Beer, sake, Spirits Flashcards
What is one of the oldest known alcoholic beverages?
Beer
Beer predates wine and is only surpassed in age by mead.
What significant societal transition is linked to the discovery of fermentation of grain?
Transition from a nomadic society to a settled agricultural society during the Neolithic Revolution.
What is the first aim of the brewing process?
To derive the wort, a sugar-rich liquid, from malted grain.
What raw ingredients are typically required for brewing beer?
- Water
- Yeast
- Hops
- Starch source
What is the purpose of hops in beer brewing?
To provide flavor and bitterness, and to inhibit bacterial growth.
What does the Bavarian Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) codify?
The three ingredients authorized for beer production: barley, hops, and water.
What enzyme is produced during the germination of barley?
Amylase.
What does amylase do in the brewing process?
Converts the starchy carbohydrates of the grain into fermentable sugars maltose and dextrin.
What is ‘green malt’?
Malted barley that has begun to sprout.
What happens during the mashing process?
Sugar is converted and extracted from the malt.
What is wort?
A liquid rich in flavor, sugar, and color extracted from the malt.
What is the purpose of boiling the wort?
To stabilize and sterilize the brew, darken the color, and evaporate excess water.
What distinguishes lagers from ales in the brewing process?
Lagers are fermented at lower temperatures with bottom-fermenting yeast, whereas ales are fermented at warmer temperatures with top-fermenting yeast.
What type of yeast is used for top-fermenting ales?
Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
What type of yeast is used for bottom-fermenting lagers?
Saccharomyces pastorianus.
What is unique about lambic beers?
They are spontaneously fermented with native wild yeasts.
What is Gueuze?
A style produced by mixing one-year-old lambics with beers aged for two to three years.
What is the typical alcohol content of beer?
4% to 6%.
At what temperature should lagers be served?
48–52 degrees Fahrenheit (9–11 degrees Celsius).
What is sake commonly defined as?
An alcoholic beverage produced from fermented rice.
What process relies on the combined activities of yeast and koji-kin in sake production?
Multiple parallel fermentation (MPF).
What is the purpose of milling rice in sake production?
To remove some of the protein-laden outer husk of the rice grain.
What is shinpaku in sake production?
The pure starchy heart of the rice grain.
What is the sake meter value (nihonshu-do)?
A scale indicating the sake’s specific gravity, with negative values indicating sweetness and positive values indicating dryness.