Alcohol and school don’t usually mix well, but the Baker University class, The Economics of Beer, is combining the two for a unique travel interterm. The interterm class will travel to Europe to learn about how beer is a part of the European economy.
Professor of Business and Economics Alan Grant is the sponsor for the trip and got the idea for it after learning of the book The Economics of Beer<em>The Economics of Beer</em> by Johan F.M. Swinnen at a conference. by Johan F.M. Swinnen at a conference. The Economics of Beer by Johan F.M. Swinnen at a conference.
“I thought here’s a whole book, why not experience it firsthand,” Grant said.
Six students are going on the trip. The group leaves May 24 and will return June 4. They’ll spend three days in London, four days in western England and northern Wales and three days in Belgium.
Beer writer and expert Steve Hobman will take the group on four days of brewery tours and pub excursions. One day will also include a fancy dinner with a beer pairing for every course.
“They’ll get a chance to compare how beer is done,” Grant said.
One of the main differences between the United States and Europe is that the U.S. consumes massive quantities of cheap beer while the UK brews smaller batches of higher quality and potency.
Junior Devin Glasgow is going on the interterm trip because he wants to travel in Europe and drink good beer, which is what Grant said was the main draw for most of the students.
“I’ve never been out of the country before,” Glasgow said. “I really wanted to go to Europe.”
The students will have a few free days to explore on their own as well. Grant said some had interest in visiting Stonehenge and a village that was used to shoot scenes from the Harry Potter<em>Harry Potter</em> films, and others were excited to see and experience a city with so much culture. films, and others were excited to see and experience a city with so much culture. Harry Potter films, and others were excited to see and experience a city with so much culture.
“One of the things I’m looking forward to is visiting the museums across London and the different cuisines,” Glasgow said.
To prepare for the trip Grant had the group meet at his house to experience English food and talk about what will happen during the interterm. Grant had the interterm students over and served a breakfast of roasted tomatoes, toast with pork and beans, bacon and ham.
“It wasn’t too weird; it was kind of a mixture of an English breakfast with an American breakfast,” Glasgow said.
In preparation the group will also read copies of articles about the history and industrial transformation of the beer industry in Europe as well as articles that look at the differences in the beer industry in Europe versus the U.S.
Grant said if this trip goes well he hopes to sponsor another interterm trip to Europe – possibly to Scotland to experience the economics of scotch.
