Beer Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A
Additives Most often Beer additives come in the form of enzymes, preservatives and/or antioxidants that are added to clarify, preserve, or to improve head retention.
Adjunct A beer term referring to fermentable materials, most commonly corn (maize) and rice, used instead of the traditional malted barley and wheat to make beer lighter and cheaper.
Ale Ale is one of the two primary types of Beers, Lager being the other. Ales are denoted by their top-fermenting yeast. Ale is typically fermented at higher temperatures for relatively shorter periods of time resulting in a more rustic, sometimes fruity Beer. A majority of the world's styles of beer are Ales while a vast majority of the gallons of Beer produced are Lagers.
All-malt A beer brewed exclusively with malted wheat or barley with no adjuncts.
Aroma hops Varieties of hops chosen for their aromatic properties rather than a bittering factor. These hops are typically added at the end of the boil.
B
Balling Degrees Scale of the density of sugars in developed by C J N Balling.
Barley A popular and prolific cereal grain grown throughout much of the world. A handful of varieties are preferred by brewers and whisky distillers to be malted and used as the base material for beer and whisky (particularly in Scotland).
Barrel A unit of measurement used by brewers in many countries. Seemingly a definitive measure but as is the case with the pint, different measures exists in the US and UK. In Britain, a barrel holds 36 imperial gallons (One imperial gallon equals 4.5 liters). In the US, a barrel holds 31.5 US gallons.
Beer Beer is one of the world’s most popular adult beverages brewed and consumed on every continent and hundreds of nations. The brewing of beer dates back to at least the 8th millennium BC at the beginnings of agriculture. Beer is brewed typically from water, malted barely, yeast, and hops. Mass commercial brands use as little malt as possible opting for cheaper sugar sources most often being rice and corn.
Bock Bock is an old, traditional style originating from Germany in and around the town of Einbeck. Bock is believed to have been first produced in the 14th century and was most definitely a top-fermenting ale later becoming a lager style when lagers became prominent in Germany in the 19th century.
Bottle conditioning Secondary fermentation and maturation in the bottle, done to create CO2 (bubbles) naturally. This method is typically reserved for the worlds most unique Beer styles.
C
Cask conditioning Secondary fermentation and maturation in the cask done to create additional carbonation and flavor characteristics See bottle conditioning.
D
Dry hopping The addition of dry hops to aging beer to increase its hop character or aroma. Typically hops are added at various stages of the boil in the initial stages of Beer production.
E
F
G
H
Hand Pump A device for serving draft beer without the use of pressurized carbon dioxide. This was how all draft beers were once served and it is making a comeback thanks to the craft beer, and real ale movements.
Hops A hardy plant that produces a cone like, tightly clustered flower. There are many different varieties of hops with different characteristics. Some are prized for their aromatic properties while others are known for the intense bittering properties measured as “alpha acids.”
I
IBU International bitterness units. A system for measuring hop bitterness in finished beer.
J
K
Keg One-half barrel, or 15.5 U. S. gallons. A half keg or, 7.75 U. S. gallons, is called a pony keg.
L
Lager Lager is one of the two primary types of Beers, Ale being the other. Lagers are denoted by their bottom-fermenting yeast. Lager is typically fermented at lower temperatures for relatively longer periods of time resulting in a softer and typically more subtle Beer. A majority of the world's styles of beer are Ales while a vast majority of the gallons of Beer produced are Lagers.
M
Malt liquor Typically a Lager type, relatively high alcohol content (7%-8% by volume) and most often sold in 40 once bottles.
Mash Mash is a mix of malted barley and hot water mixture for the purpose of extracting sugars and converting starches to simple sugars creating what is known as Wort.
Microbrewery A small brewery generally producing less than 15,000 barrels per year. Many breweries choose to use the moniker even after producing 50,000 barrels annually.
N
O
P
Q
R
S
Specific gravity A measure of the density of a liquid or solid compared to that of water ((1.000 at 39 degrees farenheit, or 4 degrees celceus. The original specific gravity of a Beer is measured before fermentation, and the final, or terminal, gravity is measured after fermentation is complete.
T
Terminal gravity Terminal gravity, or final specific gravity, is the measurement of the Beers “weight” (typically measured by a hydrometer) at the completion of fermentation. When compared to the Original Gravity the brewer can calculate the Beers alcohol strength.
U
V
W
Wort Wort is the sweet, viscous, and flavorful liquid produced by the careful steeping of hot water with cracked malted barley or wheat. The wort is boiled and then cooled before adding east which transform the wort to Beer.
X
Y
Z