Porter carries UC Davis’ Iron Brew contest
June 09, 2023
(From press release) Four UC Davis students in Glen Fox’s Practical Malting and Brewing class earned more than top grades for their final project. They won the ability to work with Sudwerk Brewing Co. and produce their winning beer on a commercial scale.
Each year, students in the Food Science and Technology 102B class compete for the Iron Brew title, where teams present a beer they formulate, brew and analyze at UC Davis. A panel of industry professionals from across Northern California judged the entries on March 29. Since 2014, Sudwerk has added value to the prize by offering to help the students commercially produce their recipe at the Davis brewery.
This year’s winning beer was Porterline Brilliant, a dark, rich ale with 5% alcohol by volume. The team included students Zachary Carling, Yoon Jung Choi, Asuka Okamoto and Sarah Suriano. All four are Food Science and Technology majors, who graduate on June 17.
Ten teams competed in the 2023 Iron Brew. Each one designed and brewed three 30-liter recipes (almost 8 gallons each). The best of each team’s three batches was submitted for judging. The winning team works with Sudwerk to re-create their recipe for commercial release.
Fox, the distinguished Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences, said his class allows students to grow in their understanding of the physical brewing process while gaining confidence in a hands-on practical manner. “The students are quite creative in designing their recipes. And the (Sudwerk) brewing staff get so much enjoyment watching the students going from nervous and tentative to confident and engaging brewers.”
Some of the students will find careers in the brewing industry, Fox said. For those who don’t, they still learn a lot in the experience. At least one member of the winning team, Suriano, plans to go into the industry. Okamoto plans to get into research and development in the broader food industry. Carling is headed to medical school.
Choi didn’t specify her plans, but called the win a significant milestone. “It was an amazing platform to apply what I’ve learned in my studies in a tangible way. The whole experience deepened my understanding of the complexities of brewing, and increased my respect for those working in the industry.”
She added, “Above all, the win provided us with the incredible opportunity to collaborate with the talented team at Sudwerk. It wasn't just about the triumph, but also about creating valuable connections within the industry.”
This spring, team members worked with Sudwerk Brewing Director Thomas Stull to scale the recipe (from 8 gallons to what became approximately 30 gallons for retail sale) and choose ingredients from the brewery’s stock, including Admiral Maltings and White Labs Yeast.
“The whole Sudwerk team enjoys working with the Iron Brew Competition winners,” Stull said. “From sizing up the winning recipe to brewing on our original brewhouse to canning the finished product. We look forward to sharing our knowledge and meeting the next generation of the brewing industry.”
Canned into 16-ounce cans and a few kegs on Wednesday, June 7, the fresh beer debuted at noon the next day at UC Davis’ Gunrock Pub, and was set to start pouring at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 9, at the Sudwerk restaurant, 2001 Second St., Davis. Four packs of the cans also will be available then at Sudwerk, while supplies last. (Every year, it’s usually gone by the end of the weekend.)
Suriano said the competition strengthened her passion for making beer. “It helped me prove to myself that I had genuinely learned about the brewing process, and really encouraged and pushed me to continue pursuing a career within the brewing industry.”
Carling called the win “the capstone to a wonderful time at UC Davis. ... Though it was often challenging, my team and I persevered. And at the same time, it was one of the most fun, rewarding and exciting experiences of my life. I learned brand new concepts, skills and practices that I would never have learned elsewhere.”
Part of the Iron Brew process was to work with Sudwerk’s artist, Gregory Shilling, to design a label for Porterline Brilliant. The can label includes the following statement: “Each year, the Iron Brew competition narrows down some of UC Davis’ best student brewers. The winning recipe is then brewed and distributed in partnership with Sudwerk. This year’s Iron Brew champions have proven that hard work yields reward with the rich, dark porter you hold in your hand. Born from the docks of London, the porter beer has always been the traditional beverage of choice of the industrious. Whether you worked all day on the docks or the .doc’s, you deserve the Porterline Brilliant. Your patronage supports the Department of Food Science and Technology.”
The UC Davis Brewing Program benefits from a portion of proceeds “to ensure we have the best available equipment and ingredients for the new cohort of students each year,” Fox said.
Trent Yackzan, co-owner of Sudwerk Brewing Co., called the partnership with the Department of Food Science and Technology one of the company’s most important – and most rewarding.
“From brewing to label design to marketing and distribution, our goal is to provide the students with a real-world look into the brewing industry,” Yackzan said. “Many times, this experience ends up on student resumés, which, along with the globally renowned degree earned at UC Davis, hopefully leads to starting a long-term career in the brewing or food industry.”
Sudwerk has deep connections to UC Davis, especially considering its commercial brewery space neighbors the Extension Master Brewer’s Program. The affiliation serves both sides as several of Sudwerk’s brewing employees are products of UCD’s brewing programs.
Established in 1989, Sudwerk Brewing Co. specializes in artisan brews, specifically West Coast craft lagers. Learn more at http://sudwerkbrew.com.
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