Joseph Owades
Encyclopedia
Joseph L. Owades was one of the preeminent figures in the world of light and industrially-produced beer
. He adjusted analytical techniques and quality control; developing the first "light" beer and the process for making it; creating many new, unique, and successful specialty beers; and passing on his knowledge and love of brewing through teaching and mentoring.
Born in Manhattan
and raised in the Bronx, he graduated from City College of New York
(undergraduate) and Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute
(Master’s and PhD
in biochemistry
, with a dissertation on cholesterol
). After wartime work for the US Navy, he went on to Fleischmann’s Yeast, Schwarz Labs, and Rheingold Breweries in Brooklyn
, where he became Vice President–Technical Director.
An insight into the nature of yeast
metabolism
and the starches found in malt
led him to search for an enzyme
that could break the side-branching chains of starch, which could allow yeast to digest all of the starch and produce a beer with no residual carbohydrates and lower calories. Rheingold introduced the first "light beer," Gablinger’s, using this enzyme; its many successors, starting with Miller Lite
, have come to dominate the American
beer marketplace.
Following his time at Rheingold, Dr. Owades went to work in Greece
for the K. Fix Brewery, then to Anheuser-Busch
in St. Louis
, and then to Carling
Breweries in Boston
. Eventually he struck out on his own, forming the Center for Brewing Studies, where he provided consulting services to many micro- and mid-sized brewers and taught annual seminars.
Among his prominent consulting clients were New Amsterdam Brewing in New York; Anchor Brewing in San Francisco; Boston Brewing, where he developed the highly-successful Samuel Adams
Lager; New Century Brewing, for whom he created Edison light beer; the Olde Heurich Brewing Company; and Rheingold Brewing, where he re-created the original Rheingold lager.
Dr. Owades held many patents in the field of brewing and elsewhere. One of his recent inventions is Prequel, a safe, all-natural pill that can be taken before drinking which reduces the effects of alcohol.
He received the 1994 Award of Merit from the Master Brewers Association of the Americas
, and has addressed all major brewing organizations. This past September, Joseph Owades was among those awarded the Sesquicentennial Medal as a distinguished alumnus by Polytechnic University. He wrote the articles on beer and alcohol metabolism for the Encyclopedia of Food Science and Technology. He was named to the Board of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel
, where in 1999 he endowed the Joseph and Ruth Owades Chair in Chemistry.
Dr. Owades died at his home in Sonoma, California
on December 16, 2005. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Ruth Owades of San Francisco; his two sons, Stephen Owades of Cambridge, Massachusetts
and William Owades of New Rochelle, New York
; and his brother, Henry Owades of Norwalk, Connecticut
.
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...
. He adjusted analytical techniques and quality control; developing the first "light" beer and the process for making it; creating many new, unique, and successful specialty beers; and passing on his knowledge and love of brewing through teaching and mentoring.
Born in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and raised in the Bronx, he graduated from City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
(undergraduate) and Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute
Polytechnic University of New York
The Polytechnic Institute of New York University, often referred to as Polytechnic Institute of NYU, NYU Polytechnic, or NYU-Poly, is the engineering and applied sciences affiliate of New York University...
(Master’s and PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
, with a dissertation on cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...
). After wartime work for the US Navy, he went on to Fleischmann’s Yeast, Schwarz Labs, and Rheingold Breweries in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, where he became Vice President–Technical Director.
An insight into the nature of yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
metabolism
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
and the starches found in malt
Malt
Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air...
led him to search for an enzyme
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
that could break the side-branching chains of starch, which could allow yeast to digest all of the starch and produce a beer with no residual carbohydrates and lower calories. Rheingold introduced the first "light beer," Gablinger’s, using this enzyme; its many successors, starting with Miller Lite
Miller Lite
Miller Lite is a 4.2% abv pale lager brand sold by MillerCoors of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life.-History:...
, have come to dominate the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
beer marketplace.
Following his time at Rheingold, Dr. Owades went to work in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
for the K. Fix Brewery, then to Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, and then to Carling
Carling
Carling brands are currently owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company. In South Africa it is distributed by SABMiller.Carling Black Label is the name of a brand of Canadian lager in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and South Africa...
Breweries in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Eventually he struck out on his own, forming the Center for Brewing Studies, where he provided consulting services to many micro- and mid-sized brewers and taught annual seminars.
Among his prominent consulting clients were New Amsterdam Brewing in New York; Anchor Brewing in San Francisco; Boston Brewing, where he developed the highly-successful Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams (beer)
Samuel Adams is an American brand of beer brewed by the Boston Beer Company and its associated contract brewers. The company was founded in 1984 by Jim Koch, Harry M. Rubin, and Lorenzo Lamadrid in Boston, Massachusetts, USA...
Lager; New Century Brewing, for whom he created Edison light beer; the Olde Heurich Brewing Company; and Rheingold Brewing, where he re-created the original Rheingold lager.
Dr. Owades held many patents in the field of brewing and elsewhere. One of his recent inventions is Prequel, a safe, all-natural pill that can be taken before drinking which reduces the effects of alcohol.
He received the 1994 Award of Merit from the Master Brewers Association of the Americas
Master Brewers Association of the Americas
The MBAA was founded in 1887. It publishes the Technical Quarterly, a technical journal; some of the articles are peer-reviewed.See also Institute of Brewing and Distilling...
, and has addressed all major brewing organizations. This past September, Joseph Owades was among those awarded the Sesquicentennial Medal as a distinguished alumnus by Polytechnic University. He wrote the articles on beer and alcohol metabolism for the Encyclopedia of Food Science and Technology. He was named to the Board of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, where in 1999 he endowed the Joseph and Ruth Owades Chair in Chemistry.
Dr. Owades died at his home in Sonoma, California
Sonoma, California
Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
on December 16, 2005. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Ruth Owades of San Francisco; his two sons, Stephen Owades of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
and William Owades of New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
; and his brother, Henry Owades of Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
.
External links
- The Science of Beer - March 1999 LectureLecturethumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
(Requires Real Audio)