Beer Glossary

Said of a beer that, if it is not brewed at the abbey today, was brewed there (at best) a few years ago, or more generally is brewed not far from a monastery (or sometimes its ruins...). Today, few Belgian abbeys (apart from the Trappists) still brew a commercial beer themselves. In Germany, some abbeys still produce beer. Belgian abbey beers usually stand out for their quality: they are almost always top-fermented, refermented in the bottle, fairly strong and smooth.

Alcohol content is expressed as a percentage of alcohol by volume.

Alcohol content is generally expressed as a percentage (%) of alcohol by volume. For alcohol, the percentage by volume equals the Gay-Lussac degree (8.5% ABV = 8.5°); it should not be confused with the Balling, Plato or Régie degrees, which measure the density of the wort (see Degree).

English-style top-fermented beers. This category includes beers of various colors, more or less dark. They are generally fruity. It includes bitter, brown ale, light, mild, pale, old and scotch ale.

Bitter compounds found in the lupulin of hops. Poorly soluble, they isomerize during wort boiling into iso-alpha acids, which give beer most of its bitterness. The alpha acid content of a hop variety, expressed as a percentage, lets the brewer dose the bitterness (see I.B.U.).

German term meaning old or traditional. Altbiers are bitter beers produced by top fermentation. They can be compared to a very bitter Ale with coppery aromas. They are mainly brewed in Düsseldorf. Brands include Schlösser, Diebels and Uerige...

Beer whose color ranges from dark gold to copper, obtained with more heavily heated malts (amber or caramel malts). Amber beers often have notes of caramel, biscuit or toast.

The visual appearance of a beer: its color, clarity and brilliance. For example, a beer may have a golden, amber or black appearance, clear or cloudy.

Saint Arnould is the patron saint of brewers. His feast day is celebrated on July 18.

An olfactory perception. Beers often have hop and malt aromas, but also fruity and spicy notes.

Sugars from starch are converted into alcohol during fermentation: the density of the wort drops.