Biochemistry Graduate Program

In an ongoing project to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, graduate students Spencer Gray, Kait Taylor, and Kennadi Shumaker collected environmental samples from old growth trees in and around Bloomington to isolate brewer's yeast. Using a wild strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae from the oldest oak tree on campus, the Celebri-tree, the Bochman Lab worked with Upland Brewing Company, Bloomington Brewing Company, Heartwork Brewing, The Tap, and Towaki Brewing Company to brew a historical beer called the Declaration of Fermentation. Based on the British brewing tradition but with 1776-esque twists like the use of molasses and a touch of smoked malt, the beer clocks in at 5% ABV and is easy drinking, with hints of banana and clove from the yeast. It will be widely available in Bloomington during the last week of June, leading up to the July 4th holiday. To learn more about the project and the beer, check out the coverage at Axios, News at IU, and WTHR. Special thanks go out to Brian Yeley of the IU Foundation for helping to organize the collaboration brew and for providing stimulating conversation while sharing more modern craft beers.