Introduction to Beer and Styles

Question 1

What is beer?

Answer 1

An alcoholic beverage made from fermenting sugars derived from malted grains, and is typically flavored with hops.

Question 2

What do you need to make alcohol?

Answer 2

A source of sugars, which is then converted into a sugary liquid to which yeast is added. The yeast will consume the sugars and produce alcohol.

Question 3

What does yeast create during fermentation, aside from alcohol?

Answer 3

• Carbon Dioxide gas (CO₂)
• aromas

Question 4

What are the four main ingredients in beer?

Answer 4

1. malt (malted grains)
2. water
3. hops
4. yeast

Question 5

In what form are sugars for fermentation found in grains?

Answer 5

In the form of starch.

Question 6

What is the process used to make grains suitable for brewing?

Answer 6

Malting

Question 7

What are malted grains typically referred to as?

Answer 7

Malt

Question 8

What does malt provide to the finished beer?

Answer 8

• Color
• Aroma
• Flavor

Question 9

What is the most commonly used grain for brewing beer?

Answer 9

Barley

Malted barley is generally referred to simply as “malt”.

Question 10

Generally speaking, what is wort composed of?

Answer 10

• water
• malt-derived sugars

Wort is a sugary liquid and serves as the medium to which yeast can be added for fermentation.

Question 11

What is the main source of the bitterness in beer?

Answer 11

Hop cones

Question 12

What can hops contribute to beer aside from bitterness?

Answer 12

• A wide range of aromas.
• As well as some antibacterial properties.

The antibacterial properties help to keep beer stable and from spoiling.

Question 13

In the most basic terms, what is yeast?

Answer 13

A microorganism.

Yeast carry out fermentation, giving beer aromas and carbonation.

Question 14

What is the process of breaking the grains down into smaller particles to create a grist?

Answer 14

Milling

Question 15

What is the grist made of?

Answer 15

• Small flour-like particles.
• As well as slightly larger particles.

Question 16

In a grist, where do the smaller particles primarily come from?

Answer 16

The inside of the grain.

Question 17

In a grist, where do the larger particles mostly come from?

Answer 17

The grains’ hard outer part.

Question 18

When does mashing begin?

Answer 18

When the grist is mixed with hot water, it creates a mixture called the mash.

Question 19

What happens during mashing?

Answer 19

Starch from the malt is converted to sugar.

Question 20

When can mash separation take place?

Answer 20

Once the process of starch conversion is complete.

Question 21

What is the goal of the mash separation?

Answer 21

To draw off the newly created sugary liquid (wort) from the remaining grain particles.

Question 22

What does boiling the wort achieve?

Answer 22

It kills microorganisms, helping to keep the wort from spoiling.

Question 23

When do the main hop additions take place?

Answer 23

During the boil.

Question 24

What do the hops added toward the start of the boil contribute to the final beer?

Answer 24

They contribute bitterness to the wort.

Question 25

What do the hops added toward the **end** of the boil contribute to the final beer?

Answer 25

They contribute more **aromas**.

Question 26

What does **clarification** do to the wort?

Answer 26

Clears excess **hop** and **protein material**.

Question 27

Why does the wort need to be **cooled**?

Answer 27

In order to get to a suitable **fermentation temperature**.

Question 28

When is **yeast** **added** to the wort?

Answer 28

After it has been **cooled** properly.

Question 29

What does yeast **create** during fementation?

Answer 29

* Alcohol * Aromas * Carbon dioxide * Heat

Question 30

When does fermentation **end**?

Answer 30

When the yeast has consumed **most of the sugar** in the wort.

Question 31

What is **Green beer**?

Answer 31

Freshly fermented beer that is **cloudy** and contains **undesirable aromas** created by the yeast during fermentation.

Question 32

What happens to Green beer during **maturation**?

Answer 32

It is kept in a vessel to **stabilise** and remove **undesirable aromas**.

Question 33

How **long** does **stabilization** of the Green beer take place?

Answer 33

Anywhere from a **few days** to a **few months**, and in some rare cases a few years.

Question 34

Where or how does beer get its **bubbles** and what is it composed of?

Answer 34

The bubbles come from **carbon dioxide** that has dissolved into the liquid, which was created during fermentation or added afterwards.

Question 35

# True or False. All beer has the same level of carbonization.

Answer 35

False ## Footnote Beer styles will have **varying** levels of carbon dioxide and carbonization.

Question 36

How does carbon dioxide **feel** on the palate?

Answer 36

It gives beer a **prickly** or **tingly** sensation on the palate and helps balance sweetness and body, resulting in a more **balanced** and **drinkable** beer.

Question 37

What **options** do brewers have for **adding** carbonation to their beers?

Answer 37

1. **Retain** and **recover** carbon dioxide created during fermentation. 2. **Purchase** carbon dioxide.

Question 38

# True or False. All beers are **filtered**.

Answer 38

False ## Footnote Some beers are left intentionally hazy, while others are filtered for stabilization and clarity. Very fine filters are used after maturation to remove tiny particles.

Question 39

What can **pasteurization** do to beer?

Answer 39

It is an **optional** step that can preserve **shelf life** of a beer.

Question 40

What is **trub**?

Answer 40

The **excess** **hop** and **protein** material taken out during clarification.

Question 41

What are the **three beer types** that WSET **categorizes** beer into?

Answer 41

1. Ales 2. Lagers 3. Mixed fermentation

Question 42

Scientific name for **ale** yeast strains.

Answer 42

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Question 43

Scientific name for **lager** yeast strains.

Answer 43

Saccharomyces pastorianus

Question 44

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Answer 44

**Ale** yeast strains

Question 45

Saccharomyces pastorianus

Answer 45

**Lager** yeast strains

Question 46

What are **mixed fermentation** beers brewed with for fermentation?

Answer 46

A combination of different types of **yeast and bacteria**. ## Footnote The time of fermentation may vary greatly depending on the style.

Question 47

What is the definition of a beer **style**?

Answer 47

Essentially it is a **set of characteristics** that are achieved with a particular combination of **ingredients** and brewing **techniques**.

Question 48

What are some **historical influences** on beer styles?

Answer 48

* local ingredients * water composition * technology * palates * legistlation ## Footnote Brewers would make the beer they could with what was available to them.

Question 49

What is the **BJCP**?

Answer 49

Beer Judge Certification Program ## Footnote Founded in 1985, in the USA, this is the best known program for establishing beer style definitions.