John Ewald Siebel Establishes a Zymotechnic Institute in Chicago

In 1868, German-trained chemist John Ewald Siebel founded John E. Siebel’s Chemical Laboratory and the Zymotechnic Institute in Chicago. “Zymotechnic” referred to the applied science of fermentation: the enterprise combined chemical analysis, investigation, and instruction for brewing and other fermentation industries. The laboratory soon developed into a research station and brewing school, and its name changed as the institution evolved. By bringing laboratory service and formal technical education together, Siebel helped create a durable base for professional brewing education in the United States. Calling the 1868 organization by its later modern name would obscure that institutional development.