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DECATUR, Ill. (AP) — When Jennifer Nelson was an undergraduate, she enrolled in a science class that seemed more likely to take place in a scene from the movie "Animal House" than an actual faith-based institution of higher learning.
"I started learning about home brewing as a lesson in microbiology lab in college," Nelson said of her life-changing experience at Benedictine University. "It was a little controversial."
Questions arose as to the presence of alcohol on campus and underage students taking the class.
Nelson, who was a 21-year-old junior at the time, was allowed to sample the product at the end or the semester.
"It was good," she said of the beer that launched her passion as a home brewer. "From there I went out and bought a kit and equipment."
When she subsequently landed in Champaign-Urbana to pursue graduate studies in horticulture at the University of Illinois, Nelson began dating a medical resident whom she invited to a home brewing session at her friend's house.
"With my own biology background, I wanted to see how it all worked," said Dr. Chris Nelson, who also has become well-versed in the science and art of do-it-yourself beer-making.
After the two brewing devotees walked the aisle, vowing to stay together for better batches or worse, they realized there were others who might benefit from their expertise.
On Saturday, they presented the first of two weekly sessions on home-brewing at the University of Illinois Extension Macon County. This was the first class of its kind taught by the Nelsons, as well as the first held at by the Extension service.
Because this session filled out with 20 attending, and even generated a waiting list, Extension said anyone interested in taking a home brewing class should contact Jennifer Nelson, horticulture educator, at (217) 877-4564.
The first session presented an overview of many aspects of brewing, including ingredients, equipment, procedures and laws.
In Illinois, home brewing is permitted, up to 100 gallons per adult annually, with a 200-gallon limit per household.
Chris Nelson, whose day job is a family practice physician, said the goal of the class was to make people feel comfortable with making beer for themselves.
It attracted a mixture of beginners, intermediate brewers and some with extensive experience. Two of the attendees, Matt Miller and Pat Gleason, were from the Monticello area, where the Nelsons also reside.
Gleason, who likes to make things for himself, was glad to learn Saturday that making beer is something he will be able to accomplish.
"I put it in the category of cooking and baking," Gleason said. "It seems like something I can get an easy handle on. I'm very glad I came today."
Miller, who noted that he attends the same church as Gleason and the Nelsons, said he was attracted to the creative aspect of brewing beer when he started producing his own brew more than two years ago.
His most recent endeavor was a batch of Dunkleweizen beer, a dark wheat German product.
"I'm of German heritage," Miller said, adding he has made four, five-gallon batches of Dunkleweizen. "I've been to Germany a couple of times."
For Miller, an engineer, the main challenge is to improve the quality of his product. He said the class has been helpful.
"For someone who wants to learn this business, this has been really good," he said.
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Source: (Decatur) Herald & Review, http://bit.ly/1z3tpuj
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Information from: Herald & Review, http://www.herald-review.com
This is an Illinois Exchange story offered by the (Decatur) Herald & Review.
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