arrived. Guess I’ll have to visit their restaurant in order to try it for myself.
Speaking of cold, making your own beer ice cream was also on display. I don’t qualify enough experience to mix beer with liquid nitrogen at home — which is exactly -321 degrees Fahrenheit — but it was definitely fun to watch!
There were plenty of pub games, including beer trivia and a beer goggles sensory experience. Also on display was a great canning machine, along with some great exhibits of the Adventure Science Center that make learning fun.
photo courtesy John Hawkins
Swanky’s Taco Shop was also on hand for some great grub. I had an awesome taco that went great with my Turtle Anarchy stout!
My favorite beer of the night was Harpoon’s Winter Warmer. Featuring ingredients of cinnamon and nutmeg, it’s a seasonal Christmas beer which also had lingering tastes of pumpkin, one of my favorite specialty beers. Combined, it was an awesome dark beer!
The entire Adventure Science center was filled with beer enthusiasts who were willing to share their knowledge. The Music City Beer Society was also in attendance, promoting local homebrewers and beer, in general. They definitely helped make the event fun. I enjoyed chatting with quite a few of its members.
I had an absolute blast at The Science of Beer exhibit and I know the museum received some well-earned funds for its programming. I can’t wait to see what the Adventure Science Center has planned for its next fundraiser!
Photo courtesy of John Hawkins