Beer brewing
Reinheitsgebot
"Purity Law" originating in Bavaria in 1516 and now applied to all German brewers making beer for consumption in their own country. It requires that only malted grains, hops, yeast and water may be used in the brewing.
EXPORT
(Lager) See Dortmunder.
HELLES
(Lager) See Munchner.
MARZENBIER
(Lager) See Oktoberfest.
CALIFORNIA COMMON BEER
(Lager) See Steam Beer
GRAINS
(Such as rice, corn, maize, or wheat) used in addition to malted barley to make a beer. They tend to lighten the flavor of a beer and produce alcohol.
Mash
(Verb) To release malt sugars by soaking the grains in water. (Noun) The resultant mixture.
Bottling Bucket
A 6-gallon food-grade plastic pail with attached spigot and fill-tube. Racking into the bottling bucket allows clearer beer with less sediment in the bottle allowing greater control of the fill level and no hassles with a siphon during bottling.
Hefe
A German word meaning "yeast". Used mostly in conjunction with wheat (weiss) beers to denote that the beer is bottled or kegged with the yeast in suspension (hefe-weiss). These beers are cloudy, frothy and, very refreshing.
WEISSE
A beer made with approximately one-quarter wheat malts and usually served cold with either woodruff or raspberry.
WEIZENBIER
A beer made with approximately one-third wheat malts and usually served cold with lemon.
BOTTLE OF BEER
A bottle of beer equals twelve ounces.
MUENCHENER
A bottom fermented style of beer produced in the mid 19th century in the Bavarian city of Munich. The original Muenchener was dark. In 1928, the Paulaner Brewery introduced a paler version, called Helles that has almost entirely overtaken the darker brew.
Regional specialty brewery
A brewery that produces more than 15,000 barrels of beer annually, with its largest selling product a specialty beer.
Barley
A cereal grain that is malted for use in the grist that becomes the mash in the brewing of beer.
Cask
A closed, barrel-shaped container for beer. They come in various sizes and are now usually made of metal. The bung in a cask of "Real" beer or ale must be made of wood to allow the pressure to be relived, as the fermentation of the beer, in the cask, continues.
Caramel
A cooked sugar that is used to add color and alcohol content to beer. It is often used in place of more expensive malted barley.
WORT RECEIVER
A cooling vessel into which the wort is poured after straining the hops.
Hand Pump
A device for dispensing draft beer using a pump operated by hand. The use of a hand pump allows the cask-conditioned beer to be served without the use of pressurized carbon dioxide.
Astringent
A drying, puckering taste; tannic; can be derived from boiling the grains, long mashes, over sparging or sparging with hard water.
HARD CIDER
A fermented beverage made from apples.
Hard Cider
A fermented beverage made from apples.
CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)
A gas consisting of one part carbon and two parts oxygen released during fermentation.
PILSENER
A general name for pale, golden hued, highly hopped, bottom fermented beers. The original Pilsener was first brewed at the Bürgerlisches Brauhaus in the Bohemian town of Plzen (meaning green meadow) in 1842.
Bacterial
A general term covering off-flavors such as moldy, musty, woody, lactic acid, vinegar, or microbiological spoilage.
AMBER ALE
A general term used to describe copper colored ales or lagers, which are more full bodied than golden lagers, often with a medium maltiness and strong hoppy bitterness. (See Vienna)
Malt Liquor
A legal term used in the U.S. to designate a fermented beverage of relatively high alcohol content (7%-8% by volume).
Specific gravity
A measure of the density of a liquid or solid compared to that of water ((1.000 at 39�F (4�C)).
Original gravity
A measurement of the density of fermentable sugars in a mixture of malt and water with which a brewer begins a given batch.
Heat Exchanger
A mechanical device used to rapidly reduce the temperature of the wort.
Yeast
A micro-organism of the fungus family. Genus Saccharomyces.
Chlorophenolic
A plasticlike aroma; caused by chemical combination of chlorine and organic compounds.
All-malt
A relatively new term in America. "All malt" refers to a beer made exclusively with barley malt and without adjuncts.
KRAEUSENING
A secondary fermentation whereby young fermenting wort (approx. 15 18 percent) is added to a fully fermented lager to accomplish a natural infusion of carbon dioxide.
Mouthfeel
A sensation derived from the consistency or viscosity of a beer, described, for example as thin or full.
KRAUSEN WORT
A small quantity of sweet unfermented wort added to finished beer. This wort ferments to produce natural carbonation.
GRANT
A small vessel between the straining tank (tun) and the brew kettle from which the runoff of the wort is controlled and sampled.
Hippocras
A spiced pyment Honey wine made with any herbs and grapes
TOP FERMENTING YEAST (ALE YEAST)
A style of yeast that works at cellar or warm temperatures and floats to the top of the beer. Ale yeasts are responsible for the creation of most beers other than lagers. However, this style of brewing is practiced mostly in England.
Caramel malt
A sweet, coppery-colored malt. Caramel or crystal malt imparts both color and flavor to beer. Caramel malt has a high concentration of unfermentable sugars that sweeten the beer and, contribute to head retention.
YARD GLASS
A tall glass (traditionally 3 feet) that was originally produced in England back in the days when travel by horse drawn coach was common.
Mash Tun
A tank where grist is soaked in water and heated in order to convert the starch to sugar and extract the sugars and other solubles from the grist.
HYDROMETER
A thermometer like device used to measure the specific gravity to determine the proportion of potential alcohol in the beer.
Barrel
A unit of measurement used by brewers in some countries. In Britain, a barrel holds 36 imperial gallons (1 imperial gallon = 4.5 liters), or 1.63 hectoliters. In the United States, a barrel holds 31.5 US gallons (1 US gallon = 3.8 liters), or 1.17 hectoliters.
TWO ROW BARLEY
A variety of barley on which only the central spikelet is fertile, forming two rows of grains each. It is the variety most appreciated for brewing because its kernels are better developed, and the husk is thinner; however, it is generally lower in enzyme.
Conditioning Tank
A vessel in which beer is placed after primary fermentation where the beer matures, clarifies and, is naturally carbonated through secondary fermentation. Also called bright beer tank, serving tank and, secondary tank.
Diacetyl
A volatile compound in beer that contributes to a butterscotch flavor, measured in parts per million.
MALTOSE
A water soluble, fermentable sugar contained in malt.
Maltose
A water soluble, fermentable sugar contained in malt.
BALLING
Actual degrees of Balling (°B). Degrees Balling may be determined by a hydrometer or "Balling spindle," which floats in the liquid to a level corresponding to sugar content, or by a refract meter, where a beam of light is deflected in direct proportion
PITCHING
Adding yeast to the wort in the fermentation tank.
Airlock
Airlocks prevent airborne contamination during fermentation.
ABW
Alcohol by weight
Alcohol by weight
Alcohol by weight, given in percentages.
SPECIALTY ALE
Ale brewed by fermenting beer with unusual ingredients such as pumpkin, chiles, various herbs and spices, etc.
A.A.U
Alpha Acid Units. The measurement, in percentage of alpha acid, of the potential bitterness in hops.
Fining
An aid to clarification: a substance that attracts particles that would otherwise remain suspended in the brew.
Pub
An establishment that serves beer and sometimes other alcoholic beverages for consumption on premise. The term originated in England and is the shortened form of "public house".
Anaerobic
An organism, such as a bottom-fermenting lager yeast, that is able to metabolize without oxygen present.
Aerobic
An organism, such as top fermenting ale yeast, that needs oxygen to metabolize.
Tun
Any large vessels used in brewing. In America, "tub" is often preferred.
Amber
Any top or bottom fermented beer having an amber color, that is, between pale and dark.
Cabbagelike
Aroma and taste of cooked vegetables; often a result of wort spoilage bacteria killed by alcohol in fermentation.
Hoppy
Aroma of hops, does not include hop bitterness.
Estery
Aroma or flavor reminiscent of flowers or fruits.
Siphon/Hose
Available in several configurations, consisting of clear plastic tubing with optional Racking Cane and Bottle Filler.
MALT
Barley that has been steeped in water to produce sprouting, then kiln dried.
SEASONAL
Beer brewed and sold only at a particular time of year
LIGHT BEER
Beer brewed to have fewer calories and a lighter body. Alcohol, with 7.1 calories per gram, is the major calorie contributor in beer, so brewers add water to reduce alcohol content or use a special enzyme to change the unfermentable dextrins into ferment
Contract Beer
Beer made by one brewery and then marketed by a company calling itself a brewery. The latter uses the brewing facilities of the former.
Chill proof
Beer treated to allow it to withstand cold temperatures without clouding.
Ale
Beers distinguished by use of top fermenting yeast strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The top fermenting yeast perform at warmer temperatures than do yeast's used to brew lager beer, and their byproducts are more evident in taste and aroma. Fruitiness and esters are often part of an ale's character.
Lager
Beers produced with bottom fermenting yeast strains, Saccharomyces uvarum (or carlsbergensis) at colder fermentation temperatures than ales. This cooler environment inhibits the natural production of esters and other byproducts, creating a crisper tasting product.
Bitter
Bitterness of hops or malt husks; sensation on back of tongue.
Bottle Caps
Both standard caps and oxygen-absorbing caps are available.
Squares
Brewers' term for a square fermenting vessel.
Grist
Brewers' term for milled grains, or the combination of milled grains to be used in a particular brew. Derives from the verb to grind. Also sometimes applied to hops.
PALE ALE
Brisk, subtly spicy, hoppy, refreshing ale.
Hogshead
Cask holding 54 imperial gallons ( 243 liters ).
Enzymes
Catalysts that are found naturally in the grain. When heated in mash, they convert the starches of the malted barley into maltose, a sugar used in solution and fermented to make beer.
Medicinal
Chemical or phenolic character; can be the result of wild yeast, contact with plastic, or sanitizer residue.
AMERICAN LAGER
Clean, light, mild tasting lager.
Chill haze
Cloudiness caused by precipitation of protein-tannin compound at low temperatures, does not affect flavor.
BOCK
Complex lager (either light or dark); strong, malty and a little sweet some people taste caramel or chocolate undertones. Originated in Einbeck, Germany, where "bock" means "goat", perhaps referring to the beer's kick.
PORTER
Complex, dark, strongly flavored ale, which takes its name from the dockhands it, was originally brewed for. Similar to stout but without the bitterness.
Fermentation
Conversion of sugars into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide, through the action of yeast.
SWEET STOUT
Dark, thick, soft, sweet ale with hints of chocolate and coffee.
Shelf life
Describes the number of days a beer will retain it's peak drinkability. The shelf life for commercially produced beers is usually a maximum of four months.
FRAMBOISE
Dry, almost carbonated ale with raspberry taste and aroma. (See Lambic)
LAMBIC
Dry, tart ale made with unmalted wheat and malted barley; usually has a sweet fruit flavoring such as cranberry, cherry (kriek) or raspberry (framboise). Traditionally fermented with wild airbourne yeast in Belgium's Senne Valley.
Additive
ENZYMES, PRESERVATIVES AND ANTI OXIDENTS WHICH ARE ADDED TO SIMPLIFY BREWING OR EXTEND SHELF LIFE
Bottle Capper
Either Hand Capper or Bench Capper.
EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER (ESB)
English style ale well-balanced hoppiness and sweet maltiness.
AMYLASE
Enzymes that liquefy starches and convert them to maltose (sugar) and dextrins.
ESTERS
Esters are organic compounds that result from the interaction of acids and alcohol. The presence of esters can cause the fruity flavors and aromas, such as banana, blueberry, and pear that intentionally or unintentionally occur in some beers.
Alcohol
Ethyl alcohol or ethanol. An intoxicating by-product of fermentation, which is caused by yeast acting on sugars in the malt. Alcohol content is expressed as a percentage of volume or weight.
EBC
European Brewing Convention. An EBC scale is used to indicate colors in malts and beers.
Decoction
Exhaustive system of mashing in which portions of the wort are removed, heated, then returned to the original vessel.
Plato, degrees
Expresses the specific gravity as the weight of extract in a 100 gram solution at 64�F (17.5�C). Refinement of the Balling scale.
Attenuation
Extent to which yeast consumes fermentable sugars (converting them into alcohol and carbon dioxide).
Fahrenheit (degrees)
F = ((Cx9)/( 5) + 32.
Fruity/Estery
Flavor and aroma of bananas, strawberries, apples, or other fruit; from high temperature fermentation and certain yeast strains.
Phenolic
Flavor and aroma of medicine, plastic, Band-Aids, smoke, or cloves; caused by wild yeast or bacteria, or sanitizer residue.
Salty
Flavor like table salt; experienced on the side of the tongue.
HEAD
Foam that forms on top of the beer when it is poured. Head tends to indicate the degree of carbonation, hops, and malt in the beer.
Stirring Paddle
Food grade plastic paddle (spoon) for stirring the wort during boiling.
KOLSCH
French (from Cologne) ale, similar to altbier, but pale and slightly fruitier.
Lagering
From the German word for storage. Refers to maturation for several weeks or months at cold temperatures (close to 0�C /32�F) to settle residual yeast, impart carbonation and make for clean round flavors.
TEMPORARY HARDNESS
Hardness in water that can be removed by boiling.
PASTEURIZATION
Heating of beer to 60 79(°C/140 174°F to stabilize it microbiologically. Flash pasteurization is applied very briefly, for 15 60 seconds by heating the beer as it passes through the pipe.
Pasteurization
Heating of beer to 60-79(�C/140-174�F to stabilize it microbiologically. Flash-pasteurization is applied very briefly, for 15-60 seconds by heating the beer as it passes through the pipe. Alternately, the bottled beer can be passed on a conveyor belt through a heated tunnel. This more gradual process takes at least 20 minutes and sometimes much longer.
IMPERIAL STOUT
Heavy, complex ale; slightly sweet with hints of coffee and chocolate. Its bitterness comes from roasted barley.
Hops
Herb added to boiling wort or fermenting beer to impart a bitter aroma and flavor.
STEAM BEER
Highly hopped, foamy lager popularized during the California Gold Rush. The name comes, depending on whom you ask, either from the hissing pressure wooden casks of the stuff made when tapped or from the steam power used in the early breweries.
Traditional
Honey water yeast
Bracket
Honey wine and ale combined
Rhodomel
Honey wine and attar (distilled rose petals)
Braggot
Honey wine made with Malt
Metheglin
Honey wine made with any herbs or spices
Melomel or Mulsum
Honey wine made with any vegetable or fruit excluding apples or grapes
Cyser
Honey wine made with apples or apple juice
Pyment
Honey wine made with grapes
Oxymel
Honey wine vinegar combined
Capsicumel
Honey wine with Chile pepper
Morat
Honey wine with mulberries
Omphacomel
Honey wine with verjuice (juice from unripe grapes)
MILLING
In brewing, the malt is ground into grist (or meal) to facilitate the extraction of sugars and other soluble substances during the mashing process. The endosperm must be crushed to medium sized grits rather than to flour consistency.
IBU
International Bitterness units. A system of indicating the hop bitterness in finished beer.
DRY BEER
Invented by the Japanese, dry beer has less aftertaste due to more complete fermentation.
ICE BEER
It sounds like a stereotype, but the Canadians really invented ice beer. Ice beer is frozen slightly during the brewing process and the ice crystals removed, in hopes that the flavor and alcohol content will be more concentrated.
THE DOUBLE
Jacketed, stainless steel vessel in which mashing occurs.
MUNCHNER
Lager also known as "helles", or "pale" lager. Malty, sweet and dark, despite its name. Originated in Munich, Germany.
RAUCHBIER
Lager brewed with malt, which has been smoked over a beechwood fire ("rauch" means "smoke" in German), giving it a strong smoky aroma and flavor. Similar to oktoberfest, but smoother and heavier.
MAIBOCK
Lager traditionally brewed to celebrate the month of May. (See Bock)
DOUBLE BOCK (DOPPELBOCK)
Lager with twice the alcohol of regular bocks and an intense, malty sweetness and dry finish. Doppelbock was originally brewed by monks for Lent and, like regular bock, is still served to celebrate spring's arrival.
CREAM ALE
Light colored, mild ale, lagered at cold temps or combined w/lager.
WHEAT BEER
Light, bubbly, spicy ale brewed with malted wheat rather than barley for a fruity flavor. Also known as weisse (white) or weizen
Hang
Lingering bitterness or harshness.
CONTRACT BREWING
Making beer for smaller companies that either do not have a brewery of their own or lack the capacity to meet demand.
MALT LIQUOR
Malt liquors are technically lagers, but the beer is fermented more thoroughly to convert more of the extract to alcohol, producing a strong, smooth, pale beer.
ISINGLASS
Material made from fish bladders used to clarify beer.
Mead
Meads are produced by the fermentation of honey, water, yeast and optional ingredients such as fruit, herbs, and/or spices. According to final gravity, they are categorized as: dry (0.996 to 1009); medium (1010 to 1019); or sweet (1020 or higher). Wine, champagne, sherry, mead, ale or lager yeasts may be used.
STANDARD REFERENCE METHOD (SRM)
Measure of the color of beer
DEGREES LOVIBOND (°L)
Measure of the color of the malt.
Musty
Moldy, mildewy character; can be the result of cork or bacterial infection.
Boiling Pot
Must be able to comfortably hold a minimum of 3 gallons; bigger is better. Use Stainless Steel or Ceramic- coated (enameled) Steel.
Beer
Name given alcohol-containing beverages produced by fermenting grain, specifically malt, and flavored with hops.
Bottle Brush
Necessary for initial thorough cleaning of used beer bottles.
PROTEINS
Nitrogen containing compounds, an excess of which cause a haze in beer.
Varietal
No adjunct ingredients made with a varietal honey
PRIMARY FERMENTATION
Occurring after pitching the yeast and during the first three days on the average, fermentation converts sugars to alcohol and carbonation.
HOPS
One of the four principal ingredients of beer, hops are flower cones added to beer as a bittering agent, a preservative, and an aromatic.
BOTTOM FERMENTATION
One of the two basic methods of fermentation for beer, characterized by the fact that dormant yeast cells sink to the bottom during fermentation. Beers brewed in this fashion are commonly called lagers or bottom fermented beers.
Bottom-fermenting yeast
One of the two types of yeast used in brewing. Bottom-fermenting yeast works well at low temperatures and ferments more sugars leaving a crisp, clean taste and then settles to the bottom of the tank. Also referred to as "lager yeast".
Top-fermenting yeast
One of the two types of yeast used in brewing. Top-fermenting yeast works better at warmer temperatures and are able to tolerate higher alcohol concentrations than bottom-fermenting yeast. It is unable to ferment some sugars, and results in a fruitier, sweeter beer. Also known as "ale yeast".
Keg
One-half barrel, or 15.5 U. S. gallons. A half keg or, 7.75 U. S. gallons, is referred to as a pony-keg.
DORTMUNDER
Pale lager originally from Dortmund, Germany. More body and less hoppiness than a pilsner, with slightly fruity, lightly carbonated edge. Also known as Export beer.
BLACK PATENT MALT
Partially malted barley roasted at high temperatures. Black malt gives a dark color and roasted flavor to beer.
Black malt
Partially malted barley roasted at high temperatures. Black malt gives a dark color and roasted flavor to beer.
Conditioning
Period of maturation intended to impart "condition" (natural carbonation). Warm conditioning further develops the complex of flavors. Cold conditioning imparts a clean, round taste.
TRUB
Proteins in barley filtered during the wort boil.
Brewpub
Pub that makes its own beer and sells at least 50% of it on premises. Also known in Britain as a home-brew house and in Germany as a house brewery.
VIENNA
Reddish, somewhat fruity lager introduced in the 1800s as Vienna's answer to pilsner. Grandfather of amber ale.
Solventlike
Reminiscent of acetone or lacquer thinner; caused by high fermentation temperatures.
Sulfurlike
Reminiscent of rotten eggs or burnt matches; a by-product of some yeast's.
Vinous
Reminiscent of wine.
SCOTCH ALE
Rich, malty ale, full bodied (almost chewy) and faintly sweet.
Bottle Filler
Rigid plastic (or metal).
Racking Cane
Rigid plastic tube.
SPARGING
Rinsing the mashed grains to ensure complete extraction of the sugars from the mash.
Bochet
Sack mead that has been burnt or charred
Balling Degrees
Scale indicating density of sugars in wort. Devised by C J N Balling.
IRISH MOSS
Seaweed that is added to boiling wort to filter proteins.
Bottle-conditioning
Secondary fermentation and maturation in the bottle, creating complex aromas and flavors.
Cask-conditioning
Secondary fermentation and maturation in the cask at the point of sale. Creates light carbonation.
Saccharomyces carlsbergensis
See Bottom-fermenting yeast.
Saccharomyces uvarum
See Bottom-fermenting yeast.
Units of bitterness
See IBU.
GERMAN PURITY LAW
See Reinheitsgebot.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
See Top-fermenting yeast.
Copper
See brew kettle.
Bright Beer Tank
See conditioning tank.
Butterscotch
See diacetyl.
Wort Chiller
See heat exchanger.
Lauter Tun
See mash tun.
Gravity
See specific gravity.
HOPS CONE
Shaped flowers that grow on climbing vines, used to flavor beer. Hops added early in the brewing process impart a dry, bitter flavor to the beer; added later, they add an herbal spiciness. There are dozens of varieties of hops.
Winy
Sherrylike flavor; can be caused by warm fermentation or oxidation in very old beer.
Hop back
Sieve-like vessel used to strain out the petals of the hop flowers. Known as a hop jack in the United States.
BROWN ALE
Similar to pale ale, but (surprise) darker and sweeter, with a malty flavor and a "pleasing nuttiness"
Infusion
Simplest form of mash, in which grains are soaked in water. May be at a single temperature, or with upward or (occasionally) downward changes.
Light-Struck
Skunklike smell; from exposure to light.
Microbrewery
Small brewery generally producing less than 15,000 barrels per year. Sales primarily off premises.
WHITE BEER (WITBIER)
Smooth, cloudy Belgian ale brewed with unmalted wheat. Some people taste spicy/fruity overtones like orange and coriander.
OKTOBERFEST
Smooth, drinkable lager with slight malty sweetness. Before the days of refrigeration, oktoberfests were brewed with high alcohol content so they could be preserved in caves from March (hence its other name, Marzenbier) till fall.
Carbonation
Sparkle caused by carbon dioxide, either created during fermentation or injected later.
Final specific gravity
Specific gravity of a beer when fermentation is complete (that is, all fermentable sugars have been fermented).
Clovelike
Spicy character reminiscent of cloves; characteristic of some wheat beers, or if excessive, may derive from wild yeast.
INDIA PALE ALE (IPA)
Spicy, highly hopped beer brewed for export from England to the British colonies in India in the 1700s; its high alcohol content helped it survive the long sea voyage from England to Calcutta, and no doubt helped keep British soldiers happy in the heat.
Secondary fermentation
Stage of fermentation occurring in a closed container from several weeks to several months.
Oxidized
Stale flavor of wet cardboard, paper, rotten pineapple, or sherry, as a result of oxygen as the beer ages or is exposed to high temperatures.
TRAPPIST ALE
Strong, fruity, yeasty ale brewed by Trappist monks since the Middle Ages. Only beer brewed at a Trappist monastery can bill itself as "Trappist Ale".
BELGIAN ALE
Strong, lighter colored but potent ale. Some people claim they detect "pear notes".
BARLEY WINE
Strong, malty, slightly spicy ale reminiscent of brandy or strong wine. Like wine (and unlike other beers), barley wine improves
HOLIDAY ALE
Strong, often spicy seasonal ale produced by brewers for the winter holidays. Character and ingredients often vary from year to year and definitely from brewery to brewery.
PRIMING SUGAR
Sugar added to the bottle or keg that ferments and provides CO2.
Terminal gravity
Synonym for final specific gravity.
DMS
Taste and aroma of sweet corn; results from malt, as a result of the short or weak boil of the wort, slow wort chilling, or bacterial infection. -- Dimethyl sulfide, a sulfur compound.
SWEET
Taste like sugar; experienced on the front of the tongue.
Sweet
Taste like sugar; experienced on the front of the tongue.
Tart
Taste sensation cause by acidic flavors.
PALATE
Taste. Influenced by the grains, hops, water, yeast, and adjuncts used in production.
Grainy
Tastes like cereal or raw grain.
Metallic
Tastes tinny, bloodlike or coinlike; may come from bottle caps.
REGIONAL BREWERY
Technically, a brewer, which produces more than 25,000 barrels per year but not as much as the "macro" breweries.
BOUQUET
That portion of the odor caused by fermentation.
Fermenter(s)
The 6-gallon food-grade plastic pail or Glass carboys are also available, in 5, 6, and 7.5-gallon sizes.
CAMRA
The CAMpaign for Real Ale. An organization in England that was founded in 1971 to preserve the production of cask-conditioned beers and ales.
KRÄUSENING
The addition of a small proportion of partly fermented wort to a brew during lagering. Stimulates secondary fermentation and imparts a crisp, spritzy character.
Kr�usening
The addition of a small proportion of partly fermented wort to a brew during lagering. Stimulates secondary fermentation and imparts a crisp, spritzy character.
Dry-hopping
The addition of dry hops to fermenting or aging beer to increase its hop character or aroma.
Priming
The addition of sugar at the maturation stage to promote a secondary fermentation.
Dosage
The addition of yeast and/or sugar to the cask or bottle to aid secondary fermentation.
HOPPING RATE
The amount of hops added to a specified volume of wort. Often referred to in BUs (bittering units).
Length
The amount of wort brewed each time the brew house is in operation.
TOP FERMENTATION
The ancient method of brewing, where yeast ferments at room temperature and floats to the top of the beer. Top fermenting produces ales, which tend to be malty, complex, and sometimes a little fruity. (See also Bottom Fermentation)
Liquor
The brewer's word for water used in the brewing process, as included in the mash or, used to sparge the grains after mashing.
Brewhouse
The collective equipment used to make beer.
HIGH (HEAVY) GRAVITY
The common practice of brewing and fermenting a concentrated brew house wort and adjusting this beer to its final "gravity" or composition at the end of the process. High gravity brewing permits better utilization of equipment and can increase the capacity.
MALT EXTRACT
The condensed wort from a mash, consisting of maltose, dextrin's and, other dissolved solids. Either as a syrup or powdered sugar, brewers, in solutions of water and extract, to reconstitute wort for fermentation, use it.
Malt Extract
The condensed wort from a mash, consisting of maltose, dextrins and, other dissolved solids. Either as a syrup or powdered sugar, it is used by brewers, in solutions of water and extract, to reconstitute wort for fermentation.
BALANCE
The feature of a beer concerned with the balance of various flavors and sensations.
FIRST WORT
The first running of wort to be filtered in the straining vessel. It is richer in extract than subsequent running
BATCH FERMENTATION
The most common, traditional method of fermentation used to produce alcohol beverages, where each batch is fermented
SANITIZATION
The never ending process of cleaning brewing equipment
Publican
The owner or manager of a pub.
AROMA
The particular combination of smells from malt, hops, yeast, and any unusual or distinctive disturbances in the beer
FILTRATION
The passage of a liquid through a permeable or porous substance to remove solid matter in suspension.
Bitterness
The perception of a bitter flavor, in beer from iso-alpha-acid in solution (derived from hops). It is measured in International Bitterness Units (IBU).
Malt (ing)
The process by which barley is steeped in water, germinated ,then kilned to convert insoluble starch to soluble substances and sugar. The foundation ingredient of beer.
MALT (ING)
The process by which barley is steeped in water, germinated, and then kilned to convert insoluble starch to soluble substances and sugar. The foundation ingredient of beer.
Draft (Draught)
The process of dispensing beer from a bright tank, cask or, keg, by hand pump, pressure from an air pump or, injected carbon dioxide inserted into the beer container prior to sealing.
FILTERING
The process of passing beer through a porous substance to clarify it. This process occurs after fermentation.
RACKING
The process of separating the fermented beer from the yeast cells at the bottom of the fermenting vessel. Also the transfer of finished beer to kegs. Broadly, moving beer from one vessel to another.
Filter
The removal of designated impurities by passing the wort through a medium, sometimes made of diatomaceous earth ( made up of the microscopic skeletal remains of marine animals). Yeast in suspension is often targeted for removal.
ZYMURGY
The science / art of yeast fermentation. Also, the last word in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
Wort
The solution of grain sugars strained from the mash tun. At this stage, regarded as "sweet wort", later as brewed wort, fermenting wort and finally beer.
Bung
The stopper in the hole in a keg or cask through which the keg or cask is filled and emptied. The hole may also be referred to as a bung or bunghole. Real beer must use a wooden bung.
TRIPEL
The strongest of Trappist Ales. (See above)
BEER STYLES
The three major beer styles are lagers, ales, and specialty beers. Specialty beers are brewed with various non-standard ingredients.
Dextrin
The unfermentable carbohydrate produced by the enzymes in barley. It gives the beer flavor, body, and mouthfeel. Lower temperatures produce more dextrin and less sugar. While higher temperatures produce more sugars and less dextrin.
Brew Kettle
The vessel in which wort from the mash is boiled with hops. Also called a copper.
Body
Thickness and mouth-filling property of a beer described as "full or thin bodied".
OATMEAL STOUT
This ale is a variation of sweet stout, with oatmeal added for a smooth texture and warm flavor.
STOUT
This ale is just what its name sounds like dark, sturdy, and strong. See also dry stout, oatmeal stout and sweet stout.
KRIEK
This ale wins points for being fun to ask for in a bar. Made with cherries (kreik) and unmalted wheat for a tart, fresh, fruity flavor.
Pitch
To add yeast to wort.
Lauter
To run the wort from the mash tun. From the German word to clarify. A lauter tun is a separate vessel to do this job. It uses a system of sharp rakes to achieve a very intensive extraction of malt sugars.
Sparge
To spray grist with hot water in order to remove soluble sugars (maltose). This takes place at the end of the mash.
PASTEURIZE
To subject packaged beer to a temperature of 142° 145° Fahrenheit for a specified time to destroy enzymes, yeast, and other bacteria.
HEFEWEIZEN
Traditional German ale; in German, "hefe" means "yeast" and "weizen" means "wheat". (See Wheat Beer)
Thermometer
Use a thermometer that can be safely immersed in the wort and has a range of at least 40F to 190F.
Aroma Hops
Varieties of hop chosen to impart bouquet.
Sack
Very sweet honey wine
Sour/Acidic
Vinegarlike or lemonlike; can be caused by bacterial infection.
Ester
Volatile flavor compound naturally created in fermentation. Often fruity, flowery or spicy.
Alcoholic
Warming taste of ethanol and higher alcohol's.
Hydromel
Watered down or made weaker French origin
DRY STOUT
With its malty flavor and dry, bitter finish, this ale is similar to porter, but creamier, darker and bitterer.
SEDIMENT
Yeast material at the bottom of the bottle formed as a result of conditioning the beer in the bottle. Not a sign of bad beer.
BREWER'S YEAST
Yeast specifically prepared for brewing beer. Two main types of yeast are used for making beer one ferments at the top of the brew (top fermenting yeast), and the other ferments at the bottom (bottom fermenting yeast).
Yeasty
Yeastlike flavor; a result of yeast in suspension or beer sitting too long on sediment.
Bottles
You will need 48 re-cappable 12 oz bottles. Twist-offs do not re-cap well and can oxidize you brew.
adjunct
fermentable material used as a substitute for traditional grains, to make beer lighter bodied or cheaper
Acetaldehyde
green apple aroma, a byproduct of fermentation
to convert ABW to ABV
multiply ABW by 1,25
Alcohol by volume
volume of alcohol in beer in terms of percentage by volume
