CAPS - Beer - Basics

Question 1

What are the four main ingredients in beer?

Answer 1

1. malted grain (usually barley
2. hops
3. water
4. yeast

Question 2

Difference between hard and soft water, and what they are best for

Answer 2

hard water = more minerals, works well with hops, good for ales
soft water = less minerals, softer body and mouthfeel, good for lager and pilsner

Question 3

What are hops?

Answer 3

Hops = a plant that grows in temperate climates
- contain resins and essential oils that contribute flavour, aroma, dryness and bittnerness to beer
- also act as preservative

Question 4

what alpha acids and beta acids provide

Answer 4

alpha acids = more bitter hops
beta acids = more aromatic

Question 5

What are noble hops vs. modern hops?

Answer 5

nope hops = refer to race of the plant, intentionally cultivated - a group of traditional European hop varieties renowned for their delicate, floral, and spicy aromas, making them ideal for classic lager and Pilsner styles

modern hops = wild hops found in specific city or region - often named after the farmer who discovered them

Question 6

What does IBU stand for and what does it measure?

Answer 6

International Bittering Units - measures bitterness in beer
- calculated from hops alpha acids content

Question 7

common IBU thresholds

Answer 7

0-15 - not noticable
20 - recognition point
30+ - bitter
40+ - quite bitter, proper pilsners, english IPAs etc
60+ - very bitter and floral IPAs
100+ - maximum threshold

Question 8

What is malt? Which malt is most common for beer?

Answer 8

• a cereal grain that is germinated
• barley

Question 9

qualities of cereal grain that make sugars harder to access

Answer 9

• hard husk, lower protein, high starch

Question 10

How and when does yeast come into play in beer making?

Answer 10

• added to malt which creates wort
• converts sugar to alcohol

Question 11

Name the yeast strain responsible for top fermenting

Answer 11

saccharomyces cerevisiae

Question 12

Name the yeast strain responsible for bottom fermenting

Answer 12

saccharomyces pastorianus

Question 13

which style of beer comes from top fermenting? which style comes from bottom fermenting?

Answer 13

top = ale
bottom = lager

Question 14

what determines top vs. bottom fermentation

Answer 14

• temperature
• top ferments at warmer temps - 18-24 C
• bottom ferments at lower temps - 7-13 C

Question 15

names steps in brewing process

Answer 15

1. malting grains
2. milling - creates grist
3. mashing - creates wort
4. brewing - hops are added - adding in beginning = bitterness, adding at end = aroma
5. fermentation
6. maturation
7. filtration and pasteurization
8. packaging