The interdisciplinary program housed within the UO’s Knight Campus will unveil the collaboration beer made with brewer Toby Schock on June 11

Students from the Brewing Innovation Program at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact will unveil a special collaboration brew made with Toby Schock, head brewer at The Wheel a Pizza Pub, at a public tasting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

Free tastings of the beer — a South American inspired corn beer known as Chicha — will be available, along with pints for purchase, at the Wheel, 390 Lincoln St., in Eugene. It’s an opportunity to celebrate community and learn more about the BRIN program, which leverages science and engineering, history, innovation, and storytelling to teach the craft and science of brewing.

"It's our first introduction to the Eugene beer scene and the Eugene community as a whole,” said Kieran Galvin, UO undergraduate student and Brewing Innovation Program participant. “We've shared our experiences with so many people, friends, family, people in Eugene and in the community, and this will be the first opportunity for them to actually taste our beers and see all of our hard work being put into something physical. And I'm really excited for that opportunity." 

The event is open to the public. No tickets are required. The pub will be serving free samples of the chicha and students will be present to provide information about this unique style of beer and to answer questions. Chicha will be available for purchase at the bar. For more about the event, the BRIN program and other inquiries, see the FAQ below. We hope you can join us to celebrate this unique collaboration and distinctive beer!

Chicha FAQ

What is Chicha?

Chicha is a traditional fermented beverage made primarily from corn, with deep roots in the Indigenous cultures of Latin America, especially in the Andes. For thousands of years, it has played a central role in both ceremonial and communal gatherings. Inspired by its rich history and cultural significance, the Brewing Innovation students set out to craft their own version of this time-honored drink to share with the Eugene beer community. The result is a refreshing, low-alcohol beer with a story as meaningful as its flavor.

What is special about this collaboration brew?

This brew is rooted in community. In that same spirit, the original recipe was crafted by Team Chicha from the Knight Campus Brewing Innovation Program, then refined and brought to life through a collaborative effort involving the entire class and Toby Schock of the Wheel Apizza. The beer was brewed on May 16 at the Wheel’s brewery.

The primary fermentable sugar comes from locally sourced Oaxacan Green Dent corn. The ferment is infused with a unique blend of herbs and flowers from Ecuador, which lends the beer its beautiful pink hue. The fermentation is carried out with a mix of traditional brewer’s yeast and a wild culture introduced through tepache — a naturally fermented beverage made from pineapple skins and sugar. Together, the ingredients and process crafted a beer that’s crisp, light, and refreshingly easy to drink.

Inspiration and collaboration?

The student team is enrolled in BRIN 323 (Brewing Innovation) course focused on history and innovation within the Brewing Innovation Program at the University of Oregon’s Knight Campus. In the first week of the term, they brewed historic beers — including chicha — as a starting point. Throughout the term, they honed their skills by refining the recipe, exploring its historical and cultural roots and developing the story behind the beer. Toby Schock, brewer at the Wheel Apizza, was excited to join forces for a collaboration. He worked closely with the students and their instructors to help shape the final version of the chicha and its story, bringing it to life for the Eugene community. 

What is Brewing Innovation Program?

The Brewing Innovation Program at the Knight Campus teaches students from across the UO how to be innovators through the lens of beer and brewing. The goal of the program is to teach transferable skills such as innovation and storytelling in the context of interdisciplinary teams working together to develop, brew and promote beers that will appeal to specific audiences.  Students within the program are pursuing a minor that requires courses on sensory evaluation and styles of beer, brewing raw materials, brewing techniques and innovation.   The culmination of the minor is a capstone course where the students dive into developing a new product or work to solve technical challenges in the brewing industry—drawing on recipe design, inspiration, storytelling, and community. More information about the program and the minor can be found on the program’s website.

What is Eugene Beer Week?

Eugene Beer Week will feature beer tastings, brewer's dinners, special bottle releases, a home brew competition, and other events celebrating craft beer. Breweries, retailers, bars, restaurants, and beer writers join together helping bring greater awareness of our region's craft beers. Eugene Beer Week will culminate with the Sasquatch Brewfest.