Students in Dr. Favian Martin’s senior seminar debuted their newly brewed beer on April 27 at Ten7 Brewery in North Wales. 

The seminar, called Untapped: Exploring the Socio-Cultural and Scientific World of Beer, introduces students to the beverage by exploring its cultural, historical, social, and political dimensions, as well as the science and technology used in the brewing process. 

As part of the course, students collaboratively create their own beer recipe and brew it at a local craft brewery. This year, the class created a Milkshake IPA with pineapples, tangerines, and mangos and named it “Fruity Beatches.”

“We learned all about the process and the history of beer and everything beer encompasses,” said Grace Bauer ’23, a Biology major who will stay at Arcadia as a graduate student in the Physician Assistant Program next year. “We sampled a bunch of beer – lagers, stouts, IPAs – and decided a Milkshake IPA was our thing because it’s not a traditional beer that everyone is used to. It’s sort of like Guinness but sweeter and hoppier.”

This is the fourth time Dr. Martin’s class has brewed its own beer. In previous years, students brewed an Amber Ale, a Pale Ale, and an IPA. 

Students must be seniors and at least age 21 to take the course. This semester, there are 20 students in the class. 

“I’m a senior and it said beer, so I thought, ‘Why not take this?’’” said Bauer. “It meets once a week, and I was really interested in beer and learning about how to professionally taste it and make it.”

“My advice to seniors at Arcadia is to try and take this class,” said Isabella Schwing ’23, a Biology major who will also pursue a graduate degree in the Physician Assistant program. “Favian is an amazing professor and has really cool and interesting assignments for us. It’s just really fun.”

On April 27, the class will host a launch party for the beer at Ten7 Brewery. At that point, the beer will be for sale to the public exclusively at the brewery.