Brewer Quality Control & Testing Flashcards
7 cards from real Master Brewer Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Brewer Quality Control & Testing flashcards as text
What is the standard method for assessing yeast cell viability in a brewery pitching culture?
Answer: Methylene blue staining and hemocytometer counting
Methylene blue dye is excluded by living yeast cells (appearing clear) but stains dead cells blue, allowing viability percentage to be calculated using a hemocytometer.
Which analytical test is most accurate for measuring total bitterness (iso-alpha acids) in finished beer?
Answer: HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography)
HPLC directly separates and quantifies individual isohumulone compounds, providing the most precise measurement of bitterness-contributing compounds in finished beer.
A brewery's finished beer exceeds the specification for turbidity. Which fining agent is most effective for reducing yeast and protein-related haze?
Answer: Isinglass finings
Isinglass (derived from fish swim bladders) carries a positive charge, attracting negatively charged yeast cells and flocculating them for clarification.
What is the role of a 'wort stability test' in quality assurance?
Answer: Checking for microbial contamination in wort before yeast pitching
A wort stability test incubates a wort sample at 30°C for 24–48 hours and checks for growth or pH drop, confirming the wort is free of contamination before pitching.
When measuring dissolved oxygen in beer using an electrochemical sensor, which condition can lead to falsely low readings?
Answer: Coating of the membrane with beer proteins or compounds
Protein fouling or hop compounds coating the sensor membrane restrict oxygen diffusion to the electrode, causing the sensor to under-read actual dissolved oxygen levels.
A sensory panel reports a 'musty, earthy' or 'moldy' off-flavor in a dry-hopped beer. Which compound is most likely responsible?
Answer: Geosmin or 2-methylisoborneol from mold-contaminated hops
Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol are terpene compounds produced by mold (Penicillium, Aspergillus) that can contaminate hops, imparting musty/earthy aromas at very low thresholds.
What is the significance of the BU:GU (Bitterness Units to Gravity Units) ratio in recipe QC?
Answer: It expresses the balance between bitterness and malt sweetness in a beer
The BU:GU ratio divides IBUs by original gravity (in gravity units, e.g., 1.060 = 60 GU) to express the bitterness-to-sweetness balance, guiding recipe formulation and QC comparison.
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