UCBC conducting beer tests – “holy crap I didn’t study” – Don’t matter? Whew!

You know that nightmare you have where you have a test, but you can’t find the classroom because you haven’t attended all year.  This isn’t that.

Rather, this is the test you wish you could take in college.  Tasting beer, then evaluating it and letting the teachers know what you think.

No Number 2 pencils needed.  All you need is a dollar and a clean palate.  The testing center is Urban Chestnut’s Urban Research Brewery (The U.R.B.) and if you miss the first one, no worries, there will be another next week.

The tests run 5 p.m to 8 p.m Wednesday – Saturday at the URB located at 4501 Manchester Ave and will help UCBC conduct “consumer-driven” beer research. For $1, customers may purchase three to four, (2) ounce samples of small, test batch beer and evaluate the beers via their smart device by interacting with Urban Chestnut’s proprietary digital survey system. The consumer feedback will then be used to directly influence UCBC’s large scale production.

“Every week we conduct taste panels at the Grove Brewery where we sample existing beers, new beers, and explore new flavors. However, that panel is limited to a few employees. With The U.R.B. we’ll have access to essentially a limitless panel of tasters, who will all be uniquely sensitive to different aspects of beer,” said Co-Founder, David Wolfe.

In addition to the research, The U.R.B. is home to a small, pilot brewery that Urban Chestnut’s brewers will use to brew its test/experimental batches of beer. The plan is to brew anything & everything at The U.R.B., where UCBC Brewers will have access and expectations to experiment with new hop varieties, malt types, fermentation techniques, fruit & spice additions, and combinations of all of the aforementioned.

The 2 bbl brewing system, designed by Hölzl Brautechnik in Austria, provides UCBC brewers with a platform for learning and innovation without limits.

“The 2-bbl pilot brewery is set up similarly to our other three breweries, so it gives us the flexibility to replicate our current processes & recipes. It also provides us with the capability to easily scale up a recipe for production on our larger brewing systems, when we land on a winner (new beer)”, stated Co-
Founder/Brewmaster, Florian Kuplent.

Beer connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts alike can enjoy test flights and full pours of other select Urban Chestnut beers at The U.R.B., currently open Wednesday through Saturday from 5-8 p.m. Guests may, of course, take their beers over to the pizzeria side of The U.R.B. as well, which is open daily from noon to 8 p.m., to enjoy the test beers along with a slice of old-world, New York-style pizza.