Mackin-Mailander Alumni Lecture to feature Gerri Kustelski

The Clarke University Mackin-Mailander Lecture Series will present “Beakers, Bunsens and Beer – An inside look at the science behind one of the world’s favorite refreshments” by Gerri Kustelski on Tuesday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in Jansen Music Hall on the Clarke campus. Gerri is a Clarke graduate from the class of 1962. Admission is free.

Kustelski is the head of quality assurance at Summit Brewing Company in St. Paul, Minn., which brews over 100,000 barrels of beer each year. Kustelski and her team perform countless microbiological tests on each batch of beer. Summit’s mission is to rediscover the traditional brewing methods behind the great handcrafted beers that once flowed throughout the Midwest.

“The brewing process is monitored from start to finish and this is possible because of great cooperation at the production level and a thorough awareness of instrumentation,” said Kustelski.

Kustelski’s career in the brewing industry began at a time when women were not commonly found in this line of work. She is a true pioneer in the beer industry and remains enthusiastic and fascinated by her work at Summit after fifty years in the brewing business.

Prior to her lecture at Clarke University, Kustelski will be on campus working with Clarke faculty and visiting with chemistry students.

The Clarke University Mackin-Mailander Lecture Series was established in 1997 after Clarke received gifts from two alumnae, Mary Mackin ’34 and Verna Slattery-Mailander ’20, to establish an endowed lecture series. The annual series consists of three lectures, including a prominent outside speaker, a faculty lecture and an alumni lecture.

For more information on the Mackin-Mailander lecture series, please go to http://www.clarke.edu/mackin-mailander.