Beer Flashcards
Learn how beer is made, and its ingredients, categories, and major styles.
What are the 4 base ingredients of beer?
- Water
- Cereal / Grain + Malt
- Yeast
- Hops
What are the 2 basic categories of beer?
- Ales
- Lagers
Ales use ____-fermenting yeasts.
Lagers use ____-fermenting yeasts.
- Ales = top-fermenting yeasts
- Lagers = bottom-fermenting yeasts
Ales ferment at ____er temperatures.
Lagers ferment at ____er temperatures.
Ales ferment at warmer temps
Lagers ferment at cooler temps
How do ales and lagers differ in aromas + flavors?
Ales = more fruity
Lagers = crisp + clean
Give an example of a German Ale.
Hefeweizen
Give 3 examples of a British Ale.
- Pale Ale
- India Pale Ale (IPA)
- Porter
Give an example of an Irish Ale.
Stout
Give 2 examples of Belgian Ales.
- Lambic (which has spontaneous fermentation)
- Wit or White Bier
Give an example of a Czech Lager.
Pilsner
Give 3 examples of a German Lager.
- Bock
- Doppelbock
- Oktoberfest
What percent of beer is water?
85% - 90%
The chemical makeup of water can determine what _____ of beer is brewed.
Style
Which cereal grain is most used to brew beer because of its high quality?
Barley
What other cereal grains can be used to brew beer?
- Oats
- Rice
- Wheat
- Corn
- Rye
In order for fermentation to happen, what does a brewer have to do to the cereal grain?
Germinate the cereal grain to turn its starches into fermentable sugars – because yeasts eat sugar, not starch.
What is malt?
Cereal or grain that’s been germinated.
What is the next step for malt after it’s been germinated?
It’s dried in a kiln.
The style of beer that’s ultimately produced – in regards to color, flavor, and aroma – depends on what?
- Temperature at which malt is kilned
- How long the malt is kilned
What determines if a beer is an ale or a lager?
The yeast strain
In beer production, what ferments the malt sugars into alcohol?:
- Mold
- Botrytis
- Yeast
Yeast
Besides fermenting malt sugars into alcohol, what other role do yeasts play in beer production?
They contribute characteristic aromas and flavors to the beer.
What are hops?
Hops are flowers of the hop plant that are used in beer production.
What are the roles of hops in beer production?
- Their resin, when boiled in the fermentation process, contributes bitterness to beer which helps counterbalance the sweet maltiness in beer;
- Act as a preservative
- Lend flavors + aromas
What is the mashing process in beer making?
When sugar is converted and extracted from the malt, and results in the wort, which is rich in flavor, sugar, and color.
What is a ‘copper’ in beer making?
The beer kettle
Name a common hop used in IPAs.
Cascade
What is a Weissbier?
A pale, top-fermented German wheat beer. It’s a classic Bavarian beer style with a distinctive banana and clove flavor.
What style of beer is a kriek?
Belgian fruit lambics
Typically they’re dry, and krieks are typically made with sour cherries
Is most beer often pasteurized prior to bottling?
Yes, except Cask Ales sold as draught beers
What is ‘conditioning’ or ‘cask conditioning’ in beer making?
Cask conditioning is a process that allows beer to continue fermenting in a cask after it’s been brewed. The beer is then served from the cask, which is a traditional method in British pubs.
What is ‘venting’ in beer making?
“Venting” in beer refers to the process of releasing excess carbon dioxide gas from a beer keg or cask, usually by opening a small valve to allow the pressure to escape, which is particularly important when serving cask ales to ensure proper conditioning and optimal pouring quality; essentially, it’s a way to “breathe” the beer by letting out unwanted gas while maintaining the desired carbonation level.
What does the term ‘tapping’ mean in the beer world?
“Tapping” in beer refers to the act of opening a keg of beer by attaching and then opening a tap, essentially starting the flow of beer from the keg
In the context of beer, what is a ‘stillage’?
It is a platform or stand used to hold a cask of beer horizontally, allowing the beer to flow out of the tap by gravity while the sediment settles at the bottom, typically made of wood and slightly angled to facilitate proper pouring; essentially, it’s a specialized rack designed to serve cask ale properly
