Imagine entering a baking competition where you are handed a bag of ingredients and told to make a cake.

What kind of cake? What flavour of icing? Now imagine that it鈥檚 a brewing competition. What type of beer do you make?

That very conundrum faced Alan Brown 10 years ago when he entered the Master Brewers Association of Canada Iron Brewer competition.Brown, who was a craft brewer and instructor with Niagara College鈥檚 brewmaster program, decided to craft a Scotch ale, and won the 鈥淚ron Brewer鈥� trophy with his Highland Gale Highland Ale.

Fast forward ten years and Brown is now retired and living in Comox. He speaks to community groups about the history of the craft brewing industry, and has also taught a variety of Elder College courses including Women and Craft Beer, History of Beer in Canada, Beer Styles and Food Pairings and History of Brewing and Beer. 

Starting in January, as a special fundraising initiative for Comox United Church, Brown will be offering Light-hearted History of Brewing and Beer, an eight-week course that will look at how beer got civilization started (as well as math, accounting, writing, and, unfortunately, taxes).

From ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt where beer was featured in literature, medicine, religion and art, Brown will follow the story through medieval times, the Industrial Revolution, prohibition, and the current craft beer revolution. Participants will also learn how various beer styles were developed so they can understand what they see on beer store shelves.

The History of Brewing and Beer will run for eight Tuesday afternoons from Jan. 7 to Feb. 25, 2025, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Comox United Church, 250 Beach Drive, Comox.  The cost of the eight-week course is $35. To register, email Alan at studentofbeer@gmail.com.