Beer Glossary A to Z

Alcohol – liquid that can produce inebriation when too much is consumed too quickly.

Ale – this drink is a form of beer that is brewed using what is called top-fermenting brewer’s yeast.

Beer – one of mankind’s greatest inventions. A drink that is produced by fermenting various kinds of grain.

Black and Tan – a drink in which stout and lager or stout and ale are layered on top of the other.

Brewery – that special place where hops, barley, yeast, and water are joined together to make beer.

Convenience Store – that local market that is open late for those who forgot to purchase their beer ahead of time.

Drunkenness – a state of mental and physical impairment that occurs when too much beer is consumed. Synonymous with inebriation.

Esters – compounds that can produce fruity aromas or sweet flavors in certain kinds of beers.

Fermentation – term used to describe sugar’s conversion into alcohol with the help of yeast.

Filtering – a way of clarifying beer. Typically it involves pouring beer through some kind of porous material.

Growler – a glass jug that contains 64 ounces of beer.

Hophead – a slang term for somebody who is fond of drinking beer that is heavy with the flavor produced by hops.

Hops – dried flowers of a vine-growing plant that are used in brewing to add distinct flavors to beer.

Imperial – once used to describe bears popular in locales governed by the czar, the term is now used to refer to beers that are considered large when it comes to taste.

Inebriation – the stupor of drunkenness that results when too much beer is consumed.

Joy – the feeling of elation and pleasure that results from drinking a quality beer.

Keg – a 15.5 gallon container made of wood or steel that is used for beer storage.

Kegger – a party at which a keg of beer is present and served.

Lager – a beer that is produced as a result of cold brewing.

Malt – barley that has been ground up after germination and drying. It is used in the production of beer.

Micro Brew – a term that is used for any kind of beer that is brewed on a small scale.

Monasteries – homes of monks were beer was brewed during the Middle Ages.

Now – the most common response to the question: When do you want your beer?

Oktoberfest – a German festival in the fall that lasts sixteen days and at which a large amount of beer is consumed. Various beer gift baskets can be purchased or exchanged at Oktoberfest.

Pilsner – a lager beer that is light-colored.

Pint – a serving of beer that is equivalent to 1/8 of a gallon.

Queen – what your mother will feel like if you give her her favorite beers and wine.

Red Ale – as the name would suggest, this is an ale with a reddish color. It is produced using a slight quantity of roasted barley in the brewing process.

Shelf Life – the amount time a beer remains drinkable before it has to be thrown away.

Stout – Irish-originating brown or dark beer that is known for its bitterness.

Tap – spigot used to server beer from a keg.

Tavern – a business that holds a liquor license and can therefore sell beer to consumers.

Under the Table – phrase that is a slang for inebriation. A person that has drunk himself under the table is in a state of intoxication.

Vinous – a word that is used to describe a beer that tastes somewhat like wine. A vinous beer is no substitute for a bottle of wine in a wine gift basket.

Vintage – often found printed on a beer bottle’s label, this is the year in which the drink was made.

Wort – food for the yeast that cause fermentation. It is made from malt, hops, and water.

X - represents the kiss with which your spouse will sign your thank-you note when you give him alcohol for a fathers day gift this year.

Yeast – the marvelous little bacteria that make fermentation and therefore, beer, possible.

Zymurgy – studies the process of fermentation. It is the science of the fermenting process.