Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Select the first letter of the word from the list above to jump to appropriate section of the glossary.
A
All Grain
A beer recipe is utilising only grains for fermentable sugars. These sugars must be extracted from the grain using a mashing and lautering process. An all grain beer is more difficult and time consuming to make than an extract beer, but the brewer is rewarded with a fresher and more complex product.
Alpha Acid
A resin contained in the hop plant that is responsible for the bitterness in beer. When purchasing hops, the alpha acid content of the hops will be given as a percentage and printed on the package cover.
Alpha Acid Units (AAU)
Synonymous with Home Bitterness Units. (HBU) A bitterness measurement system that allows the brewer to consistently control the bitterness level of his/her beer. As the amount of resin that is responsible for bitterness in a hop (alpha acid) varies from year to year, merely adding x ounces of a hop variety in a beer will not necessarily produce the same beer. Thus the bitterness level of a recipe is given in AAU, where 1 AAU = (hop alpha acid %) X (hop weight in ounces). This factors in the varying Alpha acid content of hops from year to year.
Apparent Attenuation
The percentage of sugars that have been converted to alcohol by the yeast. The measurement does not take into account the lower density of alcohol compared to water. See Real Attenuation.
Apparent Extract
The final specific gravity of beer converted to degrees Plato. This measurement does not take into account the lower density of alcohol compared to water. See Real Extract.
B
Beer
Chief product of Brewmart
C
Crushed Grain
Before mashing, the grains outer husk must be cracked using a grain mill for the grain's starches to efficiently converted to sugars.
D
Dry Hopping
Gives a beer a very aromatic character. To dry hop a beer, place 2 ounces of aroma leaf hops into a hop bag and let it float in your secondary fermenter. As an alternative see hop tea.
E
Extract
Sweet syrup which can be purchased in a sealed bag or can. The extract manufacturer has performed the mashing and lautering processes. Beers made from extracts are easier and quicker to make than ones made from grain. The minus side of using extracts is that the loss of ingredient freshness as well as strict control of the brewer's end product.
F
Ferment
A natural conversion process performed by yeast cells that turns sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Final gravity
Specific gravity of wort after fermentation has completed. A beer with a lower final gravity is generally more desirable because it is an indication of an efficient fermentation process. (More sugars have been converted to alcohol.)
G
Grain Bed
Refers to the collection of grain in the lauter tun that heated water is run through to extract sugars.
Grain Mill
Used to crush grain before the mashing process.
Glass Carboy
A vessel used for fermentation. Glass carboys are also used to distribute drinking water.
H
Hops
A vine whose flowers are used as a bittering agent in beer. Hops also contribute to the beer's aroma as well as increase the beer's shelf life.
Hop Tea
Used as an alternative to dry hopping to give a beer a very aromatic quality. Hop tea is made by boiling a pint of water with 2 ounces of pelletised aroma hops, then adding it, cooled and strained, to the secondary fermenter.
Hot Water Tank
A vessel used to house hot water between 170 and 210°F. This hot water is run through the grain bed during the lautering process to wash away sugars needed for the wort from the grain.
I
Irish Moss
Made from algae. A natural additive used to produce a clear beer.
J
K
(empty)
L
Lautering
The process of washing sugars away from the grain.
Lautering Arm
A device used to spread water evenly over the grain bed to ensure the maximum amount of sugars are removed from the grain.
Lauter Tun
Refers to the vessel that holds the grain bed during the lautering process.
Light Dry Malt
In powder form. An extract that has had all its water removed. Used by the brewery to prime beer before bottling.
M
Mash
Refers to the water/grain mixture during the mashing process.
Mashing
The process of converting a grain's starches into fermentable sugars.
Mash Tun
Refers to the vessel that holds the grain bed during the mashing process.
Mead
A honey wine, fermented honey.
N
Nylon Grain Bag
A fine mesh bag used to hold grain during the steeping process.
O
Original Extract
A beer's original gravity converted to degrees Plato.
Original Gravity
Specific gravity of wort before fermentation. The higher a beer's original gravity, the more sugars it contains, and thus a higher potential for alcohol content.
P
Pitch
The act of adding yeast to wort.
Primary
Short for Primary Fermenter. A vessel used to house the beer in the first 3-7 days of initial fermentation after the yeast has been pitched into the wort.
Prime
The act of adding sugar or light dry malt to the beer after fermentation and before bottling. This sugar gives the remaining yeast some food to eat, and the result is carbonation!
Q
(empty)
R
Real Attenuation
The real percentage of sugars that have been converted to alcohol by the yeast. This measurement takes into account the lower density of alcohol compared to water.
Real Extract
The final gravity of the beer, converted to degrees Plato and corrected to account for the lower density of alcohol compared to water.
S
Sanitise
The act of cleaning and removing the bulk of the bacteria from an item.
Secondary
Short for Secondary Fermenter. A vessel used to house the beer during the latter half of fermentation, after Primary fermentation. Beer is usually stored in the Secondary for 7-14 days. After Secondary Fermentation, the beer is ready to be bottled.
Sparge
Also see lautering. The process of washing away sugars from the grain after they have been converted from starches during the mashing process.
Speciality Grain
A grain that can be used with extract recipes to impart the desired flavour and/or colour characteristics to the end product. Specialty grains must be steeped at between 150-170°F before the boil for the sugars to seep into the wort. The mashing of speciality grains is not required as the starches have already been converted into sugars.
Specific Gravity
A measurement of a liquid's density relative to the density of water. (specific gravity of water at 60°F is 1.000)
Steep
The process of soaking speciality grains is a nylon or muslin bag in water at between 150-170°F for the sugars contained to be added to the wort.
T
Trub
Sludge consisting of proteins and hops that precipitate out of the wort during the boiling and chilling processes.
U
(empty)
V
(empty)
W
Wort A sweet liquid that becomes beer once the yeast has been added.
X
(empty)
Y
Yeast
The magical ingredient of beer. Yeast a microscopic fungi that are able to convert sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide in a process known as fermentation.
Yeast Nutrient
"Vitamins" for yeast. The best nutrient is dead yeast cells in the form of Vegemite or Marmite yeast extracts. The addition of a yeast nutrient to wort promotes a healthy and hearty fermentation resulting in a beer with lower final gravity.
Yeast Starter
Refers to an intermediate quantity of yeast that is pitched into the wort. This is done because the amount of yeast in its purchased form is typically too small to be added directly to the wort. The more significant number or amount of yeast cells that are added to the wort, the more efficient the fermentation process will be. A more efficient fermentation results in a better quality beer with less likeliness of contamination.
Z
(empty)
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