CSW Spirits, Beer & Other Beverages 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What yeast species is responsible for fermenting lager beers?
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- Brettanomyces bruxellensis
- Saccharomyces pastorianus (Correct answer)
- Saccharomyces bayanus
Correct answer: Saccharomyces pastorianus
Lagers are produced using Saccharomyces pastorianus, a bottom-fermenting yeast that works optimally at cold temperatures (35–50°F/2–10°C).
Question 2: What did the German Reinheitsgebot (purity law) of 1516 specify about beer ingredients?
- Beer must achieve a minimum ABV of 4%
- Beer may only contain water, malt, hops, and yeast (Correct answer)
- Beer must be aged at least 6 months before sale
- Beer may only be brewed in Bavaria
Correct answer: Beer may only contain water, malt, hops, and yeast
The Reinheitsgebot of 1516 originally restricted beer to water, barley malt, and hops; yeast's role was added to the understanding later as microbiological science developed.
Question 3: In which country are spontaneously fermented lambic beers traditionally produced?
- Germany
- Czech Republic
- United Kingdom
- Belgium (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Belgium
Lambic beers are produced in the Pajottenland region of Belgium, where the wort is exposed to wild yeasts and bacteria in open coolships for spontaneous fermentation.
Question 4: What does IBU measure in the context of beer evaluation?
- International Beer Units of alcohol content
- International Bitterness Units from hop compounds (Correct answer)
- Ideal Balance Units for malt-to-hop ratio
- Isomerized Barley Unit concentration
Correct answer: International Bitterness Units from hop compounds
IBU (International Bitterness Units) quantifies the concentration of iso-alpha acids in beer, with higher numbers indicating greater perceived bitterness from hops.
Question 5: What is dry hopping in the beer production process?
- Adding hops to the boil kettle at the very start
- Adding hops to fermenting or finished beer without boiling (Correct answer)
- Using dehydrated hop pellets instead of whole cones
- Hopping the mash tun before sparging
Correct answer: Adding hops to fermenting or finished beer without boiling
Dry hopping adds hops directly to the fermenter or conditioning tank, extracting aromatic oils without heat so no additional bitterness is created—only aroma.
Question 6: Which beer style is Guinness Draught classified as?
- Porter
- Brown ale
- Dry stout (Correct answer)
- Baltic porter
Correct answer: Dry stout
Guinness is a dry stout, characterized by roasted unmalted barley giving dark color and a dry, bitter finish, with a creamy head produced by nitrogen gas.
Question 7: What is the primary fermentable sugar source in traditional beer production?
- Corn syrup
- Malted barley (Correct answer)
- Wheat starch
- Hops resin
Correct answer: Malted barley
Malted barley provides the enzymes and fermentable sugars (primarily maltose) essential for beer fermentation, making it the cornerstone grain of most brewing traditions.
CSW Spirits, Beer & Other Beverages 2
What yeast species is responsible for fermenting lager beers?