Chicago fellowship aims to diversify beer research

CHICAGO - Think of it as going to school—to learn more about beer.

Chicago's Newberry Library is teaming up with the Beer Culture Center to establish a new research fellowship. The goal is to help diversify the academic field of beer research by giving minorities and Indigenous people a chance to study an aspect of beer history.

And if you wonder whether beer fits into academia, Elizabeth Nery of the Newberry Library says, "Absolutely. Beer history is a growing field right now of scholarly study."

We usually think of beer as something to consume after study, not as the subject of study. But that's changing in a big way.

"Beer is a great vehicle to talk about the way it shaped humanity, past and present. So it really touches on a variety of different subjects," said Liz Garibay, who runs the Chicago-based Beer Culture Center. "It's history, politics, culture. All of the above. Economy, crime, you name it."

The Beer Culture Center and the Newberry Library are teaming up to create a first-ever academic fellowship to study beer history. The one-month residency at the library is funded with a $3,000 scholarship and is being offered to researchers of color.

"We're really excited about it because it is specific to scholars of color," said Neary. "So Black, Indigenous people of color are those who are eligible to apply for the fellowship."

Over the last few years, Chicago's booming craft beer industry has seen a growing number of minorities opening breweries. But when it comes to academic research on beer history—"A few years ago, I formally asked social media if there were any people of color doing research in beer history, and it came up empty," said Garibay. "So it kind of stuck with me, and I've been thinking about it ever since."

Suzanne Karr Schmidt, a curator at the Newberry Library, said they have plenty of materials to supplement that research.

"We are incredible history nerds. And beer nerds should have a home here."

Schmidt showed us just a fraction of their archive materials relating to beer, including a German how-to brew guide from the 1500s, sheet music about beer, and copies of the Western Brewer trade periodical published in Chicago in the 1800s, called "The Bible of the Beer Business."

"We have quite a lot, especially if you think creatively about where to find it," Karr Schmidt said. "As Liz was saying, beer really is everywhere throughout the ages. And I think whoever gets this fellowship—and hopefully subsequent ones—will have an amazing time."

To qualify for the fellowship, Newberry applicants need at least a master’s degree and must apply by January 3rd. And if they find the funding and support, the Newberry and Beer Culture Center could be toasting a more permanent beer fellowship.

"I think one of the beautiful things about the beer community is we're trying to come together and really make some change," said Garibay.