Horace Tabberer Brown
Encyclopedia
Horace Tabberer Brown was a British chemist
. He was a born after the death of his biological father so his stepfather was the only father he knew. The stepfather was a banker and amateur naturalist which lead to Brown's interest in science, which began around age 12. His younger half brother was Adrian John Brown
.
He started work at the Worthington Brewery in 1866. His focus was to solve practical brewing
problems by employing and developing fundamental scientific principles. His research work considered barley
germination
, beer
microbiology
, water composition, oxygen
and fermentation, beer haze
formation, wort
composition and beer analysis.
A true polymath
, who left his mark on virtually all areas of science as applied to brewing,
in a career which lasted over 50 years. His earliest work concerned treatment of sewage
and analyses of the Burton
waters. Later he took up study of geology
, being led to it by pressing requirements in connection with the water supply of Burton. This entailed a good deal of field surveying, which was embodied in a paper on the Permian
Rocks of the Leicestershire Coalfield.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1889. From 1890 onward studied the assimilation of Carbon dioxide
in plants. He also established the Guinness
Research Laboratory in Dublin in 1901.
He was awarded the Longstaff Medal of the Chemical Society
in 1894, a Royal Medal
of the Royal Society
in 1903 and the Copley Medal
in 1920.
awards the Horace Brown Medal to eminent scientist every three years.
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
. He was a born after the death of his biological father so his stepfather was the only father he knew. The stepfather was a banker and amateur naturalist which lead to Brown's interest in science, which began around age 12. His younger half brother was Adrian John Brown
Adrian John Brown
Adrian John Brown, FRS was a British Professor of Malting and Brewing at the University of Birmingham and a pioneer in the study of enzyme kinetics....
.
He started work at the Worthington Brewery in 1866. His focus was to solve practical brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
problems by employing and developing fundamental scientific principles. His research work considered barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
germination
Germination
Germination is the process in which a plant or fungus emerges from a seed or spore, respectively, and begins growth. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm. However the growth of a sporeling from a spore, for example the...
, beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
, water composition, oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
and fermentation, beer haze
Haze
Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky. The World Meteorological Organization manual of codes includes a classification of horizontal obscuration into categories of fog, ice fog, steam fog, mist, haze, smoke, volcanic...
formation, wort
Wort
Wort may refer to:* Wort, the liquid created by the mashing of malted barley to use in brewing beer* Worting, Hampshire, a large district and suburb of the town of Basingstoke, in Hampshire, England....
composition and beer analysis.
A true polymath
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
, who left his mark on virtually all areas of science as applied to brewing,
in a career which lasted over 50 years. His earliest work concerned treatment of sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
and analyses of the Burton
Burton
- Canada :* Burton, British Columbia* Burton, New Brunswick* Burton, Ontario* Burtons, Nova Scotia* Burton, Durham Region, Ontario* Burton, Parry Sound District, Ontario* Burton, Prince Edward Island* Lac-Burton, Quebec* Burton Lake, Saskatchewan- England :...
waters. Later he took up study of geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, being led to it by pressing requirements in connection with the water supply of Burton. This entailed a good deal of field surveying, which was embodied in a paper on the Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
Rocks of the Leicestershire Coalfield.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1889. From 1890 onward studied the assimilation of Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
in plants. He also established the Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
Research Laboratory in Dublin in 1901.
He was awarded the Longstaff Medal of the Chemical Society
Chemical Society
The Chemical Society was formed in 1841 as a result of increased interest in scientific matters....
in 1894, a Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1903 and the Copley Medal
Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is an award given by the Royal Society of London for "outstanding achievements in research in any branch of science, and alternates between the physical sciences and the biological sciences"...
in 1920.
The Horace Brown Medal
The Institute of Brewing and DistillingInstitute of Brewing and Distilling
The Institute of Brewing and Distilling is an industry trade association for brewers and distillers, both in the United Kingdom and internationally...
awards the Horace Brown Medal to eminent scientist every three years.