Keeping and Serving Beer Flashcards
What are the 3 tiers in the “3 tier system” of alcohol distribution in the US?
Brewer/Importer; Wholesaler (distributor); Retailer
What is the purpose of the 3 tier system of alcohol distribution in the US?
1) Make tax collection easier for the state
2) Protect consumers from abuses by companies that make/sell alcohol
3) Create market competition
What are the common exceptions to the 3 tier system?
1) Allowing production breweries to brew and sell directly to consumers via a taproom
2) Allowing brewpubs to brew and sell directly to consumers
3) Allowing small brewers to make and sell some beer directly to retailers
Which taxes are levied on beer and who is responsible for paying which?
1) Federal Excise Tax: Brewers
2) State Excise Tax: Wholesalers
3) Sales Tax: Retailers
4) Income Tax: All parties
What should be checked when assessing the age/physical condition of a beer shipment?
1) Date code if available
2) Physical condition of container
3) Temperature
What does a Date Code indicate?
Either the best-by date or the bottling/packaging date
What should you check for when inspecting the physical condition of a beer container?
Dents or broken containers. Signs of leakage or container weakness.
How is alcohol primarily absorbed and eliminated by the body?
Absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract (primarily small intestine) by diffusion into the blood. Primarily metabolized and eliminated by the liver. Some is eliminated via bodily fluids.
Explain responsible serving practices
1) Provide accurate ABV information to consumers
2) Adjust serving size based on ABV
What should we assume about beer when it is released from the brewery? What is the exception to this rule?
It is ready to drink. The exception to this is that certain types of beer may age in interesting ways if properly cellared, but this is the minority
How does one properly rotate inventory?
Sell older beer first, remove out of date products from service
What are the types of codes that brewers may use to indicate date codes?
Traditional date codes, Julian/ordinal dates, propietary formats
How long does draft beer remain fresh when refrigerated (non-pasteurized and pasteurized)?
Keg of non-pasteurized beer: 45-60 days
Keg of pasteurized beer: 90-120 days
What happens to shelf life if draft beer is not refrigerated or subjected to other stresses
It decreases significantly
How long does bottled/canned beer remain fresh if refrigerated vs non-refrigerated? Are their exceptions to these rules?
-Refrigerated: up to 6 months
- Exception is hoppy styles which may show flavor changes in as little as 3 months
-Unrefrigerated or subjected to other stresses: May be noticeably off after 3 months
What is a surefire way to test a beer for deterioration?
Taste it compared to fresh beer
If beer cannot be refrigerated, what should be done to mitigate damage?
Keep inventories small, sell beer quickly
What happens to non-refrigerated beer that impacts its flavor?
1) Oxidation is sped up. This leads to diminished hop flavor/aroma, malt shift, papery/wet cardboard flavor
2) Bottle-conditioned and unfiltered beer with yeast may develop autolysis off-flavors
3) Microbial contamination can spread rapidly leading to related off-flavors
What is a “reasonable range” of temperatures within which a beer can be transferred without damaging the beer’s flavor?
Cold storage (38F) to room temperature (68-77F)
What is the temperature ceiling that a beer should be prevented from surpassing? What is the expected result of allowing the beer to get warmer than this level?
77F (top of room temperature). Rapid flavor degradation
What causes a “skunky flavor” in beer
Light from the sun, fluorescent bulbs, most LED lights
How quickly can skunking take effect after exposure to light?
a couple of minutes
What kind of gas must be used for serving draft beer? What should not be used? Are their any exceptions?
CO2 or CO2-Nitrogen mix. NEVER use compressed air. The only exception to this are single-use kegs with an internal bag holding the beer.
How long does beer served via a Party Pump last in terms of flavor stability? Why?
Less than 1 day due to oxygen being put in contact with the beer
