Hooky brewery form unlikely partnership with OU

The Science of Alcohol is a free course, available on their “OpenLearn” platform, that covers such key questions as; Have you ever wondered why there are so many varieties of gin? How beer is produced? and Do you want to know what a hangover really is? This course will answer these and other questions.

Hook Norton Brewery were involved in the beer section and includes a virtual tour of their five-storey Victorian Tower Brewery showing the full end to end brewing process.

The virtual tour also gives a unique insight into how they brew their award winning ales and contains an interview with managing director James Clarke. Also covered is how beer is made and how the different components – water, yeast, hops, barley and malt are important.

James Clarke said: "We are in our 170th year of beer and brewing and were delighted to team up with the Open University to help provide an insight into how we brew here at Hook Norton and to help educate people on the science behind the beer in their hand."

The beer element covers the basic brewing process and the terminology used, how different types of beer are made and the methods used to achieve these. The course can be accessed for free online by clicking here.