Good Morning POU!
First of all, I had no idea there was such a job as “Yeast and Fermentation Specialist”…..but there is!
Jason Pratt was the yeast and fermentation specialist for MillerCoors, and in 2010 he graced the cover of the Black Enterprise May issue due to his innovative drive and contributions in the STEM field.
By combining his taste buds and strong knowledge of science, Pratt uses his expertise to assure taste and quality during the fermentation process of Miller and Coors suds. Five years ago when Pratt was featured in BE, he was one of the youngest professionals paving the way in math and science. Today, he continues to do the same as manager of beer education for Tenth and Blake Beer Co, the craft and import division of MillerCoors. He is also a Cicerone. What is that you ask? Well let’s find out.
Know Your Beer: The Mind of a Master with Jason Pratt of MillerCoors
What do you know about beer? Whether you’re the type who picks out every detail of the appearance, aroma, mouthfeel, and taste of your chosen beverage, or someone who goes with the bartenders recommendation, the beauty of beer is the ability for people of any background to come together over a pint of what makes them happy. There are those, however, who seek to expand their knowledge and delve deeper into the nuances of their favorite beverage. Some of these people are known as Cicerones.
Of the nearly 90,000 to have gained some level of Cicerone Program certification, only 13 have reached its pinnacle. Known as Master Cicerones, these select few have proven themselves to be veritable walking encyclopedias of beer knowledge. One of the 13 is Jason Pratt, Senior Manager of Innovations at Tenth & Blake Beer Co., the craft division of MillerCoors. Working his way up through the ranks at Miller, the recently awarded 40 Under 40 recipientworks to share his expansive knowledge with the folks at one of the world’s largest beer conglomerates, also spearheading the new ‘Know Your Beer’ program in the now ultra competitive beer market.
But what’s next once you’ve reached the peak of your profession? We sat down with Jason over tasting notes for the ‘Know Your Beer’ program to find out how he got to where he is today, how he balances big beer versus craft, and how he plans to keep pushing himself forward on his journey through the world of beer.
Jason, congrats on the 40 Under 40! How did that come about?
That was interesting… I got a semi-cryptic email from someone at Crain’s and they basically said, “We’ve got some great news for you, can we talk next week?” I ended up sitting around wondering what that could be. They called me and were very gracious. They talked to me about what it meant to be a part of that and some of the alumni that had been there before. It’s a huge honor from them so it was really nice to get that group together and be a part of it.
So how long have you been at MillerCoors?
It will be ten years in October.
And how did you get started with the company?
I started off as a research microbiologist. So I’ve taken a crazy path getting here.
You’re a Michigan State alumnus (Go Green!). Did you study microbiology there?
Yea, microbiology and molecular genetics was my degree out of there. So beer was that buy viagra buy viagra norway pakistan really logical jump, you know? (laughs) There’s so much science that goes into brewing, and that’s the thing nobody really tells you when you’re going to school. A career in brewing is a possibility. All the time I spent studying science and doing research, brewing never really entered that conversation, at least back then. Now I think you’re seeing more and more programs that are focused on beer. It’s great to see.
Was it straight to MillerCoors after graduation?
It was. I stayed around the lab I was doing research in for a couple months and then really started the job search. What it came down to for me was that I knew I wanted to get into industry of some kind. I always kind of joke that it was beer or vegetables for me. I had this job offer on the table from a vegetable company in Detroit. And there was this little brewery over in Milwaukee, WI that I had an offer from too – Miller Brewing at the time. I felt like I was at this crossroads. As funny as it seems now, I wasn’t really a huge beer drinker. I drank beer but I don’t think I fully gained that appreciation for it until I could see it first hand and see what it took to brew. But I feel like I made the right choice. Beer over vegetables all day.
You’re a Master Cicerone today, but everyone started our drinking something cheap in college. What was that for you?
It was whatever the cheapest pint was. I was at a point in my life where I felt like it was all interchangeable and it didn’t really matter. I’ve luckily come a little way since that point. There are nuances and differences even between the light beers that people always assume are so similar. It was Miller Lite and Coors Light that I would typically go for.
Was there a first “different beer” that you remember?
Yea, I’m trying to think of the spot… but there was a raspberry wheat that was interesting. It was the first time I’d tried something a little bit fruity from a beer perspective. Oh yea… it was Harper’s. The craft beer boom had sort of come and gone at that point. So the idea of someone brewing their own stuff wasn’t exactly top of mind for me at the time. It was interesting to try that, and I thought it was unique and different.
We’d highly recommend you don’t ruin your nostalgia by drinking any more of Harper’s stuff. So you’d picked beer over vegetables. What did you in Milwaukee for Miller in your early days there?
I transitioned into a role known as yeast and fermentation scientist. We were making sure our quality control systems across all our breweries countrywide were in place. We were doing education for the quality staff in the breweries at the time – test methods, procedures – that sort of thing. Then, as a side job, they had me running the beer education of ‘Welcome to MillerCoors.’ It was shortly after I started and they said, “Alright, you’re new, this will be good for you.” I also got a chance to do some new product development stuff too.
Read the rest of the interview with Jason at The Hop Review.