Certified Cicerone flashcards

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

Beer-clean glass test

A properly cleaned glass wets evenly and leaves lacing; sprinkling salt or sugar reveals residue rings that nucleate CO2 and destroy head retention.

Draught line restriction

3/16 inch vinyl tubing provides about 3 psi resistance per foot; 1/4 inch provides about 1 psi per foot, used to balance applied serving pressure.

Nitro pour

Beer dispensed with a 70/30 nitrogen-CO2 blend through a restrictor plate faucet, producing cascading bubbles, a creamy head, and low carbonation.

Lightstruck flavor

Riboflavin plus light converts iso-alpha acids to 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, giving a skunky aroma; brown bottles and dark storage prevent it.

Keg coupler types

Sankey D is standard in the US; others include S (European), A (German slider), and G (British pin). The coupler must match the keg valve.

Beer storage conditions

Keep beer cold, dark, upright, and low in oxygen; most styles hold quality 3-6 months, and hop aroma fades fastest.

Serving pressure balance

At 38°F, about 2.5 volumes CO2 needs roughly 12 psi; each 1000 ft of elevation lowers the required pressure by about 0.5 psi.

Hefeweizen signature flavors

German wheat ale yeast yields isoamyl acetate (banana) and 4-vinyl guaiacol (clove); the beer is cloudy, highly carbonated, low in bitterness.

Berliner Weisse profile

Northern German wheat ale of 2.8-3.8% ABV, sharply lactic-sour with very low hops, often served with woodruff or raspberry syrup.

American IPA specs

Hop-forward pale ale of roughly 5.5-7.5% ABV and 40-70 IBU with citrus, pine, or resin aroma, dry finish, and gold to amber color.

Belgian saison

Farmhouse ale of 5-8% ABV with fruity-peppery yeast, high carbonation, and a very dry finish; historic origin in the Hainaut region.

Doppelbock

Strong dark German lager of 7-10% ABV with intense malt sweetness and low bitterness; traditional names end in "-ator", as in Salvator.

Dry Irish stout

Black stout of 4.0-4.5% ABV built on roasted barley, showing coffee and dark chocolate with low hop bitterness and a creamy nitro head.

Diacetyl off-flavor

Buttery, butterscotch, or popcorn aroma from vicinal diketones; produced by incomplete fermentation or bacterial contamination, and reabsorbed during a warm rest.

DMS off-flavor

Cooked corn or cabbage aroma from dimethyl sulfide; formed from S-methyl methionine in malt when the boil is short or weak.

Acetaldehyde off-flavor

Green apple or grassy aroma from an intermediate of fermentation; suggests young beer or oxygen pickup after fermentation and often fades with conditioning.

Trans-2-nonenal

Oxidation compound giving cardboard or papery aroma; forms from fatty acid breakdown during aging and is accelerated by warmth and oxygen.

4-vinyl guaiacol

Phenolic clove spice note produced when yeast decarboxylates ferulic acid; desirable in weizen and some Belgian styles, a defect elsewhere.

IBU definition

International Bitterness Units measure iso-alpha acids in parts per million; perceived bitterness also depends on malt sweetness, carbonation, and temperature.

BU:GU ratio

Bitterness units divided by gravity units (OG minus 1, times 1000) estimates balance; near 0.5 is balanced, above 0.8 hop-forward.

Beta-amylase rest

Holding the mash at 140-150°F favors beta-amylase, producing more fermentable sugar and a lighter-bodied, drier-finishing beer.

Alpha-amylase rest

Holding the mash at 158-162°F favors alpha-amylase, yielding dextrins and a fuller-bodied wort with fewer fermentable sugars.

Mash-out purpose

Raising the mash to about 168°F denatures enzymes, stops conversion, and lowers viscosity so lautering and sparging flow freely.

Sulfate to chloride ratio

High sulfate amplifies hop bitterness, as in Burton water; high chloride rounds malt sweetness. A ratio near 1:1 tastes balanced.

Lager fermentation

Saccharomyces pastorianus ferments at 48-55°F, followed by a diacetyl rest near 65°F and cold lagering to clarify and smooth the beer.

Hop utilization

The fraction of alpha acids isomerized to iso-alpha acids; it rises with longer boil time and lower wort gravity and pH changes.

Apparent attenuation

Percentage of original gravity consumed by yeast: (OG - FG) / OG × 100; typically 70-80%, higher for dry styles such as saison.

Complementary pairing

Matching shared flavors so beer and food reinforce each other, such as roasted malt with chocolate or citrus hops with lemon.

Contrast pairing

Using opposing sensations to reset the palate, such as sour beer against rich fat or sweet malt against chili heat.

Carbonation as palate cleanser

Bubbles and acidity cut through fat and scrub the palate, which is why crisp lagers suit fried and rich foods.

Umami effect on bitterness

Glutamate-rich foods such as mushrooms, aged cheese, and soy increase perceived bitterness, so highly bitter beers may clash with them.

Intensity matching

Beer and dish should be similar in intensity; delicate fish is overwhelmed by imperial stout, which instead suits bold grilled meat.