The Science of Stephen King

Richie is craving warm beer in “Gray Matter.” (There must be something wrong with him!) What is the science behind cravings? Scientists explain that an area of our brain which is responsible for memory, pleasure, and reward also controls our urge for certain foods. “The hunger loop operates out of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain. The reward system, on the other hand, is located in the center of the brain. It involves many regions of the brain, such as the ventral tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens, and the prefrontal cortex.”2 We may crave junk food, sugary treats, or a salty snack. It all depends on the person and the mood. Some cravings may be due to an imbalance of hormones, such as leptin and serotonin, or can be due to endorphins that are released into the body after someone has eaten, which mirrors an addiction. Emotional eating and cravings are common for people, and pregnant women do indeed experience especially strong cravings. Is it true that we crave things that our body needs? For example, chocolate cravings could be blamed on low magnesium levels, whereas cravings for meat or cheese could be seen as a sign of low iron or calcium levels. Scientists don’t agree on whether our bodies alert us to food needs. It’s recommended to get enough sleep, drink enough water, and eat a balanced, healthy diet to reduce cravings. I’m not sure if that advice would have saved poor Richie in “Gray Matter” but it’s worth a shot!

The inciting incident that led to Richie’s demise was a can of beer that was a bit off. To understand more about the scientific process of brewing beer we spoke to a beer brewing enthusiast, and Meg’s husband, Luke Hafdahl, to learn more about his process.

Kelly:“How did you get interested in brewing beer?”

Luke Hafdahl: “I suspect like most others, it starts with just drinking and enjoying beer! But I was intrigued by the creative process. I have a background in chemistry and biology, so I really became hooked when I began to see how much we harness basic science to brew beer and it really tapped into my enjoyment of experimentation. Brewing truly is a wonderful hybrid of creativity and science.”

Meg:“What sort of training did you need in order to start?”

Luke Hafdahl: “Like so many things in life, if you are pursuing it as a hobby, it is a very easy thing to teach yourself. The main brewing process is simple and could be likened to teaching yourself how to bake. However, if you truly want to take it seriously as a career, you really need to be trained. There are many programs across the country, some of them four-year programs. It truly is a scientific discipline that requires a firm understanding of chemistry, physics, and microbiology. For home brewing, you can get by with a cursory grasp of these principles, but to be considered a brew master, you need training to become a brewing scientist.”

Kelly:“What is the process for brewing and bottling beer?”

Luke Hafdahl: “In its most basic form, brewing involves three things: grain (typically barley), hops (for bittering and flavor), and yeast (they are the workers that make the alcohol). That’s it. You boil grains and hops to release sugars that the yeast eat for food. It’s their ‘waste’ product that is the alcohol that we want (this is called fermentation).

Meg:“In Stephen King’s story ‘Gray Matter’ the character of Richie drinks a can of beer that’s ‘gone bad.’ Although we discover in the story the origin of the problem is otherworldly, what really could cause a can or bottle of beer to go bad?”

Luke Hafdahl: “The single biggest thing that one worries about when brewing is contamination of the beer. When we brew, we are very thoughtful about the strain of yeast that we use because that is how we produce a predictable flavor (in addition to making alcohol, yeast will make other by-products that can add flavors). These yeast have cultured under controlled conditions so that when you purchase them, you know exactly what you are getting. However, yeast live everywhere: on our skin, on our countertops, literally everywhere. And these ‘wild’ yeast (as well as some bacteria!) would love nothing more than to get into the beer we are making and eat up all the sugars themselves. Thus, if you do not pay close attention to sanitizing your equipment (killing the wild organisms) when brewing, they can take over the fermentation process and make some awful flavors. Some describe the flavors like ‘wet cardboard,’ ‘metallic,’ and ‘musky.’”

Meg: “Oh yes, some of my favorites!”