Beer Test: Beer Basics

Question 1

What are the four primary ingredients in beer?

Answer 1

Water, barley/malt, hops, & yeast

Question 2

What are the two major beer categories?

Answer 2

Ales & lagers

Question 3

What is the primary difference between ales & lagers?

Answer 3

The fermentation process (ales are higher temps for shorter times, lagers are lower temps for longer times).

Question 4

How are ales fermented?

Answer 4

Ales ferment at higher temperatures, typically between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit, for shorter periods of time.

Question 5

How are lagers fermented?

Answer 5

Lagers ferment at lower temperatures, typically in the low to mid-50s Fahrenheit, for a longer period of time.

Question 6

What three main categories is the TRB beer menu broken into?

Answer 6

(Almost) Always Available, Seasonal Selections, and Brewer’s Favorites

Question 7

What five characteristics should you know how to describe for any beer on the menu?

Answer 7

Color, body, flavor, bitterness, and description.

Question 8

What four additional categories are sometimes added to the TRB beer menu?

Answer 8

Limited Time, Collaboration, Last-Call, and Coming Soon

Question 9

How much head should a beer be poured with?

Answer 9

1 inch of head

Question 10

Why is head on a beer important?

Answer 10

The head releases the aromatics of the beer that enhance the overall sensory experience.

Question 11

What is the size of the primary brewing brew house at TRB?

Answer 11

7 barrels

Question 12

What are the three main vessels used in the brewing process?

Answer 12

1. The Hot Liquor Tank (HLT)
2. Mash tun
3. Brew kettle

Question 13

What is the purpose of the Hot Liquor Tank?

Answer 13

The hot liquor tank heats the brewing water to mash temperature.

Question 14

What is the purpose of the Mash Tun?

Answer 14

Mixes the malt (grist) with the temperature-controlled water from the HLT.

Question 15

What is the purpose of the Brew Kettle?

Answer 15

The brew kettle is used for boiling wort (unfermented beer)

Question 16

What two vessels finish a beer following the brewing process?

Answer 16

1. Fermenters
2. Brite/serving tanks

Question 17

What is the purpose of the Fermenter?

Answer 17

Once the beer is brewed, the wort is cooled and transferred to one of the fermenters, where yeast is added.

Question 18

What is the purpose of the Brite/Serving Tanks?

Answer 18

Once fermentation is completed, the beer is then transferred to one of the brite tanks for carbonation and consumption.

Question 19

How many fermenters does TRB use?

Answer 19

TRB has 7 fermenters.

Question 20

How many brite/serving tanks does TRB use?

Answer 20

TRB has 8 brite tanks.

Question 21

What era was the TRB aquifer once a river?

Answer 21

Pleistocene Era

Question 22

How deep does the TRB aquifer reside?

Answer 22

The ancient riverbed is now buried under several hundred feet of sediment deposited from glaciers.

Question 23

Describe the process of making beer.

Answer 23

1. Filtered water goes into the Hot Liquor Tank, which heats the water to mash temperature.
2. This temperature-controlled water is mixed with the malt (grist) in the Mash Tun.
3. Hot wort (unfermented beer) then goes into the Brew Kettle, where hops and other flavors are added.
4. The wort is cooled and moved to the Fermenter where yeast is added (dry hops can be added at this stage also).
5. Once fermentation is completed the beer is transferred to the Bright Tank for carbonation and consumption.