Professor Emeritus J. Ernest Simpson will give an overview of wine and wine making as part of the upcoming “The Chemistry of Beer and Wine” lecture on Friday, Feb. 19.
The talk will also include detailed descriptions of the chemical composition of grapes and wine, laboratory methods for analysis of grapes and wines, sensory and organoleptic methods used for wine, the role of tannin and other phenolic compounds in the beverage and the health aspects. Simpson, who joined the chemistry department in 1968, is an active member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture and has served on the society’s editorial board. He has published a California Wine Guide. Simpson also is a member of the Society of Wine Educators and the American Wine Society.
The event also will include a discussion on the parallels and differences between beer and wine making, chemistry and tasting. Michael Godfrey, associate dean in The Collins College of Hospitality Management, and Collins College lecturer Ron Johnson, along with Koby Harris of Innovation Brew Works, will do the part of the presentation that deals with beer.
Integrated with the talk will be four craft beer and four wine samples to taste and pair with light snacks. The cost is $15. All lecture attendees must be 21 or older. Space is limited to the first 75 who register. A registration form can be downloaded on the ACS San Gorgonio section website. Reservations must be prepaid in cash or check and mailed to Dr. J. Ernest Simpson, 226 Cucamonga Ave., Claremont, CA 91711-5015. Checks should be made payable to Cal Poly Pomona Foundation. Reservations must be received by Feb. 12.