Brewing Ingredients Flashcards

What is the primary role of malted barley in the brewing process?

Answer: To provide fermentable sugars and contribute flavor and color

Malted barley is the backbone of most beers, providing fermentable sugars from starch conversion, as well as flavor, color, and body contributions.

Which hop compound is primarily responsible for bitterness in finished beer after isomerization during the boil?

Answer: Iso-alpha acids

Alpha acids in hops isomerize into iso-alpha acids during the boil, becoming water-soluble and responsible for the perceived bitterness in beer.

What is the primary function of yeast in the brewing process?

Answer: To ferment sugars, producing ethanol, CO2, and flavor compounds

Yeast consumes fermentable sugars and produces ethanol, carbon dioxide, and numerous flavor/aroma compounds that define each beer's character.

Which water mineral is critical for accentuating hop bitterness and producing crisp, dry pale ales?

Answer: Calcium sulfate (gypsum)

High sulfate levels in water accentuate hop bitterness and dryness, which is why Burton-on-Trent's sulfate-rich water made it ideal for pale ales.

What does crystal/caramel malt contribute to beer that distinguishes it from base malts?

Answer: Unfermentable dextrins, sweetness, color, and body without significant enzyme activity

Crystal malts are kilned while wet, converting starches to unfermentable dextrins and caramel compounds that add sweetness, body, and amber-red color.

What distinguishes 'dry hopping' from late kettle hop additions in terms of the flavor/aroma contribution?

Answer: Dry hopping adds intense fresh hop aroma and flavor with zero bitterness; kettle additions add some bitterness

Dry hopping adds hops post-fermentation to cold beer, extracting volatile aromatic oils without isomerizing alpha acids, so bitterness is not increased.