Beer FAQ

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 7th, 2007, 06:09 PM

Welcome to Alcohol Report's Beer FAQ thread. Below you will find information on the many beer styles that exist, instructions on how to enjoy your beer, instructions on how to brew your first batch of beer and the supplies needed to do so, and a brewing glossary of terms. For quick reference see the index below.

Post #2 - BEER STYLES
post #3 - BEER STYLES cntd. (Misc. Styles)
Post #4 - HOW TO ENJOY YOUR BEER
Post #5 - HOW TO GET STARTED HOMEBREWING AND WHAT SUPPLIES YOU NEED
Posts #6-30 - BREWING GLOSSARY OF TERMS (There are no J's)

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 7th, 2007, 06:11 PM

BEER STYLES

AMERICAN LAGERS
American Diet/Lite - Watered-down flavor with all the alcohol. Enzymes are added to break down more sugar into alcohol. Low in body, light beer also has low or no malt taste and is very effervescent. Hop bitterness is below the threshold of taste and no flavor or aroma is detected. No fruitiness, esters or diacetyl. Very pale color.
Commercial examples: Miller Lite, Coors Light, Bud Light
OG: 1.024 - 1.040; Alcohol: 2.5 - 4.5%; IBUs: 5 - 15; SRM: 1 - 4.

American Standard - The standard American, Canadian, Japanese, and Australian beer style. Brewed with 25 to 40% rice, corn and/or wheat. Dry, lightly hopped, light-bodied and highly carbonated. This style has low malt aroma and flavor. Hop bitterness is barely noticeable with very low flavor and aroma. No fruitiness, esters or diacetyl. Pale straw to pale gold.
Commercial examples: Budweiser, Coors, Corona, Fosters.
O.G.: 1.035 - 1.046; Alcohol: 3.5 - 5%; IBUs: 5 - 17; SRM: 2 - 8.

American Premium - The profile for this style is very similar to that of the American standard style, except that there are usually fewer adjuncts or it is all-malt. The body is light, with low malt flavor and aroma. Bitterness is low to medium from American hops, but generally the hops are barely detectable. Low hop flavor and aroma is OK. No fruitiness, esters or diacetyl. Color is very pale to golden.
Commercial examples: Michelob, Coors Herman Josephs.
O.G.: 1.045 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5%; IBUs: 13 - 22; SRM: 2 - 8.

American Dry - Invented in Japan and copied in the U.S.. Special yeast strains are used to break down normally unfermentable sugars into fermentable form. There is very low body and malt, and almost no malt aroma. The most distinguishing marks to this style are its high effervescence, pale color and lack of aftertaste. Low to medium bitterness that does not linger. Low hop aroma and flavor. No fruitiness, esters or diacetyl.
Commercial examples: Michelob Dry, Asahi Dry.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4 - 5.5%; IBUs: 15 - 23; SRM: 2 - 4.

American Dark - Colored versions of American standard or premium with little or no dark malts used. Color can be artificially derived from the addition of caramel syrup. Deep copper to dark brown. Light to medium body. Low bitterness. Low malt aroma and/or flavor is OK. Low hop aroma and/or flavor is OK. Effervescent. No fruitiness or esters. Very low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Henry Weinhards Special Dark Reserve, Michelob Dark.
O.G.:1.040 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4 - 5.5%; IBUs: 14 - 20; SRM: 10 - 20.

American Malt Liquor - Roughly similar to other American lagers but higher in alcohol. The name "malt liquor" is a designation based on the fact that these brews quite often exceed the legal alcohol level defined for beers. Very pale in color, lightly hopped.
Commercial examples: Molson Brador, Colt 45, Carlsberg Elephant.
O.G.:1.048 - 1.064; Alcohol: 5 - 8%; IBUs: 5 - 14; SRM: 1 - 3.

BELGIAN ALES
Belgian Pale Ale - The pale ales of Belgium span a broad spectrum of characteristics. They share the general characteristics of the English pale ales, however, they are more aromatic and s***y in both malt and yeast character. These beers may be called "speciales belges", or just "belges", in the French-speaking regions of Belgium. They are light amber to copper in color. These ales may include candy sugar or other aromatics. They are light to medium in body, with low malt aroma, and low carbonation. Fruity, s***y and soft.
Commercial examples: De Koninck, Op-Ale, Vieux Temps, Horse Ale, Ginder Ale, Palm.
O.G.: 1.047 - 1.070; Alcohol: 4.5 - 8.5%; IBUs: 25 - 35; SRM: 8 - 10.

Flemish Brown Ale - Blend of slight sourness, s***y, dry, richness of brown malts and fruitiness of ale. Sweet-and-sour character. Very complex, with flavors sometimes reminiscent of olives, rasins and s***es. Complex combinations of malts; water high in sodium bicarbonate; long boiling times, creating a hint of caramelization; multistrain yeast pitching, sometimes with a lactic character; and the blending of "young" and "old" beers, make for a truly teasing style. There may be some low diacetyl. There is no hop aroma and low to medium bitterness. Deep copper to brown.
Commercial examples: Liefmans Goudenband, Liefmans Oud Bruin, Felix, Cnudde, Dobbelen Bruinen, Oudenaards, Bruynen, Gouden Carolus.
O.G.: 1.035 - 1.055; Alcohol: 5 - 6.5%; IBUs: 25 - 50; SRM: 10 - 30

Belgian Red Ale - A sharp and sour red beer of light to medium body, it contains up to twenty strains of yeast. The taste is tart with a wide range of fruitiness. The red color comes, in part, from the use of Vienna malt, but also is derived from aging in the brewerys uncoated oak tuns, which also creates the flavors of caramels, tannins and acidity. This is not a hoppy beer. Very refreshing.
Commercial examples: Rodenbach, Ouden Tripel, Petrus, Paulus, Bacchus, Pandoer, Ichtegems Bruin, La Duchesse de Bourgogne, Vlaamse Bourgogne.
O.G.: 1.052 - 1.056; Alcohol: 5.5 - 6%; IBUs: 10 - 25; SRM: 10 - 18

Saison - Brewed in France and Belgium during the spring for the summer. It is often only 50% attenuated (fermented). Hard water may have helped provide the body, mouth-feel and extraction of flavors from the grains. Sometimes a small portion of spelt (a variety of wheat) , or raw oats or raw rice was used. Fruity with a pungent sourness and hop aroma, they are often dry-hopped. Low malt aroma. Distinctively bitter but not assertive. Bottled-conditioned with additional yeast added to the bottle. The profile includes a dense head on a fairly well-carbonated beer with a palate of some tart, citric notes. Light to medium body. Slight acidity and low diacetyl are OK.
Commercial examples: Saison Dupont, Saison Silly, Saison Enghien, Saison Regal, Saison de Pipaix, Saison 1900.
O.G.: 1.048 - 1.080; Alcohol: 5.5 - 7.5%; IBUs: 20 - 40; SRM: 3.5 - 10.

Belgian Strong Golden Ales - References to the devil are often a trademark of these beers. These beers are pale to golden in color. The light color and deceiving body are the result of very pale malt. Full of fruity, hoppy, alcoholic complexity. Top-fermented and cold-conditioned.
Commercial examples: Duvel, Lucifer, Teutenbier, Deugniet, Sloeber, Judas
O.G.: 1.060 - 1.070; Alcohol: 6.5 - 8%; IBUs: 30; SRM: 3 - 5.5.

Belgian Strong Dark Ales - There are many variations of this Belgian style which is characterized by full body and a deep burgundy to brown color. Rich, creamy, and sweet, these ales are malty with low hops. Colored with candy sugar and not so much dark malt.
Commercial examples: Pawel Kwak, Bush, Gouden Carolus.
O.G.: 1.070 - 1.096; Alcohol: 8 - 11%; IBUs: 25 - 35; SRM: 25 - 35.

Biere De Garde - The name means "beer to keep," implying that it was laid down as a provision to be drawn upon during the summer. The style belongs to northern France. Typically made with several malts, this is a strong, top-fermenting, laying-down beer, quite commonly corked not capped. Biere de Garde is full gold to a dark reddish-brown. They have a malt accent and an ale-like fruitiness, often with s***y notes, and are medium to strong in alcohol. It has a malty and fruity aroma. Lager yeast fermenting at higher temperatures is being employed in some examples today.
Commercial examples: 3 Monts, Jenlain, Biere des Sans Culottes, Saint Leonard, Lutece, Pot Flamand, Pastor Ale, Cuvee des Jonquilles, Saison Saint Medard, Cuvee de Noel, Chti Blonde, Chti Brune, Chti Ambree, La Choulette, Brassin Robespierre, Septante 5 ("75"), Vieille Garde (Old Garde), La Bavaisienne, Reserve du Brasseur.
OG:1.060 - 1.076; Alcohol:5.5 - 7.5%; IBUs: 25; SRM: 25 - 40.

BITTERS
Bitter - Usually a draft, it is traditionally cask-conditioned. There are some esters, and it is possible to detect a trace of diacetyl. The styles vary along geographic lines, with the northern type being maltier, stronger, a nd less carbonated, while the southern type is more aggressively hopped and carbonated. Pale ale malts are the principal grist; if crystal is used at all, it is employed with great restraint. The essential ingredient is the hearty smack of hops. Fuggles and Goldings are the classics for the style. Generally available in three strengths.
Commercial examples: Ind Coope Burton Ale, Timothy Taylors Landlord, Shepherd Neames Masterbrew Bitter.

Ordinary Bitter - Medium gold to medium copper-brown. Grain and malt tend to predominate over hop flavor and bitterness (altough there are exceptions) with enough hop aroma to balance and add interest. Light to medium body.
Commercial examples: Brakspear Ordinary Bitter, Youngs Bitter, Fullers Chiswick, Ballard Bitter.
O.G.: 1.035 - 1.038; Alcohol: 3 - 3.5%; IBUs: 20 - 25; SRM: 8 - 12.

Special Bitter - Similar to an ordinary bitter, but stronger and more robust with a more evident malt flavor and hop character.
Commercial examples: Sheffield Best Bitter, Theakstons Best, Fullers London Pride, Tom Sheimos Favourite.
O.G.: 1.038 - 1.042; Alcohol: 3.5 - 4.5%; IBUs: 25 - 30; SRM: 12 - 14.

Extra Special Bitter - A full-bodied, robust copper colored beer with a maltier, more complex flavor than either the ordinary or special bitter.
Commercial examples: Youngs Special, Adnams Extra, Red Hook ESB, Fullers ESB, Mitchells ESB, Theakstons XB, Redhook ESB.
O.G.:1.042 - 1.055; Alcohol:4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 30 - 35; SRM: 12 - 14.

BOCKS
Bock - A very strong lager from Einbeck, Germany. Strong in alcohol with very malty-sweet character. It is the water and the malt that give this style some special characteristics. The bock beer is full bodied with a prevalent malty sweetness that can include some chocolate undertones. It is traditionally dark amber to dark brown and uses just enough "noble-type" hop flavor to balance the malt. Bitterness is low. There is no fruitiness or esters but there may be low to medium diacetyl. No hop aroma. By German law, bocks must be of at least 1.064 gravity.
Commercial examples: Aass Bock, Frankenmuth Bock.
O.G.: 1.064 - 1.074; Alcohol: 6 - 7.5%; IBUs: 20 - 30; SRM: 20 - 35.

Helles Bock or Maibock - These bocks possess the same characteristics of traditional bock except for the chocolate undertaste and they are lighter in color, gold to light amber. Medium to full bodied, it has predominantly malty taste. Hops just balance the bitterness with no aroma.
Commercial examples: Ayinger Mai Bock, Pschorr Marzenbock, Sierra Nevada Pale Bock, Wurzburger Maibock, Hacker-Pschorr Maibock, Einbecker Mai Ur-Bock, Hofbrauhaus Maibock.
O.G.: 1.064 - 1.068; Alcohol: 6%; IBUs: 20 - 35; SRM: 4.5 - 6.

American Bock - Less assertive than European Bocks, this American style originated in Wisconsin and spread throughout the U.S. market. They are almost identical to American dark beers, with just a bit darker color.
Commercial examples: Augsburger Bock, Shiner Bock, Rolling Rock Bock.
O.G.:1.045 - 1.052; Alcohol:4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 18 - 25; SRM: 4.5 - 12.

Dopplebock - Stronger version of bock which must have a gravity of at least 1.072. By tradition, dopplebock names end in "ator". Very full bodied. Can be pale or dark, very sweet or balanced with bitterness. Malty sweetness evident in aroma and flavor can be intense. High alcohol flavor. Some esters and diacetyl can be detectable, but are not very desirable. Low hop flavor from "noble-types" is OK. No hop aroma.
Commercial examples: Paulaners Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, Spaten Optimator, Tucher Bajuvator, Augustiner Maximator, EKU Kulminator, Samichlaus, LF6wenbrE4u Triumphator, Hacker Pschorr Animator.
O.G.:1.072 - 1.120; Alcohol:7.5 - 14%; IBUs:17 - 40; SRM:12 - 35.

Eisbock - The strongest type of bock. Very alcoholic. A doppelbock is chilled till ice is formed. The ice is removed, leaving behind a beer with a higher concentrated amount of alcohol. The beer is very full bodied with increased sweetness and warmth. Color is amber to dark brown. The detectable bitterness is low.
Commercial examples: Kulmbacher Reichelbrau Eisbock Bayrisch Gfrorns, EKU "28".
O.G.:1.092 - 1.116; Alcohol: 10 - 14%; IBUs: 26 - 33; SRM: 10 - 40.

BROWN ALES
Mild Ale - Originating in coal mining areas of England and Wales, this was a low-alcohol beer designed for generous consumption by manual laborers. The style is sweeter and paler than porter, and the body is as malty as is possible in a low gravity beer. The color is deep copper to dark brown, and is derived from a mixture of malts. There is very little hop flavor, aroma and low hop bitterness. Light to medium bodied. Low esters.
Commercial example: McMullens AK, Fullers Hock, Highgate Mild, Banks Mild.
O.G.: 1.031 - 1.037; Alcohol: 2.5 - 3.6%; IBUs: 12 - 37; SRM: 17 - 34.

English Brown Ale - A British ale that is sweeter, fuller bodied and stronger then mild ales. Some have nutty characters. Low bitterness. Low diacetyl is OK. The style splits along geographic lines.

Southern Brown Ale - Southern brown ales are darker (dark brown and almost opaque), sweeter from the use of caramel malts and are made from lower gravities. They have a medium body. Some fruitiness and esters are present. They have low hop flavor and aroma.
Commercial example: Manns Brown Ale.

Northern Brown Ale - Northern varieties, though still medium-bodied, are less sweet, dryer, have a "nuttier" malt flavor with a pale copper color. Some esters and fruitiness are present, and the hops are similar or higher then the southern. Usually have a higher alcohol level. Brewed from soft water.
Commercial examples: High Level, Newcastle Brown Ale, Samuel Smiths Nut Brown Ale, Double Maxim.
OG.:1.040 - 1.050; Alcohol:4.5 - 6.5%; IBUs:15 - 30; SRM:12 - 30.

American Brown Ale - An adaptation by American homebrewers desiring higher alcohol and hop bittering levels to go along with the malty richness characteristic of all brown ales. A drier and more bitter style of English brown ale. Some maltiness is present in a medium body. Hops are American varieties and are assertive in bitterness, flavor and aroma. Dark amber to dark brown. Low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Cooper Smiths Dunraven Ale, Harts Pacific Crest Ale, Petes Wicked Ale, Brooklyn Brown.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.055; Alcohol: 4.5 - 6.5%; IBUs: 25 - 60; SRM: 15 - 22.

CIDERS
Cider - Cider comes from apple juice in a variety of styles and is usually fermented by wine yeast. There are four types of ciders.

Still Cider - Still cider has a light body and apple flavor. Under 7% alcohol, it can be dry to sweet and is a clear, pale yellow color.

Sparkling Cider - Sparkling cider has many of the same traits as the still varity with the addition of effervescence. There should be no head or foam. It may be dry to sweet and light to medium in body. The color is clear pale yellow.

New England-Style Cider - This cider has a strong apple aroma and a higher level of alcohol, at 8 to 14%. They can be still or sparkling. Medium to full bodied with some tannins, but no "hot" alcohol taste. The color is pale to medium yellow. Adjuncts may include sugars, molasses, and/or raisins.

Specialty Cider - At least 75% apple juice, with the remainder made from a variety of adjuncts. The alcohol content must be below 14%, but any type of yeast can be used in the production.

DARK LAGERS
Munich Dunkel - A product of the German brewing tradition. Distinctly toasted (not burnt) chocolate-like malt sweetness in aroma and flavor. Medium hop bitterness. Hop flavor and aroma from "noble-types" is OK. No fruitiness or esters. Low diacetyl is OK. Low to moderate alcohol and medium body. Color ranges from dark amber to dark brown. At its most sophisticated, this style combines the dryish, coffee and licorice notes of dark malts with the roundness and cleanness imparted by a lager yeast. The best examples have a s***y maltiness that is neither sweet nor roastily dry, with the clean roundness that derives from the use of a lager yeast, working at low temperatures.
Commercial examples: Paulaner, Koenig Ludwig Dunkel, Franz Joseph Jubelbier, Frankenmuth Bavarian Dark, Ayinger Alt-Bairisch Dunkel, Sparten Dunkel Export.
O.G.: 1.050 - 1.058; Alcohol: 4.5 - 6%; IBUs: 18 - 30; SRM: 10 - 23

Continental Dark - A general term for dark lagers from Europe which don't fit the Munich Dark profile. Generally a bit drier in flavor and lighter in body than the Munich style. Commercial examples: Becks Dark, Grolsch Dark.

LAMBICS
Lambic - A sour wheat beer made from the wild yeasts of the Senne Valley in Belgium, a region south and west of Brussels. 30 to 40% unmalted wheat is used. Aged hops are also used but they create no hop bitterness, flavor or aroma. Pungently sour, almost still, earthy aromas, fruity complexity including rhubarb-like flavors, very low in bitterness, , peculiarly aromatic and aged for years. Medium bodied. "Young" lambic or vos (less then 1 year old) has a hazy, rusty color. It can be quite sharp and lactic. "Old" lambic (2 or 3 years old) becomes clearer, pinkish and more complex Unblended lambic is hard to find.
Commercial examples: Boon Lambic, Cantillon Lambic, Girardins Unblended Lambic.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.054; Alcohol: 4 - 6%; IBUs: 3 - 22; SRM: 4 - 15.

Gueuze - Combination of young lambic with old lambic to create a bottle-conditioned beer without sugar or yeast being added. Noticeably sharp, very effervescent, toasty aroma, tart, and delicate acidity. Should age in the bottle from several months to several years. Diacetyl very low.
Commercial examples: Cantillon Gueuze, Geuze Boon, Boon Mariage Parfait, Girardins Classic Gueuze, De Troch Gueuze, Timmermans Gueuze, Timmermans Caveau, Lindemans Gueuze, Mort Subite.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.056; Alcohol: 5 - 6%; IBUs: 3 - 23; SRM: 4 - 13. Faro - Lambic to which sugar and sometimes caramel or molasses are added. So much alcohol is formed that it inhibits further fermentation and leaves behind residual sugars. A Faro will have a sweet, fruity and complex flavor. When bottled, they are pasteurized so that the sugar will not ferment.
Commercial examples: Faro Pertotale, Cantillon Faro, Lindemans Faro Lambic, Vander Linden Faro, Vander Linden "Double" Faro.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.054; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 3 - 22; SRM: 4 - 13

Mars - A version of Faro that has been diluted with water to make everyday, easy-drinking beers. Commercially, it vanished some years ago.
Close Commercial example: Lembeeks 2%.

Kriek - Cherries are combined with young lambic.
Commercial examples: Lindemans Kriek, Cantillon Kriek Lambic, Girardins Kriek, Mort Subite Kriek.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.054; Alcohol: 6%; IBUs: 3 - 22; SRM: 4 - 15.

Framboisel - Raspberries are combined with young lambic.
Commercial examples: Timmermans Framboise, Cantillon Framboise, Framboise Boon.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.054; Alcohol: 6%; IBUs: 3 - 22; SRM: 4 - 15.

Peche - Peaches are combined with young lambic.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.054; Alcohol: 6%; IBUs: 3 - 22; SRM: 4 - 15.

Cassis - Black currant is combined with young lambic.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.054; Alcohol: 6%; IBUs: 3 - 22; SRM: 4 - 15.

MEADS
Mead - Meads are produced from honey, yeast, water, and in subcategories, by the addition of herbs and fruits. Wine, Champagne, sherry, mead, ale or lager yeast may be used. Traditional Mead - Very pale to deep yellow. Lighter color honey is used in dry types while darker honey is used for sweet styles. The final gravity determines how the mead is classified: dry at 0.996-1.009, medium at 1.010-1.019, and sweet from 1.020-1.050. It can be either sparkling or still. Still is dry, medium, or sweet to very sweet with a light to full body. Honey is the predominate flavor and aroma. There may be some low to fruity acidity, but there are no harsh flavors. Sparkling mead can be of dry to medium sweetness. There is honey character in the flavor and aroma. Body is light to medium.

Flavored Mead - May be still or effervescent. Still types may be light to full bodied, while the sparkling examples are light to medium bodied. The color and aroma should reflect the ingredients used.

* Melomel - Made with fruits other than apples or grapes.
* Cyser - Flavored from the use of apples.
* Pyment - Produced with the additions of grapes.
* Hippocras - A variation of Pyment that includes s***es.
* Methegiln - Ingredients are honey, herbs, and s***es.
* Braggot or Bracket - Includes the use of malted barley.

PALE ALES
English Pale Ale - A special variety of British ale that tends to be more hoppy and higher in alcohol then Bitter is. The colors range from light to pale amber with many as deep as copper. Pale ales are bottled, light to medium-bodied, have high hop bitterness with good support from the malt and well-attenuated. They have medium hop flavor and aroma. They are fruity and estery and there can be some low diacetyl. Dry hopping is common creating a fine hop aroma with malt for balance. The pale ale malts used impart a light nuttiness to the flavor. Brewed with water that is extraordinarily hard.
Commercial examples: Worthington White Shield, Bass Ale, Marstons Pedigree, Samuel Smiths Old Brewery Pale Ale, Royal Oak, Whitbread Pale Ale.
O.G.: 1.043 - 1.056; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 20 - 40; SRM: 6 - 12.

American Pale Ale - In comparison to its English counterpart, it is slightly less malty, in the range of low to medium. It is fruity and estery with some crystal malt providing a bit of residual sweetness. A distinction of the American version is the high hopping of American varieties. Dry hopping is appropriate. Stock ale is generally in the pale ale style, and is slightly stronger version meant for longer storage. Pale to deep amber/red/copper. Low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Gearys Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Hopland Red Tail Ale, Red Hook Ale, Long Trail Ale.
O.G.: 1.045 - 1.056; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 20 - 40; SRM: 4 - 11.

India Pale Ale - A special style of pale ale that has high hop bitterness, medium to high hop flavor and aroma and a higher alcohol content. Originally brewed in England for the long trip to India. High hops were added for preservation. An IPA should have a medium body, medium maltiness with evident alcohol. It can have fruity or estery notes, yet the diacetyl should be low. Often paler than that of classic British Pale Ale, medium gold to light orange-copper.
Commercial examples:Anchor Liberty Ale, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Youngs Special London Ale, Ballantines Old India Pale Ale.
O.G.: 1.050 - 1.070; Alcohol: 5.5 - 7%; IBUs: 30 - 60; SRM: 6 - 18.

PILSNERS
Bohemian Pilsner - This beer originally debuted in Plzen, Czechoslovakia in 1842, and quickly gained popularity in other brewing countries. Light to medium bodied, the beer benefits from extremely soft water. Creamy dense head and well-carbonated. Low accent of rich, sweet malt in aroma and flavor. Bitterness, flavor and aroma from the Saaz hop is very noticeable. Clean, crisp, hop-s***y bitter with malty overtones. Esters are not appropriate in pilsners, but, in some of the clasic renditions, such as Pilsner Urquell, low diacetyl adds a complexity. Light gold to deep copper-gold.
Commercial examples: Pilsner Urquell, Budweiser Budvar, Gambrinus, Staropramen, Branik, VelkE9 Popovice, Kru'ovice, Cristal.
OG: 1.044 - 1.056; Alcohol: 4 - 5.5%; IBUs: 25 - 45; SRM: 2 - 5.

German Pilsner - More bitter, drier, less malty, simpler, cleaner and from a lower extract then Czech Pilsner. The distinctive characteristic is the flowery, medium hop bouquet and flavor from "noble" hops and its dry finish from a more thorough fermentation. Light gold to medium gold. Crisp flavor with prominent high hop bitterness. Low maltiness in aroma and flavor. No fruitness or esters. Very low diacetyl is OK. Light to medium in body.
Commercial examples: Warsteiner, Becks, Aass Pilsner, Pinkus Ur-Pils, Bitburger, Radeberger-Pils, Wernesgruner, Jever, Koenig, Veltins, Holstens Diat Pils.
O.G.: 1.044 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4 - 5%; IBUs: 30 - 45; SRM: 2.5 - 4.5

Scandinavian / Dutch Pilsner - Similar to German pilsners but with somewhat lower original gravities, dryer flavor, and lighter palate. The hop character in flavor and aroma is considerably lower. Usually paler than German pilsners. Rice or corn may be used as adjuncts.
Commercial examples: Carlsberg, Grolsch, Heineken, Brand-Up, Christoffel, Plzen.

PORTERS
Robust Porter - A medium to full body in a balanced beer that has a noticeably coffee-like dryness, malty sweet flavor. Chocolate and black malts add a sharp bitterness, but do so without roasted or charcoal notes. Hop bitterness is medium to high. Hop flavor and aroma is none to medium. Fruitiness, esters and low diacetyl are OK. The color is deep with red hues, but not opaque.
Commercial examples: Anchor Porter, Sierra Nevada Porter, Black Hook Porter.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.058; Alcohol: 4.5 - 6%; IBUs: 25 - 40; SRM: 25 - 35

Brown Porter - A bit lighter than the robust, with light to medium body and generally lower in alcohol. The malt sweetness is low to medium and well-balanced with the hops. Color is deep with reddish tones. None to medium hop aroma and flavor. Fruitiness, esters and low diacetyl are OK. Some versions are made with lager yeast.
Commercial examples: Samuel Smiths Taddy Porter, Youngs London Port er, Yuengling Porter, Stegmeter Porter, Pickwicks Porter, Essex Porter, Burton Porter, Pimlico Porter, Catamount Porter, Whitbread Porter.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 20 - 30; SRM: 20 - 35.

SCOTTISH ALES
Scottish Ale - Of Scottish origin. Strong, very dark, thick and creamy. Maltier flavor and aroma, darker colors, more full-bodied and smokier character then the English ales. Fermented at cooler temperatures than English ales and results in less fruity esters. In order to accentuate maltiness and body, the Scots spmetimes ferment their beers less fully than brewers elsewhere. Their distinctive color and dryness is derived from roasted or black malts, and their underlying sweetness is derived from crystal. The "shilling" designation is believed to be from the old method of taxing by basing the tax rate on the gravity of the beer. The style is very full-bodied and malt is very evident in the flavor and aroma. They come in 4 versions.
Commercial examples: Belhaven, Maclay Scotch Ale.

Light 60/- - Gold to amber. Low carbonation. Low bitterness. May or may not have hop flavor or aroma. Medium maltiness. Medium-bodied. Low to medium diacetyl is OK. Fruitiness and esters are OK. Faint smoky character is OK.
O.G.: 1.030 - 1.035; Alcohol: 3 - 4%; IBUs: 9 - 15; SRM: 10 - 17.

Heavy 70/- - Gold to dark brown. Low carbonation. Low bitterness. May or may not have hop flavor or aroma. Medium to high maltiness. Medium to full bodied. Low to medium diacetyl is OK. Fruitiness and esters are OK. Faint smoky character is OK.
Commercial example: Orkney Raven.
O.G.: 1.035 - 1.040; Alcohol: 3.5 - 4%; IBUs: 10 - 17; SRM: 10 - 19

Export 80/ - Gold to dark brown. Low carbonation. Low to medium bitterness. May or may not have hop flavor or aroma. High maltinerss. Full bodied, drier, more bitter. Low to medium diacetyl is OK. Fruitiness and esters are OK. Faint smoky character is OK.
Commercial examples: Arrols 80/-, Edinburgh 80/- Export Ale, McEwans Export, McEwans 80/-, Youngers No. 3, Orkney Dark Island
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4 - 5.5%; IBUs:10 - 20; SRM: 10 - 19

Scottish Strong Ale 90/ - The fermentation is roused so the yeast will stay in suspension and attenuate the beer. This is a full bodied beer with color that is deep copper to brown. There can be medium diacetyl present. These beers are much less hopped than English versions, and therefore are maltier with some kettle caramelization. Slight roasted malt qualities may be provide by the limited use of dark roasted malt or roasted barley.
Commercial examples: MacAndrews Scotch Ale, Belhavens 90/-, Fowlers Wee Heavy, McEwans Scotch Ale, Gordon Highland Scotch Ale, Traquir House Ale, Vermont Pub & Brewery Wee Heavy, Edinburgh Strong Ale, Orkney Skullsplitter.
O.G.: 1.072 - 1.085; Alcohol: 6 - 8%; IBUs:14 - 35; SRM: 11 - 25.

STOUTS
Dry Stout - An Irish version of Porter. A rich, dry, extra-dark, black opaque ale. Low to medium bodied, the distinguishing feature is the use of roasted barley to produce a slightly roasted (coffee-like) trait, which is required. It starts with a taste of malt and caramel and ends with a dry-roasted, bitter taste. Hop bitterness is medium to high. There may be low to medium diacetyl. There is just enough English variety hop flavor present to offset the malt. Thus, there is no noticeable hop flavor or aroma. Sweet maltiness and caramel malt should be evident. A small % of soured beer is sometimes added to balance the dry roast flavors. Starting gravities are lower in Ireland, higher elsewhere.
Commercial examples: Guinness, Sierra Nevada, Murphys Irish Stout, Beamish Stout, Old No 38, Black Hawk Stout, Shef Stout, Rainbow Trout Stout.
O.G.: 1.036 - 1.055; Alcohol: 3 - 6%; IBUs: 25 - 40; SRM: 35 +.

Foreign Stout - This is a stronger version of dry with the additional malt offset by hopping up to 60 IBU for balance. Usually brewed for tropical markets. Some could be described as strong dry stouts, but others are too sweet for that designation. Around 1.060, it becomes difficult to produce a true dry stout, as the malty fullness and the fruity esters take charge.
Commercial example: Guinness Extra Stout, Dragon Stout, ABC Stout, Lion Stout.
O.G.: 1.050 - 1.070; Alcohol: 5.5 - 7%; IBUs: 25 - 60; SRM: 35 +.

Imperial Stout (Russian) - Originally brewed for exportation to Russia. A robust and stronger version of dry stout, highly hopped for bitterness, aroma and flavor. High gravity and hops are used to prepare these stouts for export, much as was done with India Pale Ales. Often has an intense "burnt currant" character. Full bodied, it is dark copper to black. The high gravity leads to a notable esters and fruitiness. Alcoholic strength should be evident. Rich maltiness. Low diacetyl is OK. The roastiness melds with smoky, tar-like, burnt, fruity, estery notes and alcohol flavors. There is a suggestion of cocoa, or strong coffee. The fruitiness is reminiscent of the burnt currants on the edge of a cake that has just been removed from the oven, or the Christmas pudding in Britain, heavy with dried and candied fruits. The alcohol suggests that the cocoa or coffee, pudding or cake, has been laced with spirit.
Commercial example:Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout, Grants Imperial Stout, Courages Imperial Russian Stout.
O.G.: 1.075 - 1.095+; Alcohol: 7 - 9+%; IBUs: 50 - 90+; SRM: 20 - 35 +.

Sweet Stout - The British version of Stout. Differentiated by lower gravity than dry and possessing a unique chocolate-caramel malt flavor. The overall character is sweet. Lacks most of the hop bitterness and roasted barley character. The flavor is derived from the use of chocolate malt and milk sugar (lactose). No hop flavor or aroma. Medium to full body. There may be low diacetyl detected. The color is black opaque. Often called "Farm Stout", "Milk Stout" and "Cream Stout".
Commercial example: Mackeson Stout, Sweetheart Stout, Watneys Cream Stout, Samuel Adams Cream Stout.
O.G.: 1.038 - 1.056; Alcohol: 4 - 6%; IBUs: 15 - 25; SRM: 35 +.

Oatmeal Stout - This beer is a variation of the sweet stout but has oatmeal added to increase the fullness of body and flavor. The result of this mixture is often described as firm, smooth, silky body, and a hint of nuttiness in their complex of coffee, chocolate and roast flavors. Because oats gelatinize, they can make mashing difficult.
Commercial example: Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout, Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Youngs Oatmeal Stout, Lacto Milk Stout.
O.G.: 1.038 - 1.056; Alcohol: 4 - 6%; IBUs: 15 - 25; SRM: 35 +.

TRAPPIST ALES (ABBEY BEER)
Trappist Ale (Abbey Beer) - Only beer brewed in one of the six remaining brewing abbeys may use the term "Trappist". They are the Westmalle, Orval, Rochefort, Sint Sixtus at Westvleteren, and Chimay breweries in Belgium, and the Trappists of Schaapskooi at Koningshoeven in the Netherlands. The six Trappist abbeys produce around 20 beers. Strong, amber to copper colored, fruity, aromatic beer with a s***iness and slight acidity that sets them apart. They are all bottle conditioned, with plenty of yeast sediment. 3 varieties are made.

House Brew -
Commercial examples: Chimay Premiere (Capsule Rouge), Orval, Rochefort 6, Westmalle Extra, Westvleteren 4 Dubbel.
O.G.: 1.060 - 1.065; Alcohol: 6 - 7%; IBUs: 25 - 40; SRM: 10 - 25.
Special (Dubbel) - Dark amber-brown ales with a sweet malty flavor and a slightly nutty aroma that may give way to some hoppy dryness in the finish. Medium- to full-bodied. Low bitterness. Low diacetyl is OK. Aromas and flavors are sometimes derived from unique yeast strains. Small amounts of s***es may be added.
Commercial examples: Grimbergen Dubbel, Affligem Dubbel, Rochefort 8, Chimay Cinq Cents (Capsule Blanche), Chimay Grande Reserve (Capsule Bleue), La Trappe Dubbel, Westmalle Dubbel, Westvleteren 6 Special.
O.G.:1.075 - 1.085; Alcohol:7.5 - 8%; IBUs:30 - 45; SRM: 10 - 30.

Extra special (Triple) - A paler and stronger ale, brewed from pale pilsner malts with candy sugar added to boost the O.G.. Complex aroma and palate with delicate aromatic hop characteristics and a light citric fruitness. Medium- to full-bodied. As with dubbels, aromas and flavors are sometimes derived from unique yeast strains and small amounts of s***e are sometimes added. Deep golden. Alcoholic, but best examples do not taste strongly of alcohol.
Commercial examples: Grimbergen Tripel, Mateen, Affligem Tripel, Westmalle Tripel, Rochefort 10, La Trappe Tripel, La Trappe Quadrupel, Westvleteren 8 Extra, Westvleteren 12 Abbot.
O.G.:1.090 - 1.100; Alcohol: 8 - 10%; IBUs: 20 - 50; SRM: 20 - 30.

WHEAT BEERS
Weizenbier (or Weissbier) - Wheat beers of southern Germany. Light to medium bodied, lightly hopped, yeasty, highly effervescent, slightly sour and suggestive of cloves and bananas. They are, above all, a summer beer. At least 50% wheat malt. Some cloudiness is acceptable in this style since a mash of up to 60% wheat can add haze from protein. Fermented as an ale by unique yeast strains. Clove, vanilla, nutmeg, smoke and cinnamon-like phenolics are permissible. No diacetyl. Light straw to amber.
Commercial examples: Paulaner, Hofbrauhaus, Julius Echter Weizenbier, Edelweiss, Spaten Club-Weisse, Erdinger Kristall Weissbier, Schneider Weisse.
O.G.: 1.045 - 1.055; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5%; IBUs: 8 - 14; SRM: 3 - 9.

Hefe-Weizen - Overall the profile of this beer is similar to Weizen. This is a real ale style that is conditioned in the bottle or keg and will contain some yeast sediment. Lager or ale yeast may be used to condition the beer.
Commercial examples: Pschorr Weizen, Wurzburger, Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, Prince Luitpold Hefe-Weissbier, Erdinger Mit Feiner Hefe-Weizen, Schneider Hefe-Weizen.
O.G.: 1.045 - 1.055; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5%; IBUs: 8 - 14; SRM: 3 - 9.

Dunkel Weizen - Dark version of Weizenbier and can be a bit stronger. The color is deep copper to brown. Chocolate-like maltiness is evident. Medium to full bodied beer with an emphasis of dark malt. It usually has a little less of the characteristic clove-banana aromas. The combination of wheaty tartness and the lusciousness of dark malts makes this style full of flavor and complexity. Low diacetyl is OK. Low hop flavor and aroma is OK.
Commercial examples:EKU,Hecker-Pschorr Dark Wheat, Oberdorfer Dunkelweizen, Erdinger Dunkel Weizen.
O.G.: 1.045 - 1.055+; Alcohol: 4.5 - 6%; IBUs: 10 - 15; SRM: 17 - 22.

Weizenbock - Stronger and more robust than Dunkelweizen. A medium- to full-bodied beer, it is made from 40-60% wheat, but the palate emphasis is on the malt. Hop flavor and aroma are very low, but the clove and banana flavor and aroma are still evident. Can be either light or dark. Alcoholic strength should be evident. Low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Erdinger Pinkantus, Shneider Aventinius.
O.G.: 1.066 - 1.080; Alcohol: 6.5 - 7.5%; IBUs: 10 - 15; SRM: 7 - 30.

Berliner Weisse - This tart, refreshing, thirst-quenching beer can only be brewed in Berlin, Germany, although a few brewers in Northern Germany brew wheat beers in a similar style. Often called the Champagne of beers. Anywhere up to 75% malted wheat is used and results in a characteristic foamy large white head which tends to die quickly due to a lack of protein structure. The ale-type yeast and up to 20% lactic combination produces a light body which is dry, tart, and almost sour. Very pale, effervescent, modest alcohol content, no bitterness and low fruity notes. No diacetyl. May be mixed with sweet syrups.
Commercial examples: Berliner Kindl Weisse, Schultheiss Berliner Weisse.
O.G.: 1.028 - 1.032; Alcohol: 2.5 - 3.5%; IBUs: 3 - 12; SRM: 2 - 4.

American Wheat Beer - A standard ale yeast is used. Typically have light grain flavors and aromas characteristic of wheat. The clovey aromas and flavors of Bavarian weizenbiers are absent (and inappropriate). Low to medium fruitiness and esters. Low to medium bitterness. Hop aroma and flavor can be high or low. The proportion of wheat is often greater than 50%. Light to medium body, pale straw to gold although dark versions exist. Low diacetyl is OK. The use of lager yeast is OK.
O.G.: 1.030 - 1.050; Alcohol: 3.5 - 5%; IBUs: 5 - 17; SRM: 2 - 4.
Wit or Belgian White Beer - This beer has a low to medium body and is brewed with up to 50% unmalted wheat, malted barley, and maybe oats. It is stronger and maltier than Berlin Weiss but not as acidic. Wit is tangy and sharply refreshing with hints of orange, honey, and even muscat. They typically have a full yellow-white color and sport very white heads. Coriander seed, Curacao orange peel, Hallertauer and/or Saaz may all be used. Low to medium bitterness. Dry. Low diacetyl is OK. Has low to medium esters. Bottle conditioned.
Commercial examples: Hoegaarden Witbier, Celis White, Steendonk, Blanche de Namur, Titje, Wieckse Witte.
O.G.: 1.044 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5%; IBUs: 20 - 35; SRM: 2 - 4.

Graetzer - Graetzer beer is of low gravity and strongly hopped with "noble-type" hops. It is made from 2/3 smoked, highly roasted wheat malt and 1/3 pale barley malt. A single step infusion mash is usually used. The flavor is very smokey and the style is very rare.
O.G.: 1030 - 1034; Alcohol: 3 - 3.5%; IBUs: 50.

Grodzisk - Grodzisk is a specialty of Grodzisk, Poland, near Poznan. It is made with a significant proportion of malted wheat, smoked over oak. The beer is top-fermented, perhaps with some wild yeast influence, and bottled-conditioned. It can be low in alcohol or of conventional strength. It is an extremely pale golden beer, with a faint haze, adense white head, and a surprisingly light body. It has a sourish, sappy, oaky aroma (like a box that had held smoked herring), and a smoky, very deep, crisp palate. After a period of storage, it begins to develop a tart, quenching acidity.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 7th, 2007, 06:13 PM

BEER STYLES (cntd.)

MISCELLANEOUS STYLES
Adelaide Sparkling Ale - A style of ale from Adelaide, Australia. This beer is heavily sedimented and cloudy, and the lively secondary fermentation in the bottle gives it an almost aggressively rough carbonation and fruitiness. It is sharp, sherbety, and exploding with flavors. Because of the dosage needed to start the secondary fermentation, these were sometimes known as "sugar" beers. Outside Australia, there is nothing quite like the robust sparkling ales of Adelaide. Gold to amber-red in color.
Commercial examples: Coopers Sparkling Ale, Kent Town Real Ale, Lion's Sparkling Bitter Ale.
O.G.: 1.044 - 1.050; Alcohol: 5 - 6%; IBUs: 25 - 26; SRM: 5 - 10.

Altbier - German ale associated with the city of Dusseldorf. "Alt" is the German word for old. The Alt style uses a top-fermenting ale yeast, but then is cold-aged. Some wheat may be used in variations. Lacks hop aroma, low hop flavor but has medium to high bitterness, especially in the finish. Restrained fruitiness, dry, clean, bittersweet flavor. Rounded maltiness that is nonetheless not overpowering. Light to medium body. Cleaner, smoother palate, less fruitness, less yeastiness and less acidity than a classic British ale. Very low diacetyl is OK. The color is bronze to copper-brown. Some ales called Amber are actually in the Alt style.
Commercial examples: DAB Dark, Widmer, Zum Uerige, Grolsch Autumn Amber, Broyhan Alt, Brunswiek Alt, Alaskan Amber, Sapporo Alt.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.050; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 28 - 40; SRM: 10 - 19.

Barley Wine - In England, the name given to any top-fermented beer of unusually high, wine-like alcohol content. The richest and strongest of British ales. Alcoholic, malty, heavy and full-bodied, usually balanced with a high rate of hop bitterness and low aroma, both of which may diminish during aging. The aroma includes esters, and there can be some low to medium diacetyl. May possess a residual flavor of unfermented sugar. Well aged examples may also show oxidative flavors. Barley Wines are usually darker (copper to medium brown) then Strong Ales and they are more commonly bottled. Traditionally, they were matured in the cask, which was rolled round the brewery yard once a week to rouse the yeast in its secondary fermentation. The commercial brewers do not use wine yeast. The effect of extremely high gravities on a top-fermenting yeast can make for a very estery, winy-tasting brew. Barley wines often have little head retention.
Commercial examples: Goldie, Gold Label, Fullers Golden Pride, Old Foghorn, Bass No. 1 Barley Wine, Big Foot, Thomas Hardy Ale, Youngs Old Nick.
O.G.: 1.090 - 1.120; Alcohol: 8.4 - 12%; IBUs: 50 - 100; SRM: 14 - 40.

California Common Beer (Steam Beer) - A California creation. Beer brewed with lager yeast at ale temperatures. This beer has been likened to an India Pale Ale in taste with a medium body and a hint of toasted or caramel-like maltiness in aroma and flavor. The color is light amber to copper. Hops are medium to high in bitterness and flavor, and medium in aroma. Fruitiness and esters are low. Low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Anchor Steam, New England Atlantic Amber, Dampfbier.
O.G.: 1.044 - 1.055; Alcohol: 4 - 5%; IBUs: 35 - 45; SRM: 8 - 17.

Cream Ale - An American beer that may employ the use of both ale and lager yeast. The beer is fermented as an ale followed by a period of cold conditioning. Hoppier, stronger and fruitier than standard American light lagers. Often brewed with corn or rice. The profile includes light to medium body with high effervescence. The color is pale. Some low esters may be detectable Hop bitterness is low to medium, with low hop aroma and flavor.
Commercial examples:Genesee Cream Ale, Little Kings Cream Ale, Molson Golden Ale, Weinhards Light American Ale.
O.G.: 1.044 - 1.055; Alcohol: 4.5 - 7%; IBUs: 10 - 22; SRM: 2 - 4.

Dortmunder/Export - Strong pale lager from Dortmunder, Germany brewed a bit stronger than other light lagers in order to travel well for export. Characterized by more bitterness and less maltiness then helles, but less bitterness, sweeter, stronger and more malt body than German pilseners. Neither malt or hops are distinctive, but both are in good balance with a touch of sweetness, providing a smooth yet crisply refreshing beer. The hop aroma and flavor that is present is from "noble-types". The water in Dortmunder is quite hard containing both calcium carbonate and sulfate, and this, combined with a special malting process which results in increased enzyme power, contributes to the final unique taste. The mash for Dortmunder typically leaves sufficient unfermentables in the brew to provide that firmness of body. Alcoholic warmth can be evident. Straw to medium gold, Light to medium body. There are no traces of diacetyl or esters.
Commercial examples: DAB Export, Thiers Export, Dortmunder Union Export, Kronen Export, Newmans Brand Saratoga Lager, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Yebisu, Ritter Export.
O.G.: 1.050 - 1.060; Alcohol: 5 - 6%; IBUs: 18 - 35; SRM: 4 - 6.

Fruit Beer - Lagers and ales with fruit or fruit juice in them for flavor, color and/or aroma. Cherries and raspberries are the most popular additives. The particular fruit qualities of the beer should be distinct in flavor and aroma, yet harmonious with the total flavor profile.
Commercial examples: Boston Beer Works Blueberry Ale, Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic.
O.G.: 1.030 - 1.110; Alcohol: 2.5 - 12%; IBUs: 5 - 70; SRM: 5 - 50.

Helles - Mildly hopped, malty beer from Munich, Germany. The medium malt sweetness, often described as almost a caramel, is the mark of this beer. Part of the malty flavor comes from the unique Munich style of malting which involves "curing" the malt at temperatures of 212B0 to 225B0F. The body is a bit heavier (medium) than a Bohemian pils due to being less attenuated then a pils. Pleasingly low bitterness that does not linger at all. Hop aroma and flavor, if present, are from "noble-types". No fruitiness or esters. Low diacetyl is OK. Color is pale to golden.
Commercial Examples: Altenmunster, Ayinger Jahrhundert.
O.G.: 1.045 - 1.055; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 18 - 30; SRM: 2 - 5

Herb Beer - Lagers and ales with unusual herbs in them for aroma, flavor and/or color. Commonly used s***es include marjoram, cinnamon, garlic, peppers, spruce, juniper, cloves, anise, nutmeg, coriander, caraway, ginger, etc..
Commercial Examples: Harpoon Winterfest, New England Brewing Co. Holiday Ale, Eds Chili Beer, Anchor Our Special Ale.
O.G.: 1.030 - 1.110; Alcohol: 2.5 - 12%; IBUs: 5 - 70; SRM: 5 - 50.

Irish Ale - Malt-accented ales, often with a buttery note, rounded, and with a soft but notable fruitiness and reddish tinge. This style was undoubtedly influenced by the success of some malty, but tawnier, Scottish brews. Pale ale is the main ingrediant, with crystal malt and roasted barley also being used. In todays Irish ales, corn has found its way in. In the United States, larger yeast is used in most commercial examples. During the 1960s, the last independent ale brewery in Ireland closed. Today all ale breweries are owned by Guinness.
Commercial Examples:Phoenix Beer, George Killians Irish Red, Macardle Ale, Michael Sheas Irish Amber, McNallys Extra, Smithwicks Ale, Kilkenny Irish Beer, Kilkenny Strong.
O.G.: 1.036 - 1.064; Alcohol: 4 - 7%; IBUs: 20 - 30; SRM: 7 - 14.

Koelsch - Can only be brewed in the area of Koeln (Cologne), Germany. Kolsch is a blond Alt-style beer with a light to medium body. Light, fruity, acidic, dry wine like brew. Low hop flavor and aroma and medium bitterness. Has a soft palate and a delicate dryness in the finish. As pale as a Pilsner, but with the fruitiness of an ale. Kolsch is noted for its delicacy rather than for any more robust distinctiveness. Kolsch has a conventional gravity and strength, is very pale, with a fine bead, and is clean-tasting (all-malt), remarkably light-bodied (very well attenuated), soft and drinkable, only faintly fruity (often in the aroma and the beginning of the palate), with a slight acidity and a restrained but definite hoppy dryness, often slightly herbal-tasting in the finish. Can be an ale or a lager. Sometimes up to 15% wheat is used to give added complexity to the fruitiness, to provide paleness of color, and to enhance head-retention and lacework. Bottle conditioned examples may be called "wiess".
Commercial Examples: Kueppers, Froeh, Sion, Gaffel Koelsch, Muhlen, Gilden, Dom Koelsch, Garde, Gereons, Kurfursten, Reissdorf, Sester, Zunft.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.045; Alcohol: 4 - 5%; IBUs: 16 - 30; SRM: 3.5 - 10.

Maerzen / Oktoberfest - A lager produced in Munich, Germany with an assertively malty sweetness, toasted malt aroma and flavor. Origin credited to the famous brewer Gabriel Sedelmayer. The style is an adaptation of Vienna that was found to better suit the Munich water. The body is medium. Sharp but not lingering hop bitterness which is low to medium. Low hop flavor and aroma from "noble-type" hops is OK. No fruitiness, esters or diacetyl. Quite strong in alcohol. The color is amber to deep copper or light brown.
Commercial examples: Paulaner Oktoberfest, Gosser, Spaten Ur-Marzen Oktoberfest, Ayinger Fest Marzen, Harpoon Oktoberfest, Samuel Adams Octoberfest.
O.G.: 1.050 - 1.065; Alcohol: 4.5 - 6.5%; IBUs: 20 - 30; SRM: 7 - 14.

Rauchbier - Smoked-flavored beer in the tradition of Bamberg, Germany. Oktoberfest style made with malts that have been dried over moist beechwood log flames to give this beer its assertive smoky aroma and flavor. The beer presents a full body and a generally sweet, malty taste beneath the smoke. The color is dark amber to dark brown. Hop bitterness and aroma is low to medium. Intensity of the smoke is medium to high. Low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Kaiserdom Rauchbier, Maisels Rauchbier, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier.
O.G.: 1.048 - 1.060; Alcohol: 5 - 6%; IBUs: 20 - 30; SRM: 10 - 20.

Rye Beer - Rye bread or flour is used as the basis of kvass and similar beer-like fermented drinks that were, and sometimes still are, traditional in many parts of eastern, central and Baltic Europe. It is not an easy grain with which to work, in that, like wheat, it has no husk. It also absorbs and retains water more than other brewing grains.
Commercial examples: Rileys Rye, Schierlinger Roggenbier, Goldroggen.

Sahti - The traditional Estonian and Finnish brew sahti is often made with rye or oats. One or other of these grains, or a blend of both, may comprise half the mash, the remainder being malted barley. Juniper is the traditional seasoning, although hops are also used. In the past, a proportion of raw rye was used, although the grain was malted for the finest brews. Traditionally, the brew is filtered through straw, reeds and juniper twigs, in a distinctively shaped wooden trough, called a kuurna, and bakers yeast is typically employed. It has a rusty, reddish-brown color, with a considerable haze; a relatively low, but lasting, head and carbonation (like a British cask-conditioned ale); a slightly sticky, oily, but soft body (reminiscent of a fortified wine); and a winy, s***y, smokey, almondy palate.
Commercial examples: Lammin Sahti, SysmE4 Sahti, Honkajoki Sahti, Mafia Sahti.
O.G.: 1.080 - 1.100; Alcohol: 7.5 - 8.75%; IBUs: 20 - 30; SRM: 10 - 20.

Sake (Rice Wine) - Sake comes in several different sub-categories. All are 12 - 20% alcohol and clear to very pale color. Traditional sake is semi-dry to dry with no carbonation. Sparkling sake is re-primed in the bottle.

Schwarzbier (Black Beer) - Judicious amounts of roasted malts so as to not impart a burnt flavor. Moderate bitterness from hops and roasted malt. Medium body with malty aroma and low sweetness in aroma and flavor. Should have a distinctive bitter-chocolate palate. Hop flavor and aroma from "noble-types" is OK. No fruitiness or esters. Low diacetyl is OK. Color is dark brown to black. This style is hard to find in the U.S.
Commercial examples: Koestritzer Schwarzbier, Kloster Schwarz-Bier, Kulmbacher Monchshof Schwarzes Pils, Black Bavarian, Mathers Black Beer, Asahi Black Beer, Kirin Black Beer, Sapporo Black Beer, Suntory Black Beer.
O.G.: 1.040 - 1.052; Alcohol: 3.5 - 5%; IBUs: 20 - 35; SRM: 25 – 40.

Specialty Beers - These are beers that do not fit the other descriptions. The purposeful inclusion of additives (other than fruit) combine to impart unique characteristics. Maple syrup, sorghum, honey, chocolate, pumpkin and smoke flavor can be added to create a specialty beer. The major style characteristics must still be readily recognized.
Commercial examples: Buffalo Bills Pumpkin Ale, Vermont Pub and Brewery Smoked Porter, Otter Creek Brewery Smoked Porter.

Steinbier (Stone Beer) - This is actually more of a method of brewing then a style but it does add a special flavor to any beer made in this method. Porous stones (graywacke, a type of sandstone) are superheated and lowered into the beer wort, causing that to boil. They are then removed, and when the resulting beer has begun to ferment and the stones are cool, they are again lowered into the beer. The yeast ferments the strong sugars crystalized on the stones. The result is a delicious, rare and somewhat smokey beer. It has a smokey, treacle-toffee palate, less dry than smooth, and a long, roundish finish. This beertype has recently been revived in Germany.
Commercial examples: Rauchenfels Steinbier, Rauchenfels Steinweizen.
O.G.: 1.048; Alcohol: 4.7%; IBUs: 27; SRM: 9.

Strong Ale / Old Ale - High-alcohol version of pale ale though generally not as strong or rich as a barleywine. Often regarded as winter warmers. Old ales have a fruity character although the finish may be dry. A bit syrupy when young, but improve with up to five years of aging. Long term aging in the bottle or tun may give old ales oxidative flavors like a fine old port or Madeira wine. Very full-bodied, with a nutty malt sweetness, and are very estery. Usually not very thoroughly fermented, so to leave some of the sweetness, flavor and body of the malt sugars in the beer. Color is usually light amber to very dark red. Hopping is assertive, but hop aroma is low from the aging process. Well-attenuated. Alcoholic strength should be recognizable. Low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Theakstons Old Peculiar, Old Buzzard, Wobbly Bob, Thomas Hardys Ale, Youngs Winter Warmer, Ram Tam, Old Tom, Owd Roger, Old Jock, Old Fart, Strong Suffolk, Gales Prize Old Ale, Gales 5X.
O.G.: 1.060 - 1.075+; Alcohol: 6.5 - 8.5+%; IBUs: 30 - 60; SRM: 10 - 16.

Vienna - The classic amber lager style. Originally brewed in Austria by the famous brewer, Anton Dreher, in 1841. It has now become rare in Austria. Reminiscent of Octoberfest but with a less robust sweet malt character. This distinctive style owes much of its character to the method of malting. Vienna malt provides the dominant toasty flavor, aroma, and unique color. May have low sweetness on the palate but should have a fairly dry finish. Low to medium bitterness from "noble-type" hops. This beer is light to medium bodied with a reddish-amber color. Very mild hop flavor and aroma from "noble-type" hops put the emphasis on the malt. No fruitiness or esters. Low diacetyl is OK.
Commercial examples: Newmans Albany Amber, Dos Equis Amber, Portland Lager, Ambier Genuine Vienna Style, Negra Modelo.
O.G.: 1.046 - 1.052; Alcohol: 4.5 - 5.5%; IBUs: 18 - 30; SRM: 8 - 20.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 7th, 2007, 06:15 PM

HOW TO ENJOY YOUR BEER

There is a saying "you have to learn to walk before you can run", and before you learn to taste a beer like a professional, you have to learn to pour a beer like a professional. It's a fact that the way a beer is poured has a direct effect on how it tastes. This has to do with the layer of foam at the top of a glass of beer or the "head". A head can tell you some important things about the beer beneath it. In this case of the Samuel Adams family of beers, the thick, frothy head is a result of all-malt brewing. Beers brewed using adjuncts and preservatives will generally have a thinner head that will dissipate almost completely in a relatively short amount of time. In terms of flavor, a full head on a Samuel Adams beer will release its aroma or nose, accentuating its complexity on the palate.

Pour the Perfect Pint
So how does one go about pouring the perfect pint? Follow these five simple steps and you'll be pouring like a pro in no time.

Step 1:
First, you'll need a beer clean glass. What's a beer clean glass? It's a glass that has been cleaned with a non-oil based detergent and is free of odors from food, smoke or glass sanitizer. A dishwasher and normal dish washing detergent is usually good enough. Make sure that the glass is also free of all foreign substances such as film from lipstick or detergent or anything containing animal fat (which will break down the head in the glass). A beer clean glass will release CO2, hold a head and will leave a lace of foam behind as the beer is consumed.

Step 2:
Place the beer clean glass at an angle just below the faucet on the draft tower. Do not let the faucet make contact with the glassware! Open the faucet all the way in on quick motion.

Step 3:
As the glass fills, slowly return the glass to an upright position.

Step 4:
The final part of the beer should be poured right down the middle of the glass to produce a dense head.

Step 5:
Close the faucet completely and serve immediately!

5 Steps for Enjoying Beer

Step 1: Visual Appraisal
When looking at a Samuel Adams Boston Lager there are a couple of things to notice right away. First, its deep, amber complexion, which is a result of the Caramel 60 malted barley. Second, notice its clarity. Samuel Adams Boston Lager is very, very slightly veiled because we use only malted barely - no corn, rice or other adjuncts - so there is a very slight amount of protein floating in the beer. True cloudiness is a characteristic of a wheat beer. Wheat beer styles such as our Summer Ale and Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat are generally not fully filtered and in some cases they're left completely unfiltered. The result will be cloudiness of 'veil'. A very cloudy Samuel Adams Boston Lager is not a good sign, it means that the beer is getting old and starting to break down.

Step 2: Aroma
Next, gently swirl the beer in your glass to release a little of the carbonation and esters and inhale the aromas. Samuel Adams Boston Lager has distinctly floral, hoppy nose, balanced with a malty sweetness reminiscent of caramel or toffee. Now it is time to see if that balance carries over into the flavor by tasting the beer which is a two-step process.

Step 3: Body
As the beer crosses your palate the first thing you'll pick up on its structure and substance. Samuel Adams Boston Lager is strong on both counts, it is definitely not watery or thin. The exclusive use of 2-row malted barley gives the beer not only a full mouth feel, but also an overall smoothness that adds to the beer's overall drinkability.

Step 4: Flavor
After assessing the body, the next thing to experience is the ABC's of flavor, A lot of flavor, Balance of flavor, and the Complexity of flavor. You'll get the malty sweetness on the front of your tongue, and as the beer warms and the aromas rise, you should pick up the s***iness of the hops, followed by the lingering hop signature. They should follow in this order, a procession of flavors.

Step 5: Appraisal
Look at your notes from the previous four steps, weigh the pros versus the cons and judge whether the beer was good. There is another, simpler way to tell if a beer is good, by asking yourself if you want another sip. If the answer is yes, than that means the beer is good!

Jim Koch's Tasting Tips

It's important to know that you can taste everything in a beer that I can. I might have the training to identify different flavors and the vocabulary to describe them, but your palate works just like mine. So, what do I look for when tasting a Samuel Adams beer? The answer is as simple as ABC.

A lot of flavor. Initially, you should be able to taste the brewer's ingredients. The body and sweetness of the malt come first. The beer should have real substance on your palate, it should not be thing and watery. That drop of sweetness from the malt should be followed by the s***y, lingering bitterness of the hops. Now, just a lot of flavor does not automatically make beer good, it's equally important for all of these flavors to be balance with each other.

Balance means that no one flavor overwhelms the others. That sweet malt character should be balanced against the floral hop notes and estery fermentation character, creating a harmony of flavors that entice and stimulate the palate. This brings us to the complexity.

Complexity means that the sweetness of the malt should not be the simple sweetness of sugar, but rather a delicate and layered sweetness like honey, caramel, and toffee. The bitterness of the hops shouldn't be simple and harsh, but resinous and piney with a hint of citrus which, when mingled with the malt notes, creates a pleasant sweetness.

I can't tell you the single, best way for you to enjoy a Samuel Adams beer because it's up to you and your personal preference. I can tell you that I like my Samuel Adams beer in a clean glass so I can appreciate its deep color. I also like my beer a little warmer than most people, about 45 degrees, sometimes 50 degrees for an ale. This is why I keep my beer in the warmest part of my refrigerator, the top shelf of the door. A great beer is a pleasure to drink even when it's not ice cold. Finally, I pour the liquid right down the center of the glass. This gives you a beautiful creamy head and also releases the hop bouquet. In the end, the best way to enjoy a Samuel Adams beer is to choose your favorite style, and drink it slowly, appreciating the natural ABCs of Same. Cheers!

BEER SERVING TEMPERATURES

With all the different styles found in the world of beer, the question of serving temperature comes up fairly often. There are, however, very few absolute truths when it comes to proper serving temperature. Individual drinkers will have individual preferences and these might vary quite a bit from the generally accepted norms. So mainly this guide will focus on the accepted norms, and you as the drinker can take them to heart to any degree you wish.

The first thing that should be addressed, however, are two very common myths. The first is that beer needs to be served very cold. The macrobrewers want you to believe this, and here’s why. The sensation of coldness inhibits the tongue’s taste receptors. Since macrobrews started positioning their products based on any feature they could imagine besides taste, the need to neutralize taste became important. An alcohol delivery system doesn’t need taste. In fact, taste usually gets in the way. A cold refresher could be anything, and in fact alternatives like soda, iced tea or water generally have a less offensive taste than macrobrew. So again, numbing those tastebuds is important. As for what beer marketers mean when they say a beer “has a cold taste”, your guess is as good as ours. So no, beer doesn’t not need to be near frozen. Good beer in fact should not be near frozen.

The other myth is that English beer is served at room temperature, or “warm”. It’s not. It is served at cellar temperature, which is between 12-14C. Room temperature is 21C. That’s a big difference.

Beer is best served in between “ice cold” and room temperature. There are a lot of generalization made about beers of different colours, most of which are false. However, when it comes to temperature, colour seems to make a big difference. Lighter-coloured beers are generally best served cold. At the warmest end are the big, dark beers like Quadrupels, Imperial Stouts and Barley Wines. At cellar temperature are English-style beers and in the middle is just about everything else.

Very cold (0-4C/32-39F): Any beer you don’t actually want to taste. Pale Lager, Malt Liquor, Canadian-style Golden Ale and Cream Ale, Low Alcohol, Canadian, American or Scandinavian-style Cider.

Cold (4-7C/39-45F): Hefeweizen, Kristalweizen, Kölsch, Premium Lager, Pilsner, Classic German Pilsner, Fruit Beer, brewpub-style Golden Ale, European Strong Lager, Berliner Weisse, Belgian White, American Dark Lager, sweetened Fruit Lambics and Gueuzes, Duvel-types

Cool (8-12C/45-54F): American Pale Ale, Amber Ale, California Common, Dunkelweizen, Sweet Stout, Stout, Dry Stout, Porter, English-style Golden Ale, unsweetened Fruit Lambics and Gueuzes, Faro, Belgian Ale, Bohemian Pilsner, Dunkel, Dortmunder/Helles, Vienna, Schwarzbier, Smoked, Altbier, Tripel, Irish Ale, French or Spanish-style Cider

Cellar (12-14C/54-57F): Bitter, Premium Bitter, Brown Ale, India Pale Ale, English Pale Ale, English Strong Ale, Old Ale, Saison, Unblended Lambic, Flemish Sour Ale, Bière de Garde, Baltic Porter, Abbey Dubbel, Belgian Strong Ale, Weizen Bock, Bock, Foreign Stout, Zwickel/Keller/Landbier, Scottish Ale, Scotch Ale, American Strong Ale, Mild, English-style Cider

Warm (14-16C/57-61F): Barley Wine, Abt/Quadrupel, Imperial Stout, Imperial/Double IPA, Doppelbock, Eisbock, Mead

Hot (70C/158F): Quelque Chose, Liefmans Glühkriek, dark, s***ed winter ales like Daleside Morocco Ale.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 7th, 2007, 06:19 PM

WHAT DO I NEED TO BREW MY OWN BEER? HOW DO I GET STARTED?

So, how do I get started? The best advice for the beginner is to pick up a good book on home brewing and at least read the beginning chapters. The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian, or Homebrewing Guide by Dave Miller are both great books to check out. The book by Papazian has more detailed instruction for beginners and lots of home brewers refer to it as the bible of home brewing. The book by Miller, in my opinion, has less information on recipes for beginners and proceeds more quickly into brewing theory and advanced brewing, but is a great technical guide.

So, what is this going to cost me? To get started, the cost of a book and a brewing kit with one batch of ingredients will typically cost about $100. That $100 investment will provide you with the equipment you need to brew 5 gallon batches of beer. The equipment list for your first batch should include at a minimum:

o A 5 gallon fermentation vessel. Typical devices are a 5-gallon glass carboy (the kind used on water coolers) or a plastic food grade bucket with lid.
o A carboy cap or cork to fit the carboy or if you use a food grade bucket a cork to fit into a hole drilled in the lid.
o Airlock
o Siphon hose
o Racking cane (candy cane shaped rigid tubing with plastic cap on end of long end)
o Bottle filler (straight rigid tubing with a spring loaded valve on one end)
o Funnel
o Carboy brush
o Priming bucket (6 gallon food grade bucket)
o 50 Bottle caps
o 50 Beer bottles (12 oz. Longneck or larger. The bottles should be pop top not screw top. You will not get a good seal with screw top and your beer will be flat.)
o Ingredients (a prepackaged beer kit for the first time brew plus maybe 2 - 3 lbs. additional malt extract)
o Corn sugar for priming

Five gallons of beer is equivalent to a little more than 2 cases of 12 ounce bottles. The ingredients for each subsequent batch of beer will cost about $20 on average. Of course the cost will vary with the style of beer and the ingredients used. If you consider that one case of micro-brew will typically cost $24 or more, you should save enough money by not buying store bought micro-brews to pay off your initial $100 investment by the time you have brewed your fifth batch of beer. Sounds better all the time.

So, let's see what brewing is about. The basic ingredients in beer are malt extract (typically from malted barley), hops, water and yeast. There are numerous other things you can put in your beer to produce various flavor profiles and characteristics, but we will keep this simple. Pick one of the books mentioned above to learn more. The malt you will use as a beginner will either be a malt extract in syrup or dry powder form. The syrup is generally less expensive to use. Malt extract is essentially a blend of complex sugars that the yeast will feed on. The waste product of yeast is alcohol which is why these little critters are so important. Hops are used as a preservative and to add the nice crisp bitterness found in some beers.

To brew, you will go through a process of boiling the malt extract and hops in water. Then you will cool the wort (the term used for the malt extract, water and hops mixture) and adding yeast to the cooled mixture.

So, what do I do for my first brew? The first step is to visit your local brew shop to pick up your brewing kit. The shop owner will typically allow you to choose one of a variety of pre-packaged beer kits with the purchase of your starter brewing kit. Speak to the shop owner about the kit and your expectations for flavor and alcohol content. He may recommend adding additional malt extract or hops to your batch.

So you made it home with your new toys. And you have either read the book that came with your kit or you just want to jump straight into brewing. What now?

Step 1: Get organized. Consider all the steps in your process for a few minutes and plan out your brew. The process will take several hours and the more organized you are the better utilized your time will be.

Step 2: Sanitize your equipment. This is a very important step and the author of any beginning book will express this strongly. Bacteria are a serious enemy of a good beer and contamination of your beer will provide you with some very unpalatable concoctions. A simple sanitizing solution consists of 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. A fifteen minute soak of your carboy, racking hoses, corks, air locks and funnel is sufficient. Be sure to rinse everything thoroughly. Minute amounts of chlorine in your finished beer can also create some very strange flavors. Detergents can also effect head retention, so if you like that bead of foam on your glass, rinse your equipment well.

While we are discussing chlorine, if you are using municipal water, you should use a carbon filter or boil your brewing water for about 15 minutes the day before you brew to get rid of the chlorine.

Step 3: Start your boil. Get out a large boiling pot and add at least 1 ½ gallons of water to it. The closer to boiling the full 5 gallon batch of beer the better. One reason for boiling is to sanitize your wort and the more of your water that you boil, the less chance of bacterial infection. If you are adding additional hops, the boil will also be used to extract the oils from the hops.

There is some trade off to larger boils. Larger boils take longer to get started. Large boils also take longer to cool and you will not want to add your yeast to your wort until it is below 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Open your beer kit or can of extract and add it to your water. Take a small amount of boiling water and rinse the can so you get all the syrup out.

Stir the wort and add heat. Stir periodically until the solution comes to a boil. This will help keep the wort from scorching.

Boil for fifteen minutes.

Step 4: Cool your wort. You should never poor hot wort directly into an empty glass carboy. The things will shatter. The more wort you boiled, the more important this step is. You can accomplish the cooling process by placing your boiling pot in a sink or bathtub full of ice. You will want to keep the pot covered during this process to help prevent contamination, but be sure your pot lid is sanitized. As the temperature of the wort drops it becomes more vulnerable to bacteria. The faster you can cool the wort the better.

If you boiled less than five gallons, you can put the difference in cool water directly into the carboy. Then you can add relatively hot wort to the cool water in the carboy. This will save you time off the cooling process. The cool water in the carboy will help cool the hot or warm wort.

While your wort is cooling, go to step 5.

Step 5: Prepare your yeast. If you have decided to use a pack of dry yeast, then at least 15 minutes before you are ready to add your yeast to the carboy, the yeast should be rehydrated. If you are carefully following sanitation, you should boil about 1 ½ cups of water for 5 - 10 minutes. Let the water cool to the desired temperature of 100 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Then add the yeast. The yeast should be allowed to stand in the water for 15 to 30 minutes before adding to the wort in the carboy. So, don't put the yeast in the carboy just yet.

If you are using liquid yeast such as White Labs, you do not need to do this step. Follow the instruction on the vial.

Step 6: Add your wort to the carboy and aerate. Poor the wort into the carboy. You will notice that the wort has particulate floating in it. The amount of particulate will vary with your ingredients such as additional hops that you added. Ideally, you want to prevent as much of this from entering your carboy as possible. Don't worry it too much though. There are many conflicting opinions on how detrimental this stuff, called trub (pronounced troob), is to the final taste of the beer. I have no real strong opinion on this and simply try to minimize the transfer as little trub as possible to the fermentation vessel.

There are a several methods to minimize the amount of trub entering your carboy. One method is to place a hop bag (a small mesh nylon bag used for placing hops in for boiling) in the mouth of the funnel as a filter. If you have used extra hops in the boil, you can place the hop bag (with the hop still in it) out of your wort and put it in the funnel for a filter. Then poor your wort over the hops and into the carboy.

The method I use is to rack or siphon the wort out of the boiling pot into the carboy. I use my racking cane and hose for siphoning. The racking cane his a rigid plastic tube with a curved end. There is a plastic cap on one end. The cap is about ¼ inch tall. The cap is designed to allow fluid to flow over its top and into the cane. So you lose about ¼ inch of wort, but this is generally where all the trub is anyway. You will lose a little of the wort regardless of the method you use.

As you are adding the wort to the carboy or after you have transferred all the wort to the carboy, aerate the wort. You can do this by rocking the carboy back and forth gently so that the wort splashes up the sides of the carboy. Yeast need oxygen in their early stages and aeration helps ensure a healthy start for your friends.

If you want to track your alcohol content, this is the point that you take a sample of the wort. Fill your site glass about ¾ full. Drop your hydrometer in the glass and take a reading.

Step 7: Pitch the yeast and put on the airlock. Make sure your wort has cooled to 78 degrees Fahrenheit or lower before adding or pitching your yeast. High pitching temperatures get the yeast to work faster, but the yeast will produce strange flavors if the temperature is excessively high. They will also die if they are extremely hot.

After you have aerated your wort for 5 or 10 minutes, pour the yeast into the carboy. Place the cork or carboy cap on the mouth of the carboy. Put the airlock in the hole in the cork or cap. Half fill the airlock with water or vodka. I recommend vodka in the airlock because bacteria are not likely to bother with it and it adds a layer of protection.

Step 8: Ferment for 10 days to 2 weeks. Put the fermenter in a cool dark spot. The temperature of fermentation is ideally between 60 and 70 degrees for most ales and between 45 and 55 degrees for most lagers. Try not to aerate the wort after the yeast has been added. Aeration, once fermentation begins, can cause cardboard like stale flavors. Light is another enemy of beer. Ultraviolet rays can cause skunky aromas in beer. So either keep the carboy in a closet or cover it with a dark towel.

In 24 to 48 hours, a krausen will form. This is a head of foam on top of the fermenting wort.

The most accurate method of determining if fermentation is complete is by taking a sample of the beer and checking it with a hydrometer. If the beer remains at the same specific gravity for a couple of days, it has most likely finished fermenting. There is a possibility that something went wrong and your yeast stopped working too soon, but this is unlikely if you follow the steps here or in your home brew book.

Another method of determining when fermentation is complete is to watch the rate at which the airlock bubbles. When fermentation is complete, the airlock will typically bubble once or twice a minute. However, keep in mind that depending on conditions, this method does not always provide definitive results.

Don't let your beer sit much longer than 2 weeks. After the yeast sediment on the bottom and all the sugars have been consumed, the risk of autolysis is present. Autolysis is a stage where yeast feed on each other. Autolysis produces some nasty, rubbery flavored, by products.

Step 9: Time to bottle. First, sanitize all the equipment that will come in contact with the beer. I sanitize my bottles by putting them in the dishwasher, with nothing else, and running the hot rinse and heat dry cycles. Before doing this, I inspect each bottle to make sure there are no foreign particles in them. If something is in them, I just brush them with a wet bottlebrush and rinse them out.

Sanitize your bottle caps to. I do this by bringing a small amount of water to a boil. Then throw the caps in the water and turn off the heat. Be careful about boiling caps. The liners may leak if damaged, and you'll have flat beer.

Boil ¾ cup of corn sugar in 1 pint of water for 5 - 10 minutes. This is your 'priming solution'. Poor the priming solution in the bottom of a sanitized 6 gallon food grade bucket.

Place your carboy on a counter top and your priming bucket on the floor below. Attach your siphon tubing to the short end of the racking cane. Make sure you have enough tubing to reach from the racking cane once it's in the carboy to the bottom of the priming bucket.

Then rack your beer from the carboy into the bucket. Don't start your siphon by sucking on the end of the tubing. If you have a carboy cap, put the racking cane through the large hole in the center. Remember to put the cane cap on it before you put the cane in the carboy. The cane cap prevents you from sucking mass quantities of yeast and leftover trub into the priming bucket. Place the carboy cap onto the carboy and push the racking cane all the way down into the bottom of the carboy. Blow gently on the small tube protruding from the carboy cap. This will start the siphon.

If you don't have a carboy cap, fill the tubing full of water. You can do this by trickling water from the faucet into the tubing. Place your thumb over the end of the tubing and then place the racking cane into the carboy. Then place the end of the tubing into the bottom of the bucket.

Be careful not to splash the beer. You want to avoid aeration in this step. While racking, remember to fill your sight glass so you can check your final gravity. Set the filled sight glass aside.

When you have finished racking the beer into the priming bucket, take the racking cane and tubing out of the carboy and place it in the bottling bucket. If you have a spigot on your bottling bucket you can skip this step and attach your tubing to the spigot. You may want to stir the primed beer to make sure that the priming sugar is well distributed. However, if you put the priming solution in before you racked the beer, it should be well mixed.

Put the bottle filler on the end of the tubing. The bottle filler is a straight rigid plastic tube with a small spring-loaded plug on the end of it. When you press the bottling cane down into the bottom of a bottle, the plug is pushed up and the beer will flow. When you lift the cane, the spring will force the plug to close off the flow. If you have a bucket with a spigot on it, you can now open the spigot and you are ready to bottle. If you are using the racking cane method, you will need to fill the tubing with water in order to get a siphon going.

Line your bottles up on the floor and place your pot with the bottle caps in it next to the bottles. Place the bottle filler in a bottle and press down. The bottle will begin to fill. Let the bottle fill all the way to rim. Then remove the filler. When you remove the filler there will be the appropriate amount of space at the top of the bottle. Place a sanitized bottle cap on top of the bottle. Fill the next bottle. Continue this until all your bottles are filled.

Then begin crimping your caps starting with the bottle filled first. During the bottle fill process, some CO2 will escape from the beer. You may here the bottle caps dancing a little and sometimes one will pop off. This is a good step because the CO2 will force any oxygen out of the head space before crimping the caps.

Caution: Do not cap under filled bottles. On a standard long neck, the beer level should be at least half way up the neck. Under filled bottles have a danger of exploding because of the pressure build up on CO2.

Wipe each bottle clean after capping. You will have some spillage during bottling.

Put your bottles in a dark location.

Step 10: Wait as patiently as you can. This is the tough part. You should let your beer bottle condition for at least 2 weeks and preferably 4 weeks. The yeast will most likely ferment the priming sugar within the first 3 days. However, it can take several weeks for the CO2 to dissolve into the beer. Don't panic if your beer is still a little flat after 4 weeks. I have had some beers, stouts in particular, that have taken two months to carbonate fully.

Step 11: Sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. When you pour your bottle conditioned beer, poor slowly. There will be yeast sediment in the bottom of the bottles. You want to be careful to minimize its disturbance. Don't worry if you do disturb it, it will just make your beer cloudy. Watch the bottle as you pour and if you are careful, when you have poured all but an ounce or two, you will see the sediment begin to move toward the neck. Continue to pour until the yeast begins to reach the rim. Stop pouring before the yeast begins to exit the bottle. Now enjoy that wonderful beer that you brewed.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:50 PM

BEER BREWING GLOSSARY OF TERMS

A
acetaldehyde flavor
Green apple-like aroma; by-product of fermentation.

acrospire
The acrospire is the shoot of a barley plant that develops during the germination stage of the malting process.

achroodextrins
Simple dextrins, from the reduction of starch by alpha amylase. Negative reaction with iodine.

acidic flavor
Pungent aroma, sharp taste. Can be like vinegar (acetic) or lemony (citric or lactic acid). Often the result of bacterial contamination or the use of citric acid. Sensation experienced on the sides of the tongue. Also known as sour flavor.

acid rest
A stage of the mashing process that allows the enzyme phytase to convert phytic acid to phosphoric acid to acidify the mash. During this rest the mash is held at about 95° F (35° C). Lowers the pH of the mash, but also increases the mineral content and producing more accessible sources of nutrients for the yeast.

acidulation
Process of acidifying the mash with enzymes. Temperature range: 86 to 128° F (30-53° C) See acid rest.

adjunct
Any grain added to barley malt for beer making, especially rice, corn, unmalted wheat and unmalted barley. These adjuncts must be gelatinized before mashing. They must be used with a high diastatic powered barley malt to insure diastatic enzymes.

adsorption
Physical process involving adherence of particles to one another, at the microscopic level. Important in fining and other processes.

aerate
To saturate with atmospheric air or oxygen into solution.

aerobic
Requiring oxygen for metabolism or a reaction.

agar
A gelatinous solidifying agent used as a culturing medium for microbial analysis or isolation.

albumin
A group of soluble proteins that remain in beer, affecting head retention and stability.

alcohol
A synonym for ethyl alcohol or ethanol, the type found in fermented beverages.

alcoholic flavor
The general effect of ethanol and higher alcohols, warming.

alcohol by volume
A measurement of the alcohol content of a solution in terms of the percentage volume of alcohol per volume of water or beer. To approximately calculate the volumetric alcohol content, subtract the terminal gravity from the original gravity and divide the result by 7.5. Abbrev: v/v.

alcohol by weight
A measurement of the alcohol content of a solution in terms of the percentage weight of alcohol per volume of water or beer. The percent of alcohol by weight figure is approximately 20% lower than the "by volume" figure because alcohol weighs less than its equivalent volume of water. Abbrev: w/v.

aldehydes
An organic compound that is a precursor to ethanol in a normal beer fermentation. In the presence of excess air, this reaction can be reversed by oxidation which imparts papery/woody flavors.

ale
Any beer produced with top-fermenting or ale yeast.

ale yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation temperatures between 55 - 70 °F (13 - 21 °C).

aleurone layer
The enzyme and pentosan-bearing layer enveloping and inseparable from the malt endosperm.

alkalinity
A measure water hardness, expressed as ppm of calcium carbonate.

all-grain beer
A beer made entirely from malt as opposed to one made from malt extract, or from malt extract and malted barley.

alpha acid
The bitter component of hops that can be made soluble when isomerized by boiling. Given in percentage of alpha acid, which may be used to estimate the amount of bitterness in beer. See HBU and IBU.

alpha-amylase
An enzyme that breaks down starch into smaller molecules by splitting the chains from the center. It produces glucose, maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose and long dextrin chains. Until these longer chains are broken into one to three molecule long glucose chains they are not fermentable. This process is called liquefaction or dextrinization. Alpha amylase is most active at temperatures between 131-158 °F (55-70 °C).

alt or altbier
German type of beer made from top fermenting yeast, like Kolsch or Dusseldorfer.

ambient temperature
The surrounding temperature.

amino acids
A group of organic chemicals that form the building blocks of protein. Important in yeast nutrition.

amylodextrin
The most complex dextrin from hydrolysis of starch with diastase. Positive reaction with iodine.

amylopectin
Paste-forming, branched chain of native starch that is soluble in water.

amylolysis
The enzymatic reduction of starch to soluble fractions.

amylose
Straight chain of native starch that is soluble in water. Usually reduced to dextrins and various sugars by diastatic enzymes during mashing.

anaerobic
Metabolism or reaction that can function without the presence of oxygen.

anion
An electro-negative ion.

aqueous
Pertaining to, similar to, containing or dissolved in water.

ASBC
American Society of Brewing Chemists. Standards-setting organization for beer analysis in North America.

ascorbic acid
Vitamin C, sometimes added sparingly to beer in later stages as an antioxidant.

astringent flavor
Drying, puckering (like chewing on a grape skin) feeling often associated with sourness. Tannin. Most often derived from boiling grains, long mashes, over-sparging or sparging with alkaline water.

attempter
To regulate or moderate fermentation temperature, as by maintaining ambient temperature cooler than the fermentation temperature.

attenuation
Reduction of the extract density by fermentation in finished beer. Apparent attenuation can be calculated by subtracting the difference between the original gravity and the final gravity. Real attenuation can be estimated by multiplying the apparent attenuation by 0.816.

autolysis
Self-digestion and disintegration of yeast cells in nutrient-depleted solutions. This can impart "soapy" off-flavors if beer is allowed to sit too long on the dead yeast.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:51 PM

B
bacteria
A group of unicellular microorganisms lacking chlorophyll and reproducing rapidly by simple fission. Are known to be responsible for the spoilage and contamination of beer. There are no known pathogenic bacteria that can grow in beer.

bacteriostatic
Bacteria inhibiting.

°balling
A standard European measurement of the density of solutions, calibrated on the weight of cane sugar in solution. Measured in degrees.

barley
A cereal of the genus Hordeum, a member of the Gramineae or grass family of plants that also includes wheat, rye, oats, maize, rice, millet and sorghum. There are two varieties (2-row, 6-row) classified according to the number of rows of seeds on each of the heads of the plant. When malted, barley is the cereal grain preferred for brewing because the seed is covered by a husk that protects the germ during malting and helps to filter the wort during lautering by forming a filter bed. The essential qualities for brewing barley are high starch content, sufficient diastatic power to transform the starch into sugar, and low protein content.

barleycorn
Seed of the barley plant.

barley malt
Processed barley. See barley and malt.

barrel
Standard unit in commercial brewing. U.S. barrel is 31.5 gallons; British barrel is 43.2 U.S. gallons. Abbreviation; bbl.

beta-amylase
An enzyme that bleaks down starches into smaller chains by chopping off maltose molecules from the end. This process is called saccharification because it produces fermentable sugars. Beta-amylase is most active at temperatures between 113-149 °F (45-65 °C).

beerstone
Brownish-gray, calcium oxalate and organic deposits left on fermentation equipment.

beer
Generic term that describes any fermented beverage made from barley malt or other cereal grains. Originally denoted products containing hops instead of other herbs. From the Latin bibere meaning to drink

beta glucans
A group of gummy carbohydrates in malt. Some varieties can cause problems with runoff, and during fermentation.

bitterness
A desirable flavor quality created by the isohumulones of hops. See HBU and IBM.

bitter flavor
Basic taste associated with hops; braun-hefe or malt husks. Sensation experienced on the back of the tongue.

body
A quality of beer, largely determined by the presence of colloidal protein complexes. Also partially due to the presence of unfermentable sugars (dextrins) in the finished beer.

bottle-capper
A device used for capping (sealing) beer bottles, usually with crown seals.

break
The sudden precipitation of proteins and resins in wort. The hot break occurs during the boil, and the cold break occurs during rapid chilling.

brew
To make beer.

brewer
A person who makes beer. From the Gallic word brai (or brace) originally meaning barley, and later barley mixed with water.

buffer
A substance capable of resisting changes in the pH of a solution.

bung
Wooden plug for beer barrel or cask.

burton salts
Mixture of minerals added to brewing water to approximate the water of Burton-on-Trent, England, famous for the production of pale ales.

buttery flavor
Described as buttery or butterscotch. Sometimes caused by abbreviated fermentation, mutated yeast or bacteria. Also known as diacetyl flavor.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:51 PM

C
cabbage-like flavor
Aroma and flavor due to long lag times and wort spoilage bacteria that arise from contamination. Also known as cooked vegetable-like flavor.

campden tablets
Pellets of sodium metabisulphite used as infection-inhibiting agent. Not technically a sterilizer. Used more in wine, mead, and cider making than brewing.

carmelization
The heat-induced browning of sugars, different from the Maillard reactions in malt kilning.

Cara-Pils
Trade name for a specially processed malt used to add body to pale beers. Similar to crystal but not roasted. Also called dextrin malt.

carbohydrates
Complex organic compounds that form the majority of the barley malt. Carbohydrates include insoluble cellulose, soluble hemicellulose, starch and sugars.

carbonates
Alkaline salts whose anions are derived from carbonic acid.

carbonation
The process of injecting or dissolving carbon dioxide gas in a liquid to create an effervescence of pleasant taste and texture. In beer making, one of three methods is used:

1. injecting the finished beer with the carbon dioxide collected for this purpose during the primary fermentation.
2. kraeusening, or adding young fermenting beer to finished beer to induce a renewed fermentation.
3. priming (adding sugar) to fermented beer prior to bottling or to each bottle prior to capping to create a secondary fermentation within the bottle. Sealed in the bottle or container it creates carbon dioxide gas which, being trapped, dissolves in the beer.

carbon dioxide
One of the two main end products in fermentation of beer by yeast. The source of the effervescence in beer. Also written as CO2. See carbonation above.

carboy
A large, narrow-necked glass, plastic or earthenware bottle used to ferment beer or wine. Available in 2, 5, 6.5, and 7-gallon sizes.

carrageen
Another name for Irish moss.

cation
Electro-positive ion.

cellulose
An insoluble carbohydrate found in the husk of barley.

celsius
European thermometer scale, formerly called centigrade. Abbreviated °C.
To convert °Celsius to °Fahrenheit: °C=(°F - 32) x 5/9

cereal
Broad term for a group of grass plant species cultivated as food grains, where as barley is one.

chill haze
Haze caused by precipitation of protein-tannin compounds at cold temperatures. Does not affect flavor. Reduce proteins or tannins in brewing.

chill-proof
Cold fermentation to precipitate chill-haze.

chit malt
A type of malt sometimes used in Europe, which is malted for a very short time, and thus highly under-modified.

chlorophenolic flavor
Caused by chemical combination of chlorine and organics. Detectable in parts per billion. Aroma is unique but similar to plastic-like phenolic. Avoid using chlorinated water.

chocolate (malt)
Medium-brown roasted malt.

closed fermentation
Fermentation under anaerobic conditions, to minimize risk of contamination and oxidation.

cold break
Rapid precipitation of proteins, which occurs when boiled wort is rapidly chilled.

coliform
Water-borne bacteria, often associated with pollution.

colloid
A gelatinous substance-in-solution. Beer is considered a colloid, as is gelatin. Many reactions in beer involve the colloidal state, especially those affecting haze and head stability.

conditioning
The process of maturation of beer, whether in bottles or in kegs. During this phase, complex sugars are slowly fermented, carbon dioxide is dissolved, and yeast settles out.

cone
The part of the hop plant used in brewing, consisting of the flowers.

conversion
The enzymatic transformation of starches into various fermentable and unfermentable sugars that occurs during the mashing process.

cooked vegetable-like flavor
Aroma and flavor due to long lag times and wort spoilage bacteria that arise from contamination. Also known as cabbage-like flavor.

copper
The brewing kettle, named for its traditional material of construction.

cornelius keg
Kegs commonly used in home brewing. Stainless steel canisters once used for soft drinks. They can be found in 3, 5, and 10 gallon sizes with two types of connector, pin-lock or ball-lock.

corn sugar
Also called dextrose or glucose. A simple sugar sometimes used in beer making, derived from corn.

couch
A heap of steeped barley that is cast on the malting floor for germination.

crown cap
A metal cap with a cork or plastic lining and a crown-shaped contour (skirt) which is crimped around the mouth of a bottle to form an airtight seal that retains carbon dioxide gas.

crush
A procedure used to break grain in to small pieces while maintaining the integrity of the barley husk.

crystal malt
A specially processed type of malt that is used to add body and caramel color and flavor to amber and dark beers. Comes in several shades of color (10 - 220° Lovibond)

CWT
Abbreviation for hundredweight. An English unit of weight equal to 112 pounds.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:52 PM

D
decoction
To extract by boiling. This continental mashing technique takes the mash through a series of controlled temperature stages by removing a portion of the mash, bringing this mixture to a boil and returning it back to main portion of the mash. Each successive step or decoction is used to raise the temperature of the main mash. This type of mash typically employs two or three decoction steps that correspond to temperature rests employed by other mashing methods. Decoction mashing typically achieves an extremely high rate of extraction and increased amount of malt character. Decoction mashing is a historical method of achieving starch conversion before the existence of the thermometer.

density
The measurement of the weight of a solution, as compared with the weight of an equal volume of pure water.

dextrin, dextrine
Unfermentable carbohydrates that contribute to full body in beer.

dextrose
Also called glucose or corn sugar. A simple sugar, easily fermented by yeast.

diacetyl flavor
Described as buttery or butterscotch. Sometimes caused by abbreviated fermentation, mutated yeast or bacteria. Also known as buttery flavor.

diastase
The term used to refer to all enzymes in barley and malt involved in the conversion of starch to sugar during mashing.

diastatic power
An analytical measurement in °Lintner of the starch conversion enzymes present in malt or other grains. Also known as diastatic activity.

diatomaceous earth (DE)
Micro fine single-cell fossil material made of almost pure silica, used in the filtering of beer.

diketone
Aromatic, volatile, compound perceivable in minute concentration, from yeast or pediococcus metabolism. Most significantly the butter flavor of diacetyl.

DMS flavor
Dimethyl sulfide. A sweet corn-like aroma. Can be attributed to malt, short, covered or non-vigorous boiling of the wort, slow wort chilling, or in extreme cases, bacterial contamination.

disaccharide
Sugars formed by the combination of two simple sugar units (monosaccharides). Maltose is an example.

double mashing
A procedure in which two separate mashes are mashed-in simultaneously. The first is all malt and is comprised of about 90 percent of the recipe's total malt and is raised to 122° F (50° C). The second mash consists of the remainder of the recipe's malt and all of the adjuncts. This mash is brought up to 158° F (70° C) and held for about 15 minutes to allow alpha amylase action to occur. The adjunct mash is then boiled for about 20 minutes and added to the main mash so the resulting temperature is 158° F (70° C). Double mashing ensures the adjunct starch is completely converted.

doughing-in
The gradual addition of water to crushed malt to create a uniformly moistened grain and water solution. Doughing-in is used to prevent the formation of dry spots in the mash.

draff
The solid material, spent grains remaining in the lauter tun after sparging.

draft, draught
Beer from a cask or a keg, as opposed to bottled beer. Draft beer stored (usually under pressure) in metal kegs is often non-pasteurized and minimally or not filtered.

dry-hopping
A method of adding hops directly to the secondary, to increase hop aroma without adding bitterness.

dunkel
German word for "dark," as in dark beer. Usually refers to Munich dark style.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:52 PM

E
EBC
European Brewing Convention. Continental standards-setting organization for brewing.

effervescence
The bubbling-up or fizz in beer caused by dissolved carbon dioxide gas. See carbonation, carbon dioxide.

endosperm
The starchy middle of a cereal grain that serves as the nutrientional reserve for the seed. It is the source of fermentable material for brewing. The endosperm of barley is hard and is described as "steely" in its original or unmodified state.

entire
Old term meaning to combine the first, middle, and last runnings into one batch of beer.

enzymes
Proteins that act as catalysts for most reactions. In brewing enzymes are involved in starch conversion, proteolysis, and yeast metabolism. Enzymes can be affected by conditions such as temperature, time, and pH.

epsom salts
Magnesium sulfate. A common mineral found in water, it is sometimes used to increase the magnesium content of water and make the water hard.

erythrodextrin
Tasteless intermediate dextrin. Positive reaction with iodine.

essential oil
The aromatic volatile liquid of the hop.

estery flavor
Similar to banana, pear, raspberry, apple or strawberry flavor, may include other fruits. Often accentuated by high fermentation temperatures and certain yeast strains. Also known as fruity flavor.

ethanol
The two carbon alcohol found in beer.

extract
Term used to refer to sugars derived from malt. Also, the commercially prepared syrups or dried products.

extract efficiency
The yield of fermentable sugar from the mash. This can be measured directly as degrees of specific gravity per gallon of wort, or as an absolute percentage of dry grain weight.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:53 PM

F
FAN
Free Amino Nitrogen. Type of protein break down products in the wort. Amino acids and smaller molecules are included. A great nutritional source for yeast.

fahrenheit
A thermometer scale in which the freezing point of water is 32° and the boiling point is 212°. Abbreviated °F. To convert °Fahrenheit to °Celsius: °F=(°C x 9/5) + 32

false bottom
A perforated plate or screen set above the bottom of the lauter/mash tun to separate grain from the mash liquor. Aids in filtering back the grain during siphoning and sparging.

farinator
A hand-operated device used to slice barley kernels in the middle to allow the maltster to determine the degree of malt modification.

fermentation
The chemical conversion of fermentable sugars in the wort into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide gas, by yeast, resulting in a drop in the specific gravity of the beer as the alcohol content increases.

fermentation lock
A one-way valve attached to a fermenter to allow carbon dioxide gas to escape while excluding ambient wild yeasts, bacteria and contaminants. It can also serves as a guide to the fermentation process.

fermenter
A generic name for any open or closed vessel in which fermentation takes place.

fining
A procedure used by brewers to clarify beer with the use of gelatin, Irish moss or isinglass.

flaked
Grains that have been moistened and pressed or rolled into flakes. Flaked grains are gelatinized during the flaking process and can be added directly to the mash.

flocculation
The formation of clumps or masses. Usually referring to yeast in later stages of fermentation. Can also be used referring to proteins in a cold or hot break.

flour
Finely ground grain meal. The intentional use of flour is rare in brewing.

flour mill
This type of grain mill employs one rotating and one fixed plate to grind grain which is forced between the plates by a rotating screw auger. The degree of grinding can be adjusted from a fine flour to a coarse grist by adjusting the distance between the plates. These mills grind rather than crush and do not leave husks entirely intact. Example: Corona mill.

fructose
A highly fermentable monosaccharide that occurs naturally in malt and honey but mostly fruit.

fruity flavor
Similar to banana, pear, raspberry, apple or strawberry flavor, may include other fruits. Often accentuated by high fermentation temperatures and certain yeast strains. Also known as estery flavor.

fusel alcohol, oils
Higher, more complex alcohols, found in all fermented beverages.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:53 PM

G
galactose
A type of hexose sugar occurring in small quantities in beer, fermented very slowly by yeast.

gelatin
Used in beer making as a fining agent. See Fining.

gelatinization
A process during which starch molecules break apart as a result of heating. The gelatinized starch is in a colloidal state, making it soluble in water and accessible for enzymatic conversion into sugars.

germ
The embryo of a cereal grain.

germination
Characterized by acrospire and rootlet growth. Germination initiates enzyme development and conversion of barley to malt.

globulin
An important protein group present in barley and in beer. It is the prime component in chill haze.

glucophilic
Glucose "loving" usually used in referring an organism that thrives on glucose, such as yeast.

glucose
It is a highly fermentable sugar (monosaccharide) also known as dextrose or corn sugar.

grain bag
Bags with an open weave made from cloth or synthetic fabrics used to contain grains during mashing sparging or steeping.

grain bed
The grain bed is formed by the collection of grist particles and grain husks on top of the false bottom of the lauter/mash tun. Once established the grain bed allows for the separation of the clear wort from the spent grains during sparging.

grain bill
The list of grains and their amounts used for a particular recipe.

grain mill
A device used to crush grain into small pieces and to separate the grain from the husk. Grain mills use hammers and rotating plates or rollers to crack or grind the grain while leaving the husk largely intact.

gravity
Specific gravity. Density of a solution as compared to water; expressed in grams per milliliter. One milliliter of water weighs one gram. S.G.=1.000.

grind
A term often used synonymously with "crush".

grist
The entire quantity of grain used in the mash.

grits
Ground degermed corn or rice used in brewing.

grits
Processed grain that has undergone husk, bran and germ removal. Grits are generally ungelatinized.

gruit
A medieval herb mixture used in beer.

gueuze
A Belgian ale, uniquely fermented with wild yeasts. Final product is made by blending old and young beers.

gyle
The wort before the yeast is pitched.

gypsum
Calcium sulphate (CaSO4). Very common in water. Often used as a water additive to correct water chemistry or duplicate the water of a particular region. It also can be used to acidify the mash and inhibit the deactivation of alpha-amylase by high temperatures.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:54 PM

H
HBU
Homebrew Bittering Unit. Measure of amount of hop bitterness added to beer. Alpha acids x ounces / gallons.

hardness
A common measurement of water mineral levels in the water supply, expressed as parts-per-million. Temporary hardness is determined by the concentration of carbonate and bicarbonate. The hardness that carbonate and bicarbonate ions contribute is temporary because carbonate and bicarbonate are precipitated when water is boiled. Permanent hardness is determined by the amount of calcium and magnesium ions present in the water.

head
Foam on the surface of beer or fermenting wort.

helles
German word for "light," denoting a pale Munich style.

hexose
Sugar molecules of six carbon atoms. Glucose, fructose, lactose, mannose, galactose.

highly modified malt
Highly modified malt contains few complex proteins many free amino acids and has a large amount of soluble starch available for conversion. The presence of free amino acids in the wort aids yeast growth. The absence of complex proteins also reduces the likelihood of haze problems in the finished product.

homebrewer
One who brews beer for personal consumption.

homebrewing
The art of making beer at home. In the United States, homebrewing was legalized by President Carter on February 1, 1979, by an act of Congress introduced by Alan Cranston. The Cranston Bill allows a single person to brew up to 100 gallons of beer annually for personal enjoyment and up to 200 gallons in a household of two persons or more aged 18 and older.

homofermentive
Organisms that metabolize only one specific carbon source.

hop(s)
A perennial climbing vine, also known by the Latin botanical name of Humulus lupulus, a member of the natural family of Cannabinaceae. Only the female ripened flower is used to give beer its bitterness and characteristic aroma.

hop back
A strainer tank used in commercial brewing to filter hops and trub from boiled wort before it is chilled.

hoppy flavor
Characteristic odor of the essential hop oils. Does not include hop bitterness.

hordein
One of the two principal protein groups of barley. It is largely broken down into amino acids during mashing.

hot break
The rapid coagulation of proteins and resins, assisted by the hops, which occurs after a sustained period of boiling.

hot liquor tank
The vessel used to hold the hot water used for brewing steps, like sparging.

humulene
One of the most plentiful of the many oils which give hops their characteristic aroma.

husk
The protective outer layer surrounding a seed. The barley husk is important to the mashing process because it helps form the filtering grain bed. For this reason special care should be taken during grain crushing not to shred or pulverize the husks.

husky flavor
Drying, puckering (like chewing on a grape skin) feeling often associated with sourness. Tannin. Most often derived from boiling grains, long mashes, over-sparging or sparging with alkaline water. Also known as astringent flavor.

hydrolysis
The reaction of the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates into soluble fractions by either acids or enzymes in water.

hydrometer
A glass instrument for measuring the specific gravity of liquids as compared to that of water, consisting of a graduated stem resting on a weighted float. Most hydrometers are calibrated for use at 60ºF and tables or charts are provided listing corrections for variations in temperature. The accuracy of a hydrometer is tested in water at 60ºF where it should read 1.000.

hydroxide
A compound, usually alkaline, containing the OH (hydroxyl) group.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:54 PM

I
IBU
International Bittering Unit. The accepted method of expressing hop bitterness in beer. PPM of dissolved iso-alpha acids present in beer.

infusion
Mash technique of the simplest type used to make all kinds of English ales and stouts. Features a single temperature rest, rather than a series of gradually increasing steps common in other mashing styles.

infusion mash
A single-step single-temperature method employed to mash highly modified malt. During an infusion mash the temperature of the mash is maintained between 150 and 158 °F 1(66 and 70 °C) for one half to one hour for the saccharification rest. This mash technique of the simplest type used to make ales and stouts.

inoculate
The introduction of a microbe into surroundings capable of supporting its growth. See pitching.

iodine test
A procedure used to determine whether starch conversion has been completed. An iodine solution turns dark blue or black in the presence of unconverted starch. Total saccharification causes no change in the color of the iodine.

ion
An electrically charged component of a molecule, which may be one atom, or a combination of atoms. When calcium sulphate, CaSO4, is dissolved in water, it breaks into the ions Ca++, and S04.

irish moss
A marine algae, Chrondus crispus, that is used during wort boiling to enhance the hot break. Also known as carrageen.

isinglass
A type of gelatin obtained from the swim bladder of certain types of fish (usually sturgeon), used as a fining agent in ales.

isomer
Organic compounds of identical composition and molecular weight, but having a different molecular structure.

isomerization
The structural chemical change that takes place in hop bittering resin (alpha-acids) which allows them to become soluble in wort during boiling.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:55 PM

K
kettle
The boiling vessel, also known as a copper.

Kieselguhr
Diatomaceous earth, a powder of microscopic fossils, used to filter beer.

kilning
The process of drying germinated barley. Kilning terminates the germination process and roasts the grain. The degree of kilning determines the final characteristics of the malt being produced. The lowest temperature and duration kilnings provide a light straw-colored malt. Higher temperatures and longer kilning produce specialty malts like roast, chocolate or black patent.

kolsch
A style of ale made in the city of Koln (Cologne).

kraeusen
The period of fermentation characterized by a rich foam head.

kraeusening
The practice of adding vigorously fermenting young beer to beer in the secondary.

kriek
Cherry Belgian lambic ale.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:55 PM

L
lactic acid
An organic acid sometimes used to assist the acidification of the mash. Also, a by-product of Lactobacillus.

Lactobacillus
Large class of aerobic bacteria. May be either a spoilage organism, or a consciously added fermenting agent in Kolsch, or Berliner weisse.

lactophilic
An organism that metabolizes lactate more readily than glucose.

lactose
A disaccharide derived from milk. Unfermentable by yeast, it is used as a sweetener in milk stout.

lager
"To store." A long, cold period of subdued fermentation and sedimentation to active (primary) fermentation. Any beer produced with bottom-fermenting or lager yeast.

lager yeast
Saccharomyces uvarum Fermentation temperatures between 33 - 50 °F (1 - 10 °C).

lambic
A highly distinctive wheat ale made in Belgium. Brewed with wild yeast and beer souring bacteria. Lambics have a sharp, tart taste, and usually flavored with fruit.

lauter
The thin mash after saccharification; the sweet mash liquor.

lauter tun
A vessel used to separate spent grains or draff from the lauter. This vessel is typically fitted with a false bottom that holds the grain bed during sparging. Also called the sparging vessel.

light-struck flavor
Having the characteristic smell of a skunk, caused by exposure to light. Some hops can have a very similar character.

lintner
The commonly used European standard measurement of diastatic activity. Expressed in °Lintner.

lipids
Fatty substances that compose about 3 percent of malt.

lipids
Fat like substances, especially triacylglycerols and fatty acids that composes about 3 percent of the malt. Affects the ability of beer to form a foam head. Upon decomposition can contribute to stale flavors.

liquor
The name given in the brewing to water used for mashing and brewing.

lock
Small water-filled device used on a carboy. See fermentation lock.

lovibond
A standard scale for the measurement of grain wort and beer color. A particular sample is characterized with a Lovibond rating by comparing it to a standard liquid reference sample. Malt is as signed a Lovibond rating by producing a sample wort from a single malt grist and comparing the result to the standard color reference samples. Expressed in °Lovibond.

lupulin
The resiny substance in hops containing all the resins and aromatic oils.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:56 PM

M

maillard reactions
Complex chemical reactions of carbohydrates and amino acids which occur during the roasting of malt. Responsible for the production of melanoidins and many different roasted flavors. Also called maillard browning.

malt
Barley that has been processed for the purpose of converting the insoluble starch to the soluble substances and sugars. Three factors determine the quality of malt:
1-its protein content must be as low as possible,
2-its starch content must be as high as possible,
3-its germinative power must be superior.

malting
The process of converting barley into malt. The process is divided into three stages: 1-steeping the barley in water until a designated moisture content has been reached, 2-germinating the wet barley under controlled conditions, 3-kilning the germinated barley (green malt) to dry it and/or roast it.

malt extract
Concentrated preparations of wort. Available as syrup or powder, in a wide range of colors, hopped or unhopped.

malto-dextrin
Purified long-chain unfermentable sugar (dextrin). Used as an additive in extract beers, to add body. Isomaltose, amylodextrin

maltose
A disaccharide of two glucose molecules, and the primary fermentable sugar obtained from mashing malt. One-third the sweetness of sucrose.

maltotetraose
An unfermentable polysaccharide or dextrin consisting of four molecules of glucose derived from mashing.

maltotriose
A slowly fermentable trisaccharide consisting of three molecules of glucose derived from mashing.

marzen
Type of German lager brewed in March for consumption during Oktoberfest. Slightly darker and stronger than standard pale lager.

mashing
The process of enzymatically extracting and converting malt solubles to wort. Mashing involves combining crushed malt grain and water at various temperatures to induce enzymatic activities.

mash in
The combination of crushed grain with water in the mash tun to form a solution. See doughing in.

mash schedule
The temperature schedule for rests are used to activating desired enzymes in mashing. Examples are mash in, acid rest, protein rest, saccharification rest and mash out.

mash out
The final stage of decoction and step mashing. During the mash out the mash temperature is raised to 168 °F (76 °C) and allowed to rest for five minutes. This procedure is used to terminate enzymatic activity and to improve the flow of the sugar solution during lautering.

mash tun
A vessel used to hold the grain and water mixture during the mashing process. Mash tuns come in a variety of styles to accommodate various mashing methods. Usually fitted with false bottoms allow for use as combination mash/lauter tuns.

mead
Wine made from honey, sometimes with the addition of malt, fruit, s***es, etc.

metallic flavor
Caused by exposure to metal or from minerals in the water. Also described as tinny, coins, bloodlike.

melanoidins
Group of complex color compounds formed by heating sugars and starches in the presence of proteins. Created in brewing during grain roasting and wort boiling.

milling
Term for grain grinding or crushing.

millival
Measurement of chemicals or minerals expressed relative to actual numbers of molecules rather than weight. This allows calculations of equivalent amounts involved in reactions, which can then be converted back to actual weight.

modification
The degree to which malting has been allowed to breakdown proteins and starch during the process of germination. More modification means less nitrogen, and more accessible starch. Also as the grain is modified the hard steely endosperm becomes friable or mealy.

mole
Gram-molecular weight. The sum of the atomic weights of all the atoms of any molecule, in grams.

monosaccharide
Simple sugars, such as glucose, having only one sugar unit.

mouth feel
Sensory qualities of a beverage other than flavor, such as body and carbonation.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:56 PM

N
nitrogen
Element used as a measure of protein level in malt. Important in a free amino state as a yeast nutrient.

nitrogen gas
Used to pressurize stouts to give a rich creamy head.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:57 PM

O
oast house
Facility where hops are dried and processed.

oktoberfest
1-A beer festival held annually in Münich's Theresienwiese (Theresa's Meadow) for sixteen days and nights in late September and early October. The festival originated with the wedding festivities of the Bavarian heir prince Ludwig to the princess Theresa in 1810. 2-A bottom-fermented Vienna- or Marzen-style beer originally brewed especially for the Oktoberfest but now available year round.

oligosaccharides
Sugars of more than three molecules, less complex than dextrins. They are intermediate fractions that occur during the reduction of starch during mashing and are not fermentable by yeast.

original gravity (OG)
Specific gravity of wort before fermentation has started.

oxidation
Chemical reaction that occurs between oxygen and various components in beer resulting off-flavor.

oxidized flavor
Develops in the presence of oxygen as the beer ages or is exposed to high temperatures; winey, wet cardboard, papery, rotten vegetable, pineapple, sherry, baby diapers. Often coupled with an increase in sour, harsh, or astringent taste. Also known as stale flavor.

oxygen
Element important in yeast metabolism, especially during the first stage of growth. Also causes problems in long term storage in beer containers.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:57 PM

P

parti-gyle
Antiquated brewhouse practice in England. First and strongest runnings become strong ale, second runnings become ordinary beer, and the last and weakest runnings become small beer. Useful technique for no sparge mashing where the last runnings is used for yeast starters.

pasteurization
The process of sterilizing by heat.

pectin
A chain of galacturonic acid that becomes gelatinous in the presence of sugars and acids.

pentosans
Pentose-based complex carbohydrates, found in barley as gums.

pentose
A group of simple sugars having five carbon molecules. Monosaccharides from the decomposition of pentosans, unfermentable by yeast. Includes arabinose and xylose.

peptidase
This proteolytic enzyme works to break large and medium-sized protein molecules into amino acids. It is less thermal stable than protease so it is denatured quickly at higher temperatures. Most effective around 122 °F (50 °C).

peptide
Short fragment of proteins consisting of between two and 30 amino acid molecules bound by peptide links. Peptides enhance the fullness of beer.

peptonization
Alternate name for proteolysis.

pH
A numerical measurement of acidity or alkalinity determined by the presence of hydrogen ions. The pH scale ranges in values from one to 14 with seven being neutral. A pH of lower than seven indicates acidity or the presence of more hydrogen ions. The lower the pH number, the higher the concentration of hydrogen ions and the stronger the acidity of the solution. Numbers above seven represent alkalinity with 14 representing the strongest alkali solution.

pH meter
An instrument with a digital display that measures, calculates and displays the pH of a solution. This device must be calibrated with a solution of known pH. A properly calibrated pH meter is more accurate than pH paper because visual comparison of color is not required.

pH paper
Chemically treated strips used to measure the pH of a solution. The strips change color in response to the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The degree of color on the strip is compared to a standard scale to determine the level of acidity or alkalinity.

phenols
Aromatic hydroxyl precursors of tannins (polyphenols).

phenolic flavor
Can be any one or a combination of medicinal. plastic, electrical fire, Listerine-like, Band-Aid-like, smoky or clovelike aromas and flavors. Most often caused by wild yeast or bacterial contaminations. Can be extracted from grains, sanitizing residues left in brewing equipment can contribute.

phosphates
These molecules are the source of phytic acid created during malting and during decoction or step infusion mashes. They contribute to the acidulation of the mash.

phytase
An enzyme that reduces the mash pH by creating phytic acid from the phytin of the malt. This aids saccharification, wort clarification and fermentation.

pitching
Inoculating wort with a yeast starter to begin fermentation.

plato
European and American scale of gravity based on a percentage of pure sugar in the wort. A newer, more accurate version of the Balling scale. Expressed as °Plato.

polyclar
The trade name for a material used to clear beer. Consists of microscopic plastic beads that remove chill-haze by adsorption.

polymer
Chemical molecule made of the repetition of smaller basic units. Examples in brewing are polyphenols, polysaccharides and polypeptides.

polypeptide
Chain of amino acids. Includes proteins and other polymers of peptides.

polyphenols
Polyphenols are derived from the husk and are acidic precursors of tannins. These molecules can give beer an astringent taste. Polyphenol extraction can be reduced by keeping the pH of the mash between 5.0 and 5.5. Polyphenols form complexes with proteins and are the cause of chill haze.

polysaccharide
Polymers of simple sugars. Includes a range from complex sugars through dextrins, up to starches. Polysaccharides are reduced to monosaccharides by hydrolysis in mashing.

PPB
Parts per billion. 1 microgram per liter.

PPM
Parts per million. 1 milligram per liter.

precipitation
A process, involving a material coming out of solution such as in a cold or hot break.

precursor
A substance from which another substance is derived.

primary fermentation
The first stage of fermentation. Initial rapid stage of yeast activity when the simple sugars in the wort are metabolized.

primary fermenter
The vessel in which primary fermentation is carried out.

priming
The process of adding sugar to beer before bottling or racking to kegs. Induces fermentation to carbonate the beer (bottle condition).

protein
Complex chains of amino acids. Proteins provide essential yeast nutrients and contribute to the body and head retention of beer. During a protein rest large proteins are broken down to amino acids and smaller soluble proteins.

protein rest
A stage of the mashing process during which complex proteins are decomposed by proteolytic enzymes (peptidase, proteinase) to progressively less complex fractions. The stability of finished beer is largely established during the protein rest. Nutrients required for proper fermentation also are developed during this process. The proteolytic enzymes become active at temperatures from 120 - 140 °F (26 - 52 °C).

proteinase
This proteolytic enzyme works to break large protein molecules down into medium-sized proteins. It is more thermal stable than peptidase so it works at higher temperatures where peptidase is soon denatured. Also know as protease.

proteolysis
The breaking up or digestion of proteins by enzymes that occurs in the mash around 122¡F/50¡C.

proteolysis
The reduction of protein by proteolytic enzymes to fractions.

proteolytic enzymes
Peptidase, proteinase. Enzymes naturally present in barley and malt that have the power to break up proteins in the mash.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:58 PM

Q
quarter
An English measure of malt equal to 336 pounds of barley, 448 pounds.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:58 PM

R
racking
The transfer of wort or beer from one vessel to another.

raffinose
A simple sugar, important in a test to differentiate ale and lager yeast, as only lager yeast can ferment it completely.

rauchbier
A dark German lager beer made from smoked malts.

reinheitsgebot
A German law the title of which signifies "pledge of purity" or "order of purity." This purity law governs the production and quality of beer in Germany. Enacted in 1516 that only water, malted barley, malted wheat and hops could be used to make beer. Yeast was not mentioned but taken for granted. This law is still effective today in Germany and was adopted by some neighboring countries. The German beer law prohibits the use of adjuncts, including sugar.

resin
Any of numerous clear to translucent yellow or brown, solid or semisolid, viscous substances of plant origin, such as lupulin in the hop flower.

rest
Holding the mash at a specific temperature to induce certain enzymatic reactions.

RIMS
Recirculating Infusion Mash System. A temperature-controlled mash procedure that employs multiple temperature rests and constant circulation of the mash liquor. With this mashing method the temperature of the mash is changed by applying heat to the mash tun or heat exchanger to produce the desired temperature increase. Typical steps are acid rest, protein rest, saccharification rest and mash out. Often RIMS temperature is controlled by a electrical device or computer.

rocky
Term used to describe a "rocky" like texture of kraeusen, especially during primary fermentation.

roller mill
Roller grain mills contain one or more rotating rollers to crush the grain while leaving the husk largely intact. The motion of the rollers draws grain into the crushing mechanism.

rootlet
The small immature root structures that appear during germination. These structures are removed during the malting processing.

ropiness
Spoilage condition causing beer to be slimy, viscous, gelatinous blobs, or "rope. Certain bacteria produce gums, which cause this condition.

rousing
Creating turbulence by agitation, stirring or mixing.

ruh beer
The nearly fermented beer, ready for lagering. Cold secondary fermentation.

runoff
The liquid that is separated from the spent grains during lautering or sparging. Also called runnings, wort, sweet wort or sweet liquor.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:59 PM

S
saccharification
The conversion of starch to sugars in the mash through enzymatic activity by alpha-amylase and beta-amylase acting in concert.

saccharification rest
A stage of the mashing process during which complex glucose chains are broken down into fermentable sugars. This stage of mashing requires a temperature range between 145-158 °F (63-70 °C). Higher mash temperatures will produce full-bodied worts because beta-amylase becomes deactivated sooner at higher temperatures. Lower mash temperatures yield more fermentable sugars. Rest durations vary with temperature. At higher temperatures a 20-40 minute rest will accomplish conversion. At lower temperatures a rest of 45-20 minutes is required.

Saccharomyces
Scientific genus name of yeast used in brewing. Saccharomyces cerevesiae, which is ale yeast and Saccharomyces uvarum, which is lager yeast.

salts
Minerals present in water that have various effects on the brewing process.

salty flavor
Flavor associated with table salt. Sensation is experienced on the sides of the tongue. Can be caused by the presence of too much sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate or other brewing salts.

secondary fermentation
A second fermentation in a second, closed fermenter allowing for a slow reduction or conditioning of the remaining fermentable sugars. The beer is racked off the trub and degenerating yeast cells that can impair the flavor.

secondary fermenter
Any container in which secondary fermentation is allowed to occur. Also known as secondary fermenter or secondary and is usually a closed vessel.

set mash
Condition that sometimes develops during sparging which makes runoff difficult. Too much fine flour as a result of improper grinding is often the culprit. Mashes with a high percentage of unmalted grains often have this problem.

set mash
The cessation of runoff flow not caused by a blockage in the lauter/mash tun. Set mashes can be caused by grain that was too finely crushed inadequate husk content or by a compacted filter bed. This condition can only be corrected by stirring the mash to allow the liquid to pass through the filter bed. After all particulate has settled the runnings should be recirculated to re-establish the grain bed. Also known as stuck mash.

setting the grain bed
A procedure used to avoid compacting the grain bed. In this procedure the lauter tun is filled to one eighth-inch above the false bottom with 175 °F (79 °C) water. Then the mash is put into the lauter tun. This procedure prevents compacting of the grain bed by providing support for the grains as they enter the lauter tun. This is used when you have separate mash and lauter tuns.

siphon
A pipe or tube fashioned or deployed in an inverted U shape and filled until atmospheric pressure is sufficient to force a liquid from a reservoir in one end of the tube over a barrier higher than the reservoir and out the other end.

six-row barley
This malt variety has six distinct seed rows on the grain head. Very high diastatic power allows mashing with up to 60% grain adjuncts, great if added diastatic strength is needed in a recipe. Six-Row also has greater husks per weight ratio than two-row. Protein rest recommended to avoid chill-haze.

skunky
Faint "skunk" aroma caused by overexposure of beer to light.

slaked lime
Calcium hydroxide. Used to precipitate bicarbonate from water.

soft water
Water with the absence of bicarbonate, magnesium and calcium ions in the supply. Less than 100 ppm CaCO3.

solubilization
The dissolving of a substance into solution.

solvent-like flavor
Flavor and aroma of higher alcohols, often due to high fermentation temperatures. Like acetone or lacquer thinner.

sour flavor
Pungent aroma, sharp taste. Can be like vinegar (acetic) or lemony (citric or lactic acid). Often the result of bacterial contamination or the use of citric acid. Sensation experienced on the sides of the tongue. Also known as acidic flavor.

sparge
Process of rinsing mashed grains with hot water to recover all available fermentable sugars. The sparge water is layered in a fine spray on top of the grain bed at about the same rate as the runoff.

sparger
A device used to deliver an evenly dispersed spray of water over the grain bed in the mash/lauter tun. The spray is employed to make sure the grain bed is not disturbed during sparging.

specialty malt
Barley malt with a higher degree of roasting during the kilning process. This creates a range of color and flavor characteristics in the finished malt. Malt characteristics range from pale to black and each style has a particular flavor from mild to a burnt roast. Specialty malts usually do not need to be mashed.

specific gravity
A measurement of density, expressed relative to the density of water. Used in brewing to follow the course of percent attenuation.

sporulation
Ascospore formation, reproduction by division of the cell contents.

SRM
Standard Reference Method. A method of measuring color intensity roughly equal to Lovibond degrees, used by the ASBC (American Society of Brewing Chemists). Expressed as 10 times the absorbance of beer, as measured at 346 nm. This system has largely replaced the older Lovibond color rating system in the brewing industry. The Europeans use a unit called EBC "(European Brewery Convention) degree." To convert between the two use these formulas: 1 °SRM = 0.375 °EBC + 0.46 or 1 °EBC = 2.65 °SRM - 1.2.

stale flavor
Develops in the presence of oxygen as the beer ages or is exposed to high temperatures; winey, wet cardboard, papery, rotten vegetable, pineapple, sherry, baby diapers. Often coupled with an increase in sour, harsh, or astringent taste. Also known as oxidized flavor.

starch
Complex polymers of sugars, which are converted into sugars during mashing.

starch haze
Cloudiness in beer due to suspended starch particles. Usually caused by, incorrect mash temperature resulting in incomplete saccharification, or sparging temperatures over 180 °F (82 °C), which can dissolve residual starch from the mash.

starter
The small amount of fermenting beer used in pitching.

steely
A quality of raw or under-modified malt in which portions of the grains are hard and "steely." These hard ends resist milling and saccharification.

steeping
The soaking barley or wheat in water to begin germination in the malting process. Steeping barley provides the moisture required for seed growth. The term steeping also refers to the practice of crushing and immersing specialty grains in the brewing kettle prior to producing wort with malt extract.

steinbier
Type of beer brewed in Germany, using hot stones to boil the wort.

step infusion
A temperature-controlled mash procedure often called a step mash that employs multiple temperature rests. With this mashing method the temperature of the mash is changed by applying heat or introducing hot water to produce the desired temperature increase. Typical steps are acid rest, protein rest, saccharification rest and mash out.

strike temperature
The target temperature of a mash rest, the temperature at which a desired reaction occurs.

sucrose
A fermentable disaccharide consisting of one unit of dextrose, and one unit of fructose. It occurs naturally in malt. Sucrose is also known as common table sugar.

sulfur-like flavor
Hydrogen sulfide. Rotten eggs, burning matches. Is a by-product of certain yeast strains. Fermentation temperatures can affect intensity.

sweet flavor
Basic taste associated with sugar, taste sensation on tip of the tongue.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 04:59 PM

T

tannins
Complex polyphenol polymers with a characteristic astringent flavor, extracted from hops and the husks of barley. Tannins react with proteins and contribute to haze formation.

teig
Gray sludgy protein material that settles on top of the mash during sparging.

terminal specific gravity
The density of the fully fermented beer. The final specific gravity.

terpenes
Group of flavor chemicals forming the main component of hop oils.

tetrasaccharide
Sugar molecule consisting of four simple sugars (monosaccharides) linked together.

thermometer
A device used to measure temperature. A thermometer is indispensable for monitoring and maintaining mash schedules. Thermometers are characterized by their displays and are available in liquid scale, analog dial and digital versions.

thermophilic
Heat loving. Thermophilic bacteria are bacteria that thrives at unusually high temperatures.

titration
The process, operation, or method of determining the concentration of a substance in solution by adding to it a standard reagent of known concentration in carefully measured amounts until a reaction of definite and known proportion is completed, as shown by a color change or by electrical measurement, and then calculating the unknown concentration.

torrefication
Process of rapidly heating grain so it puffs up like popcorn. Commonly applied to barley and wheat. Often used in British pale ales.

trisaccharide
Sugar molecule consisting of three simple sugars (monosaccharides) linked together.

trub
Coagulated protein and hop resin sludge which precipitates out of wort during boiling and again at chilling.

turbidity
Sediment or foreign particles stirred up or suspended.

two-row barley
A variety of malt that forms two seed rows along the stem on the grain head. Well modified with a high diastatic power allows mashing with up to 35% grain adjuncts. Because it is fairly neutral two-row makes an excellent base malt and is known as the "workhorse" of many recipes. Greater starch per weight ratio than six-row.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 05:00 PM

U
underback
A receiving tub for wort drained from the mash.

underlet
The addition of water to a mash-in-progress from below so the grains float a bit. Encourages quicker and more thorough mixing.

under-modified malt
Under-modified malt has fewer free amino acids and many complex proteins. This type of malt requires an additional step in the mashing process to break down the proteins in the grain. Under-modified malt also has the potential to cause a protein chill haze in the finished beer. Virtually no modern malts are under-modified.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 05:00 PM

V
valence
The degree to which an ion or radical is able to combine directly with others.

viscosity
Of glutinous consistency; the resistance of a fluid to flow. The degree of "mouth-feel" of a beer.

volatile
Readily vaporized, especially essential oils and higher alcohols.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 05:01 PM

W
water
Beer's largest component. The flavor of the beer can be affected by the source of the water used to make the beer. In the brewing industry water is known as liquor.

weiss
Term applied to German wheat ales of the Bavarian, or Suddeutsch, style.

weisse
German word meaning "white," applied to the tart wheat beers of the Berliner style.

weizen
German word for "wheat." Synonymous with weiss.

whirlpool
Device used to separate hops and trub from wort after boiling. Wort is stirred in a circular motion and collects in the center of the whirlpool. Clear wort is drained from the edge.

wind malt
A type of very pale malt dried in the sun or by exposure to the air, without kilning. Used in witbier.

wit or witte
Belgian word for "white," a type of wheat beer brewed in the north, around Louvain. Often s***ed with coriander and Curacao.

wort
The sweet sugar solution obtained by mashing the malt (sweet wort); the hopped sugar solution before pitching (bitter wort).

wort chiller
Heat exchanger used to rapidly cool wort from near boiling to pitching temperature.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 05:01 PM

X
xylose
A pentose sugar present in small quantities in wort. Relatively unimportant in brewing.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 05:02 PM

Y
yeast
Large class of microscopic fungi, several species of which are used in brewing. The productivity of yeasts in wort varies with the temperature and reaches a maximum at about 86 °F (30 °C). See ale yeast, lager yeast.

yeasty flavor
Yeast-like flavor. Often due to non-flocculent yeast in suspension or beer sitting on sediment for log periods.

Yorkshire stone
English system of fermentation using shallow, square, traditionally slate vessels for fermentation. Still in use by the Samuel Smith Brewery in Tadcaster, Yorkshire.

**Trendkiller Z28** · July 9th, 2007, 05:02 PM

Z
zymurgy
The branch of chemistry that deals with fermentation processes, as in brewing.