Annual Meeting and Brewery Tour/Fermented Foods Talk on October 22, 2019

Notes from the Piscataquis County Extension Association Executive Committee Annual Meeting and Brewery Tour/Fermented Foods Talk on October 22, 2019, 5:30-8 pm at Bissell Brothers’ Brewery in Milo.

Staff Present: Donna Coffin, Trisha Smith, Lisa Phelps

Committee Members Present: Carole Boothroyd, Gretchen Huettner, Beth McEvoy

Plus 13 additional guests.

Agenda

  • Small groups took turns touring the brewery and learning about the various processes being used to make different kinds of beer.
  • Soup and snacks from Elaine’s were available and the cash bar was open for beverages.
  • Beth welcomed everyone, described the oversight role of the Extension Executive Committee and invited new members to join. She introduced the staff and committee members.
  • Lisa spoke briefly about her coordinator role in Orono.
  • Donna explained Piscataquis County’s media survey project and handed out surveys.
  • Brian Perkins, Research Assistant Professor at UMaine’s School of Food and Agriculture presented the work that he and his grad students are doing on food fermentation, in particular with kombucha, sauerkraut, kvass, and beer. Dr. Perkins and the rest of the Food Science team, encompass a wide range of skills to evaluate fermented foods for new products, product development, and food safety. An example of current research involves low sodium fermented foods, which are being examined for safety, the hazards of microorganism growth, consumer sensory testing and more. Other projects aim to find uses for the invading green crabs and to determine the quality of kombucha made with different strains of bacteria and yeast species.

 

Submitted by Carole Boothroyd, Secretary 12/4/2019