Sip and learn at Pink Palace Museum’s ‘The Science of Beer’
Curious about the science behind your favorite beer? Then mark your calendar — the Pink Palace Museum‘s sixth annual “The Science of Beer” party is Jan. 18.
This event is more than just a beer tasting; it’s the chance to get to know more about how beer is made while having fun in the process. And you get to taste some great craft beers.
Nineteen craft breweries will be at the event, sampling their best and most unique beers. When attendees arrive, they will receive a commemorative pint glass from Memphis Filling Station to allow them to enjoy a beer, or several, as they explore the event and museum. The education component of the night comes from lectures, demonstrations and games designed to give guests the opportunity to learn the science behind their favorite beverage.
Most of the breweries are from Memphis, but some are from as far away as Missouri and Louisiana. John Mullikin, education instructor at the Pink Palace, said they do a lot of research to pick just the right breweries for the event, looking for craft breweries with good background stories and engaging folks.
If you go
When: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Jan. 18 Where: Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central Ave.
Tickets: Tickets are available at scienceofbeer2019.brownpapertickets. com or by calling (901) 636-2362. Regular admission is $45 for the general public and $40 for museum members. VIP tickets are $65 for the general public and $60 for museum members. VIP tickets give guests early access to the event (6-6:30 p.m.) and access to the VIP lounge. Designated drivers are admitted for $35. Must be 21 or over to attend.
Bailey Spaulding from Jackalope Brewing Co. in Nashville is one of the featured brewers.
“Bailey will be talking about the history of women in brewing and how Jackalope fits in,” said Luke Ramsey, manager of public and special programs at the Pink Palace Family of Museums.
The Center for Applied Earth Sciences and Engineering Research (CAESER) at the University of Memphis will have two demo stations, including a water bar in the mansion’s grand lobby explaining the ways water differs place to place and how that changes beer.
In addition to talks, the Pink Palace staff has planned some fun games for the night. Cerrito Trivia will host a trivia contest on Memphis history and beer science. Guests also can play several games wearing “beer goggles” to make the games more challenging, as well as to promote responsible drinking. The games include giant Jenga, darts and miniature golf.
According to Ramsey, local breweries will be making beers just for the event.
“Wiseacre will be making their Irusu rice lager, which will be paired with Lucky Cat Ramen’s featured dish. It’s a light and refreshing brew in the style of Asian beers,” Ramsey said. “Also, Wiseacre will be sending their education department to talk with our guests about their beer and the brewing process.”
Memphis Made Brewing Co. plans to serve a “Shrunken Head” IPA in honor of one of the museum’s iconic artifacts. Crosstown Brewing Co. is making a Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout especially for the event that will be paired with the dish from Maciel’s Taco Shop Downtown.
Several home brewer clubs also will be on hand to sample their beers, as well as show guests how to set up home brewing equipment.
And you won’t go hungry. Dishes from 17 Memphis restaurants will be served at the event. Elwood’s Shack, Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, South of Beale, One and Only BBQ and Frost Bake Shop are a handful of the restaurants that will be at the party.
Some of the unique items that will be served include RP Tracks’ famous BBQ Tofu and Margie’s 901 ice cream doughnut, a confection described as “if a funnel cake and ice cream had a baby.”
The night is also an opportunity to see the newly renovated mansion part of the museum, which reopened in December.
“We are really excited to be able to host part of Science of Beer in the newly renovated mansion,” Mullikin said. “This part of the museum tells the story of Memphis. Our beer and food stations will be inside the exhibit area.”
The event, like its sister party “Science of Wine,” is one of the main fundraisers for the museum’s education department.
“We really appreciate the breweries and restaurants who participate, as well as those who come to the event,” Mullikin said. “Every penny we raise at Science of Beer goes to educating students in Memphis. Last year, we reached 141,000 kids.”
Wine on Sundays
You can now buy wine on Sundays in grocery stores in Tennessee.
In April, Gov. Bill Haslam signed into law a bill allowing Sunday wine and liquor sales. When the bill was signed, liquor stores could be open and sell wine on Sundays immediately. Grocery stores, however, had to wait until after the first of the year, making Jan. 6 the first date wine sales could happen in grocery stores.
Under previous law, wine and liquor could not be sold on Sundays at retail stores and for off-premise consumption. In fact, liquor stores could not even open on Sundays and holidays.
Wine can be purchased on Sundays between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Farm & Fries on Cooking Channel
Farm & Fries was featured on the Cooking Channel in the fall. In case you missed it when it first aired Oct. 23, the “Dangerously Good Eats” episode of Michael Symon’s “Burgers, Brew & ‘Que” is now available for viewing on cookingchannel.com.
Symon visited the Germantown burger shop to learn how it makes its “Collateral Burger.” This over-the-top burger is topped with American cheese, brown sugar and maple glazed bacon, lettuce, tomato, a 63-degree sous vide egg, pickled onion and Sriracha mayo.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.