WSET Beer Certification Level 1 > Beer Styles > Flashcards

Beer Styles Flashcards

Understand the types of beer and how they differ (28 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

List the beers that have a malt-driven style

A
  1. Munich Helles
  2. Golden or Blonde Ale
  3. American or International Pale Lager
  4. Dunkel
  5. Brown Ale
  6. Porter
  7. Barley Wine
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2
Q

List the beers that have a hop-driven style

A
  1. Czech Pilsner
  2. Bitter
  3. American Pale Ale
  4. American IPA
  5. Hazy IPA
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3
Q

List the beers that have a yeast-driven style

A
  1. Weissbier
  2. Witbier
  3. Dubbel
  4. Tripel
  5. Saison
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4
Q

List the beers that have a sour style

A
  1. Berliner weisse
  2. Gueuze
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5
Q

What does it mean for a beer to be malt-driven?

A

The malt and grains used to make the beer have the defining impact on the aroma and flavors

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6
Q

What is the difference between a base malt and a specialty malt?

A

Base malts are lightly-kilned, malted barley. Specialty malts frequently have longer kiln times

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7
Q

What are adjuncts and how does their use impact beer aroma and flavor?

A

Adjuncts include more neutrally-flavored grains like wheat, rice and oats, as well as sugars and syrups. These can lead to lighter body and lighter aromas in the beer.

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8
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Munich Helles

A
  1. Ale or Lager? Lager
  2. Color? Gold
  3. Aromas? Bread crumb or water cracker
  4. Bitterness? Low to medium
  5. Alcohol? Medium
  6. Other? Subtle spicy, herbal or floral notes from hops
  7. Malt type? Base only
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9
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Blonde ale

A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Straw to gold
  3. Aromas? Subtle bread crumb
  4. Bitterness? Medium
  5. Alcohol? Low to medium
  6. Other? Subtle fruity flavors from ale yeast strains and subtle hop aromas
  7. Malt type? Base only
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10
Q

Describe the characteristics of an American or International pale lager

A
  1. Ale or Lager? Lager
  2. Color? Straw to gold
  3. Aromas? Bread dough and water cracker
  4. Bitterness? Low to medium
  5. Alcohol? Medium
  6. Other? High carbonation; sometimes subtle hop aromas
  7. Malt type? Base only
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11
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Munich dunkel

A
  1. Ale or Lager? Lager
  2. Color? Copper to brown
  3. Aromas? Toasted bread, bread crust, toasted nut and sometimes caramel or chocolate; sometimes subtle spicy, herbal or floral aromas from hops
  4. Bitterness? Low to medium
  5. Alcohol? Medium
  6. Other? High carbonation; sometimes subtle hop aromas
  7. Malt type? Some specialty malts
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12
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Brown ale

A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Amber to brown
  3. Aromas? Toasted nut, toasted bread and sometimes caramel or chocolate
  4. Bitterness? Low to high
  5. Alcohol? Low to high
  6. Other? Sometimes has fruity yeast-derived aromas; some versions have subtle fruity, earthy and herbal hop aromas, while others have have more intense notes of citrus, stone or tropical fruit or pine
  7. Malt type? Some specialty malts
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13
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Barley wine

A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Gold to brown, but often amber
  3. Aromas? Intense toasted bread, caramel or digestive biscuit/graham cracker to dried fruits
  4. Bitterness? Low to high
  5. Alcohol? High to very high
  6. Other? Full-bodied, notable sweetness; sometimes has fruity yeast-derived aromas; hopa aromas can range from fruity, earthy and herbal hop aromas, while others have have more intense notes of citrus, stone or tropical fruit or pine; often suitable for aging
  7. Malt type? Some specialty malts
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14
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Porter

A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Brown or black
  3. Aromas? Coffee or chocolate and sometimes caramel; very high alcohol versions have pronounced roasted malt aromas
  4. Bitterness? Low to high
  5. Alcohol? Low to very high
  6. Other? Some have subtle fruity, herbal or earthy hop aromas, while others may have more intense notes of citrus, stone or tropical fruit or pine. Fruity yeasty aromas are also sometimes apparent; high alcohol versions use the word “imperial” in their name
  7. Malt type? Some specialty malts
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15
Q

Which hop-driven styles are brewed with traditional Czech, German, or British hops?

A
  1. Czech pilsner
  2. Bitter
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16
Q

Which hop-driven styles are brewed with American, Australian or New Zealand hops?

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. American pale ale
  2. American IPA
  3. Hazy IPA
17
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Czech pilsner

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A
  1. Ale or Lager? Lager
  2. Color? Straw to gold
  3. Aromas? Subtle spicy, floral or herbal hop aromas
  4. Bitterness? Medium to high
  5. Alcohol? Medium
  6. Other? Malt aromas of bread dough, light honey or bread crumb
18
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Bitter

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A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Amber to copper
  3. Aromas? Subtle fruity, earthy or herbal hop aromas
  4. Bitterness? Medium to high
  5. Alcohol? Low to high
  6. Other? Malt aromas of toasted bread, bread crust, digestive biscuit/graham cracker, or caramel; sometimes fruity notes from yeast
19
Q

Describe the characteristics of an American pale ale

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Gold to amber
  3. Aromas? Subtle fruity notes from ale yeast
  4. Bitterness? Medium to high
  5. Alcohol? Medium
  6. Other? Subtle malt aromas of bread crumb or sometimes toasted bread or digestive biscuit/graham cracker
20
Q

Describe the characteristics of an American IPA

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Gold to amber
  3. Aromas? Intense pine, resin or citrus, tropical and stone fruit
  4. Bitterness? High
  5. Alcohol? Medium to high
  6. Other? Subtle malt aromas of bread crumb or sometimes toasted bread or digestive biscuit/graham cracker; sometimes subtle fruity notes from ale yeast
21
Q

Describe the characteristics of a hazy IPA

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A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Straw to gold
  3. Aromas? Intense citrus, tropical and stone fruit
  4. Bitterness? Low to medium
  5. Alcohol? Medium to high
  6. Other? Distinctly hazy; subtle malt aromas of bread crumb or water cracker; sometimes subtle fruity notes from ale yeast
22
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Weissbier

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Straw to gold
  3. Aromas? Fruity (banana) and spicy (clove)
  4. Bitterness? Low
  5. Alcohol? Medium
  6. Other? High carbonation; cloudy/hazy; bread crumb aromas from wheat; also known as hefeweizen
23
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Witbier

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Straw to gold
  3. Aromas? Subtle fruity and spicy aromas; citrus and floral notes from orange peel and coriander
  4. Bitterness? Low
  5. Alcohol? Medium
  6. Other? Hazy; sometimes subtle spicy or herbal notes from hops; bread crumb or light honey from wheat; blanche in France
24
Q

Describe the characteristics of a Dubbel

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Ale or Lager? Ale
  2. Color? Copper to brown
  3. Aromas? Fruity aromas such as apple, plum, and prune; spicy peppercorn or clove notes
  4. Bitterness? Medium
  5. Alcohol? High
  6. Other? High carbonation; sediment (bottle conditioning); notes of toasted bread, caramel or dried fruit from malt or caramelised sugars; sometimes subtle spicy or floral hop notes
25
Describe the characteristics of a Tripel
1. Ale or Lager? Ale 2. Color? Gold 3. Aromas? Prominent fruity aromas such as orange or banana; spicy peppercorn or clove notes 4. Bitterness? Medium 5. Alcohol? High to very high 6. Other? High carbonation; sediment (bottle conditioning); subtle notes of light honey or bread crumb from malt
26
Describe the characteristics of a Saison
1. Ale or Lager? Ale 2. Color? Gold to amber 3. Aromas? Fruity and spicy aromas such as orange, peach or apple and peppercorn 4. Bitterness? Medium 5. Alcohol? Low to high 6. Other? High carbonation; sediment (bottle conditioning); can be slightly sour; notes of bread crumb, toasted bread or digestive biscuit/graham cracker from malt; spicy, floral, fruity or earthy notes from hops
27
Describe the characteristics of a Berliner weisse
1. Made using cultured yeast and bacteria 2. Color? Straw 3. Aromas? Subtle bread dough from wheat and malt and fruity notes from fermentation 4. Bitterness? None 5. Alcohol? Low 6. Other? Light body; hazy; moderately sour; sometimes served with syrups (raspberry or woodruff)
28
Describe the characteristics of a Gueuze
1. Made using spontaneous fermentation 2. Color? Gold 3. Aromas? Complex aromas such as farmyard (earth and hay) and fruit aromas such as grapefruit, orange, apple, apricot or rhubarb with subtle bread crumb notes 4. Bitterness? None to low 5. Alcohol? Medium to high 6. Other? High carbonation; sediment (bottle conditioning); Brettanomyces and lactic acid bacteria
WSET Beer Certification Level 1
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