Beer Tasting Glossary

Acidity – A sour or sharp flavor characteristic that will yield sensations of vinegar or lemon juice. A little
acidity will make the beer crisp and fresh tasting. It’s unusual for sweet beers to seem acidic because
usually the sweeter something becomes, the less acidity it has.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV%) – The standard measurement that indicates how much alcohol is in a beer,
expressed as a percentage of the total liquid volume.

Ale – Beers made using top fermenting yeast strains, which are low in carbonation and typically served
warm.

Amber – Beer that is amber in color, thus falling somewhere between pale and dark.

Aroma – The combination of smells given off by the malt, hops, yeast and any additional components of
the beer.

Balance (hoppiness vs. maltiness) – The complexity of the interaction, used to measure the quality of
the beer.

Barley – One of the four main ingredients in beer. A cereal grain malted for use in brewing.

Beer – A fermented alcoholic beverage made from barley, hops, water and yeast.

Bitterness – The sensation of bitter flavor, felt on the back of one’s tongue. Most often identified with
hops. Desirable in IPAs and barleywines.

Body – Characterized as the fullness of the flavor and mouthfeel, and can range from watery or
characterless to satiating or thick.

Bottle-conditioning – Allowing a beer to mature and experience secondary fermentation in the bottle,
to create complex flavors.

Bouquet – The assortment of smells (usually floral) experienced before tasting beer. Often described as
a combination of hop character, malt aroma and the fruitiness given off by esters.

Carbonation – Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas dissolved in a liquid, which gives the liquid a fizzy or bubbly
quality.

Caramel – Cooked sugar that adds alcohol content and color to beer. A cheaper alternative to malted
barley.

Caramel Malt – A sweet malt with a reddish-brown color that gives beer a sweet flavor, imparts color
and increases head retention.

Cask – A container for beer that is shaped like a barrel and usually made of metal. Available in a variety
of sizes.

Cask-conditioning – Allowing the beer to mature and experience secondary fermentation in the cask,
which results in light carbonation.

Chill Haze – Cloudiness caused by low temperatures. Only affects appearance, flavor remains intact.
Clovelike – A characteristic of some wheat beers marked by spiciness (like that of cloves).

Conditioning – Allowing the beer to mature, such that natural carbonation occurs.

Dry-hopping – The act of adding dry hops to beer that is already aging/fermenting to amplify the overall
hoppiness (i.e. bitterness) of the beer.

Ester – Incredibly aromatic flavor compounds produced by yeast during fermentation. Most often noted
as being fruity or spicy. Desirable in most ales, particularly Belgian and British styles.

Fermentation – The process used to make beer, during which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and CO2.

Fruity – Similar to ‘Estery,’ the flavor or aroma reminiscent of apples, bananas, strawberries, cherry,
raspberry and other fruits. Often attributed to beers made with particular yeast strains or using high
temperature fermentation.

Grainy – A taste that resembles that of cereal or spent grain. Acceptable in some lagers, but never in
ales.

Hang – Lingering bitter taste.

Head – The foam on top of the beer, which is actually protein forced out of suspension by the carbon
dioxide bubbles. Tends to indicate the degree of carbonation, hops and malt.

Hops – One of the four principle ingredients of beer. Herb added to beer to give it a bitter flavor and
aroma.

Hoppy – Strong aroma and/or flavor of hops.

Lager – A common style of beer, made with bottom-fermenting yeast, which undergoes a longer and
colder fermentation period than that of ales. Most popular German and American beers are lagers.

Malted Barley – Created when barley is steeped in water, germinated and dried quickly. This process
provides starches that convert to sugars, which then ferment into alcohol and CO2.

Malty – A sweet or dry “earthy” flavor. Heavier roasted malt will contribute a “roasted” taste to the
beer.

Mouthfeel – The sensation in the mouth that provides a measure of the texture of beer, ranging from
thin to thick/full.

Palate – Taste which is influenced by the grains, hops, water, yeast and adjuncts used in production.

Sour/Acidic – Perceived on the sides of the tongue towards the rear of the mouth, a negative taste
similar to that of vinegar or lemon, often caused by a bacterial infection.

Sweet – A sugary taste due to the presence of reducing sugars, experienced on the front of the tongue.
High levels are desirable in most strong ales and lagers, and low levels in American light lagers and
lambics.

Yeast – One of the four principle ingredients in beer; living plant microorganisms that change sugars to
alcohol and CO2.