Advanced Cicerone flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Draught system balance

Applied keg pressure must overcome line restriction plus elevation and leave ~1 psi at faucet. 3/16 in vinyl restricts 2-3 psi/ft; 5/16 in restricts 0.1-0.5 psi/ft.

Nitro dispense

Beer pushed with 60-70% nitrogen / 30-40% CO2 blend through a restrictor plate, producing cascading nucleation and a creamy, low-carbonation head. Used for stouts and some porters.

Cask venting

Cask ale is vented with a soft spile to release excess CO2, then hard-spiled to prevent oxidation. Served at 50-55 °F via gravity or handpump at 1-2 psi.

Beer-clean glass

A properly rinsed glass shows no bubbles clinging to interior walls before pour and forms even lacing. Detergent residue or grease destroys head retention and releases off-aromas.

Lightstruck (skunky)

UV/blue light cleaves iso-alpha acids into 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (MBT), detectable at nanogram levels. Brown glass blocks most UV; clear/green glass does not.

Line cleaning interval

Draught lines require alkaline cleaning every two weeks, potable water rinse, and periodic coupler/FOB deep clean. Neglect causes biofilm, off-flavors, and foaming.

BJCP scoring weights

50 points total: Aroma 12, Appearance 3, Flavor 20, Mouthfeel 5, Overall Impression 10. 45-50 Outstanding, 38-44 Excellent, 30-37 Very Good, 21-29 Good, 14-20 Fair.

Diacetyl

2,3-butanedione; buttery/butterscotch off-flavor from incomplete fermentation or bacterial contamination. Threshold ~0.1-0.2 mg/L. Cured by diacetyl rest at 60-65 °F.

Acetaldehyde

Green apple / raw pumpkin off-flavor from premature yeast removal or oxidation of ethanol. Threshold ~10-20 mg/L. Common in young beer; resolves with conditioning.

DMS

Dimethyl sulfide; cooked corn or vegetable off-flavor from S-methylmethionine in malt. Threshold ~30-50 µg/L. Reduced by vigorous boil and quick chilling.

Trans-2-nonenal

Papery/cardboard oxidation off-flavor from lipid oxidation. Threshold ~0.1-0.2 µg/L. Accelerated by oxygen pickup, warm storage, and age.

Isoamyl acetate

Banana/pear ester produced by yeast. Threshold ~1-2 mg/L. Desirable in Weissbier; a fault in lagers or clean ales. Increased by warm fermentation and under-pitching.

Astringency

Drying, puckering sensation from grain-husk tannins or oxidized hops. Caused by sparge water above 170 °F, high sparge pH (>6.0), or over-milling. Distinct from bitterness.

BJCP style families

BJCP 2021 organizes beer into 26 categories (1-26), from Standard American Beer (1) through Trappist Ale (26), each with sub-styles and numeric ABV/IBU/SRM ranges.

American IPA specs

5.5-7.5% ABV, 40-70 IBU, 6-14 SRM. Hop-forward with citrus, pine, resin; clean fermentation; medium body; dry finish.

Hazy IPA specs

6.0-7.5% ABV, 30-50 IBU. Soft bitterness, high late/dry-hop, juicy tropical/citrus aroma, opaque haze from oats/wheat and yeast.

Irish Dry Stout

4.0-4.5% ABV, 25-40 IBU, 25-40 SRM. Roasted barley gives coffee/dark chocolate; low hop; dry finish; often served on nitrogen.

Trappist designation

Legal label (Authentic Trappist Product) restricted to beers brewed within Trappist monastery walls by monks or under their supervision. Not all abbey ales are Trappist.

Berliner Weisse

2.8-3.8% ABV, 3-8 IBU. Sour wheat ale with Lactobacillus, low bitterness, highly carbonated, traditionally served with woodruff or raspberry syrup.

Weissbier

4.3-5.6% ABV, 8-15 IBU. German wheat ale with yeast-driven banana (isoamyl acetate) and clove (4-vinyl guaiacol) phenols; low bitterness; cloudy.

ABV from gravity

ABV = (OG - FG) × 131.25. Apparent attenuation = (OG - FG)/OG × 100; real attenuation ≈ apparent × 0.81.

Mash rest temperatures

Saccharification 148-158 °F. Lower (148-152 °F) favors beta-amylase, producing more fermentable sugars and a drier beer; higher (155-158 °F) favors alpha-amylase and dextrins for body.

Mash and sparge pH

Mash pH target 5.2-5.6; sparge water pH below 6.0. High sparge pH or temperature above 170 °F extracts husk tannins, causing astringency.

Hop utilization

IBU rises with boil time: ~60 min for bittering, 15-20 min flavor, 0-5 min or whirlpool aroma. Dry hopping adds aroma but no IBU because isomerization requires heat.

Diacetyl rest

Warming lager fermentation to 60-65 °F near end of primary so yeast reabsorbs diacetyl. Followed by lagering at 32-40 °F for 4-8 weeks.

Water ion effects

Sulfate accentuates hop bitterness (Burton ~600+ ppm); chloride accentuates malt sweetness and fullness (Munich ~10 ppm). Ratio shapes perceived balance.

Pairing intensity match

Match beer intensity to food intensity: delicate beer with delicate food, robust beer with robust food. Mismatch either buries the beer or overwhelms the dish.

Bitterness and sweetness

Bitterness amplifies perceived sweetness and masks salt. High-IBU beers clash with sweet desserts; sweet beer balances spicy heat from capsaicin.

Carbonation as palate cleanser

High carbonation scrubs fat and refreshes the palate; pair wheat beers and saisons with fried foods. Low-carbonation cask and stout suit rich stews.

Sour beer pairing

Acidity in Berliner Weisse, Gose, and Lambic cuts fat and complements creamy cheese, seafood, and vinaigrette. Sourness also contrasts with rich, fatty meats.

Roasted malt pairing

Stout and porter roasted notes pair with chocolate, coffee, oysters, and grilled meat; Maillard compounds in beer and food reinforce each other.

Classic beer-food pairs

Weissbier + Weisswurst; Saison + charcuterie; Stout + oysters or chocolate; Pilsner + fried fish; Tripel + rich cheese; Barleywine + blue cheese.