[tschmidlin]

Hi everyone, I'm giving another talk on the science of beer and I'm looking for more stuff to include.  It's not really about beer, it is more about beer's contributions to science.  I've got the Pasteur stuff, and a bunch of things from Carlsberg Labs, plus the Student T-Test from Guinness.  But I want to add any more stuff I can come up with.

So - can anyone think of any other scientific advancements that came from the study of beer?  Or that were funded by a brewery?

Thanks!

[a10t2]

Wasn't Fleming isolating beer contaminants when he realized Penicillium is antibiotic? I know I read that *somewhere*, but of course it could be apocryphal.

[bonjour]

"How Beer Saved the World"
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/how-beer-saved-the-world/
but alas, no longer available

a (in part) tongue in cheek view of world history.

[bonjour]

Try
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yf3YvXM9j5o&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4XX_PrDWss&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_vyMQC80pQ&feature=related
Parts 1, 2, and 3

[tom]

Refrigeration was certainly adopted quickly by breweries.  Don't know if they funded it or anything.

[punatic]

It is believed in some circles that beer is sentient, and created Man as a transportation device.

[hopfenundmalz]

It is believed in some circles that beer is sentient, and created Man as a transportation device.

For some odd reason, I think that is something I read about water, attributed to Kurt Vonnegut (foggy memmory on where I got that).   Then again, beer is 90% or more water.   

[1vertical]

It is believed in some circles that beer is sentient, and created Man as a transportation device.

Then someone hitched up a Clydesdale....

[punatic]

It is believed in some circles that beer is sentient, and created Man as a transportation device.

Then someone hitched up a Clydesdale....

Aren't they AB's bright tanks?   

[1vertical]

It is believed in some circles that beer is sentient, and created Man as a transportation device.

Then someone hitched up a Clydesdale....

Aren't they AB's bright tanks?   

Thats funny
!   Now we are gettin somewhere....lol

[tschmidlin]

That's awesome, thanks guys.  I found this re: penicillin

In an act of daring, Ernst Chain sailed across the sub-infected Atlantic to the United States to find the needed technology for mass production of the new drug. Chain turned to a beer-brewing technology to produce the huge amounts of the moldy liquor which was needed for penicillin production. The moldy liquor underwent a slow purification process to produce the large amounts of clinically usable penicillin that became available for military use in early 1940's. Penicillin's therapeutic applications in the later stages of World War II was credited with saving tens of thousands of wounded that would otherwise have succumbed to bacterial infections.

[hopfenundmalz]

That's awesome, thanks guys.  I found this re: penicillin

In an act of daring, Ernst Chain sailed across the sub-infected Atlantic to the United States to find the needed technology for mass production of the new drug. Chain turned to a beer-brewing technology to produce the huge amounts of the moldy liquor which was needed for penicillin production. The moldy liquor underwent a slow purification process to produce the large amounts of clinically usable penicillin that became available for military use in early 1940's. Penicillin's therapeutic applications in the later stages of World War II was credited with saving tens of thousands of wounded that would otherwise have succumbed to bacterial infections.

What beer brewing technology did the US have that they did not have in Britian? 

[Vin S]

The 300 series of stainless steels were createded for the brewing industrie. Before 300 series stainless, tanks sprung leaks.

[euge]

That's awesome, thanks guys.  I found this re: penicillin

In an act of daring, Ernst Chain sailed across the sub-infected Atlantic to the United States to find the needed technology for mass production of the new drug. Chain turned to a beer-brewing technology to produce the huge amounts of the moldy liquor which was needed for penicillin production. The moldy liquor underwent a slow purification process to produce the large amounts of clinically usable penicillin that became available for military use in early 1940's. Penicillin's therapeutic applications in the later stages of World War II was credited with saving tens of thousands of wounded that would otherwise have succumbed to bacterial infections.

They should have found something to use on that "sub infection" in the Atlantic.

[tschmidlin]

What beer brewing technology did the US have that they did not have in Britian? 

I'm guessing it was a brewery willing to let them do it

It could have just been spare equipment, by the time this happened England was involved in WWII.  That could have had an effect on what he was able to do there, I really don't know.

The 300 series of stainless steels were createded for the brewing industrie. Before 300 series stainless, tanks sprung leaks.

Excellent, do you have a reference for this?  My google skills are failing me.