WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williams College Museum of Art will present the first program in the "Construct Your Own Meaning" summer series—an exploration of the museum's permanent collection through the lens of local craft beer—on Thursday, July 6, at 5 p.m. 

Oregon-based artist and seasoned beer industry expert Eric Steen has invited three local brewers to interact with the art collection, dialogue with museum staff about the collection, select one or more artworks for inspiration, and brew new beers inspired by the artwork. Visitors will have the opportunity to drink the beers, mingle with the brewers, and learn how beer can also be a type of artform.

Brewers and beers include:

• Bright Ideas Brewing (North Adams, Mass.): Triumph of Dionysus, an experimental lager in which the ingredients and process was inspired by three distinct artworks: a large abstract painting Three Weeks by Larry Rivers, an ancient sarcophagus fragment, and a three-dimensional still life Little Still Life #2 by Tom Wesselmann. The beer is brewed with Triumph hops and New Zealand Phantasm grape skins and is fermented with Omega Yeast's thiolized lager strain. 

• Hot Plate Brewing (Pittsfield, Mass.): Before the Common Era, a pale ale with local honey, local grains, and malted millet inspired by the Egyptian Statuette of a Falcon, Standing with Double Crown (c. 310 BC -30 BC).

• Rare Form Brewing (Troy, N.Y.): Situation VI Saison, a 5.2 percent ABV Saison inspired by the airy, fieldlike quality of Sam Gilliam's 1972 artwork Situation VI - Pisces 4.

During the public event, Steen will give an abbreviated artist talk and open up the conversation with the participating brewers before a 6 p.m. reception where the new art-inspired beers will be served to visitors with special glassware. The event is free and open to the public. Valid ID is required for tasting beer.

WCMA is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

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