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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 23 M AY 1 6 , 2 0 1 6 e University of Southern Maine in February made news for another type of service, a partnership with the Maine Brewers' Guild on a Quality Assurance Lab where students can get research opportunities and area brewers can have a local facility to assure the quality of their beers and identify problems. Muzzy says her class at UMaine had a mix of students, as it could help fulfi ll the science requirement for non- science majors. A chemical engineer- ing major, Muzzy says she didn't even know about the food science program in her freshman year, let alone consider working for a brewery. "I think the class is a very attractive option and could turn some people into a career in beer," she adds. "You can make a living wage." Industry collaborations Beyond the course, Bolton, Perkins and graduate student Brian Martyniak are taking beer research to the next level by studying yeasts and innovative sour beers. e university has several research collaborations with Maine breweries, including Allagash in Portland, Orono Brewing Co. and Black Bear Brewery, also in Orono. Martyniak is working with Allagash on Brettanomyces yeast strains to fer- ment sour beer. Another graduate stu- dent, Matt Hodgkin, is starting research on mycotoxin (toxins produced by fungi) prevention in hard cider, which is grow- ing into another hot Maine product. "I started here two years ago to pursue brewing research, which I can directly apply to the brewing industry," says Martyniak. "I'm using the equip- ment here, which is very expensive, to get data on samples of Brettanomyces to help brewers." at includes Allagash, with which he has been working. Martyniak, who is now a graduate teaching assistant at UMaine, previously was a brewing technician with Sprig and Fern Brewery in New Zealand and a quality assurance/quality control lab technician at Harpoon Brewery in Boston. He plans to complete his master's degree in Food Science and Technology at UMaine this year. He writes in a summary of the thesis he currently is writing that the yeast strains he is studying are traditionally found in Belgian brewing practices and English beers in the early 1900s, but U.S. craft breweries have started using the Brettanomyces yeast strains to get unusual characteristics in their beer. But since Brettanomyces is rela- tively new to craft brewers compared BANGOR MAINE 1 College Circle 207.941.7100 PRESQUE ISLE On the NMCC campus 207.760.1176 WESTBROOK 340 County Road 800.562.1294 ONLINE online.husson.edu 855.902.9965 Find out more at... learn.husson.edu | 800.448.7766 We're committed to ensuring that the future you want is not only in sight, but also within reach. Husson offers... ■ Prior Learning Assessment – Earn up to 30 credits toward your Bachelor's degree! ■ Undergraduate and graduate degree programs ■ Affordable tuition ■ Flexible class options – Online, afternoons, evenings and weekends ■ Convenient locations – Westbrook, Bangor, Presque Isle and Online Invest in yourself. Advance your career. Finish a degree. dwmlaw.com C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E »