Hunter Valley Breweries

Beer Vocabulary

Want to sound like a beer expert? Here are the definitions of some common words associated with beer and brewing to enhance your craft beer journey. Impress your friends, or at least sound like you know what you’re talking about!

Acetaldehyde – An organic chemical compound that occurs naturally in coffee, bread, and ripe fruit. It is produced by plants and is a by-product of fermentation. Beer containing excessive levels of acetaldehyde is perceived as the aroma and taste of green apples.

Acetic acid – The acid contained in vinegar (3%-6%), and it is also the main volatile fatty acid in alcoholic beverages. It is produced by yeast metabolism and is the key component of ethyl acetate, which is the most common flavor ester in beer.

Adjunct – Any unmalted grain or other fermentable ingredient used in the brewing process. Typically either rice or corn.

Aeration – The action of introducing air or oxygen to the wort (unfermented beer) when the post-boil wort has been chilled down to fermentation temperature, but before the yeast has been added into it. Incorrect wort aeration can lead to incomplete fermentation or excessive ester (fruit flavor). Aeration after fermentation is complete can result in poor tasting beer due to oxidation.

Alcohol – An organic compound that is a synonym for ethanol. Alcohol has been produced and consumed by humans for its psychoactive effects for almost 10,000 years.

Ale – A type of beer brewed using a warm fermentation method, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied and fruity taste. Ale typically has a bittering agent (hops) to balance the malt and act as a preservative.

Aromatic Hops – Hops added later in the boiling stage of the brewing process. The shorter amount of time spent in the boil kettle will provide more aromatic characteristics from the hops rather than bittering characteristics.

Barley – A major cereal grain and was one of the first cultivated grains. Around 70% of barley production is used as food supply for humans and animals, while 30% as a source of fermentable material for beer and certain distilled spirits.

Bittering Hops  – Hops added earlier in the boiling stage of the brewing process. The longer hops are boiled, the more bittering characteristics will come from those hops.

Boiling – A critical step in the brewing process during which wort is boiled inside the brew kettle. During boiling, the additions of hops can occur to achieve bittering, hop flavor and hop aroma in the finished beer. Boiling also sterilizes the beer and ends enzymatic conversion of proteins to sugars.

Brew Kettle – A large vessel used in the brewing process in which the wort is boiled. Copper is traditionally used is it transmits heat effeciently and evenly. Also bubbles produced during boiling do not cling to copper and therefore results in consistant heating of the wort.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – An inert gas that is a byproduct of fermentation of sugars in beer making. It is added to carbonated beverages like beer for effervescence.

Cask – A barrel-shaped container for holding beer. Originally made of iron-hooped wooden staves, now more commonly made from stainless steel.

Cellaring – Storing and aging beer under controlled conditions to allow maturing.

Craft Beer – A beer that has been made by a craft brewery. 

Craft Brewery – An independently owned, small scale commercial brewery.

Draught Beer – Beer drawn from kegs rather than from cans or bottles.

Ethanol – Ethyl alcohol, the colorless primary alcohol constituent of beer.

Fermentable Sugars – Sugars that can be consumed by yeast which in turn will produce ethanol alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Fermentation – The chemical conversion of fermentable sugars into approximately equal parts of ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide gas, through the action of yeast. The two basic methods of fermentation in brewing are top fermentation, which produces ales, and bottom fermentation, which produces lagers.

Hops – The flowers of the hop plant, used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer. Only the female ripened flower is used for flavoring beer. There are over one hundred varieties of hops cultivated around the world. Hops are added at the beginning (bittering hops), middle (flavoring hops), and end (aroma hops) of the boiling stage, or even later in the brewing process (dry hops).

Keg – A cylindrical container, usually constructed of stainless steel, commonly used to store, transport and serve beer under pressure.

Lager – Lagers are any beer that is fermented with bottom-fermenting yeast at colder temperatures. Lagers are most often associated with crisp, clean flavors and are traditionally fermented and served at colder temperatures than ales.

Malt – Processed barley that has been steeped in water, germinated on malting floors or in germination boxes or drums, and later dried in kilns for the purpose of stopping the germination and converting the insoluble starch in barley to the soluble substances and sugars in malt.

Mash – A mixture of ground malt (and possibly other grains or adjuncts) and hot water that forms the sweet wort after straining.

Nitrogen – When used for the carbonation of beer, Nitrogen contributes a thick creamy mouthfeel, different from the mouthfeel you get from CO2.

Pitching – The addition of yeast to the wort once it has cooled down to desirable temperatures.

Primary Fermentation – The first stage of fermentation carried out in open or closed containers and lasting from two to twenty days during which time the bulk of the fermentable sugars are converted to ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.

Secondary Fermentation – The second, slower stage of fermentation for top fermenting beers, and lasting from a few weeks to many months, depending on the type of beer.

Top Fermentation – One of the two basic fermentation methods characterized by the tendency of yeast cells to rise to the surface of the fermentation vessel. Ale yeast is top fermenting compared to lager yeast, which is bottom fermenting. Beers brewed in this fashion are commonly called ale or top-fermented beers.

Wort – The bittersweet sugar solution obtained by mashing the malt and boiling in the hops, which becomes beer through fermentation.

Yeast – During the fermentation process, yeast converts the natural malt sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.

Yeast Pitching – The point in the brewing process in which yeast is added to cool wort prior to fermentation.

Hunter Valley Beer Tasting Tours

Personalised Hunter Valley private beer tasting tours for your group!

If you love tasting craft beer, you’re in good company, so do we! The Hunter Valley is home to some of the best artisan breweries that can be found within two hours of Sydney. Classic Tours offer Hunter Valley beer tasting tours. Here are the best breweries in the Hunter valley that we think are worthy of inclusion on your gourmet Hunter Valley wine tour, cheese tasting tour or chocolate tasting tour. Book a beer tasting and combine it with a spirit, wine, chocolate or cheese tasting tour for the ultimate private Hunter Valley tour experience, so you can all enjoy a few lagers and great times with your mates!

* Classic Tours supports the responsible consumption of alcohol, so remember to consume alcohol in moderation and stay safe.

Hunter Valley Breweries

Beer Tasting Hunter Valley

This creative food, wine and craft beer region is a mecca for craft beer lovers. Watch the beer production process and enjoy handmade artisan beer in the Hunter Valley direct from the maker. Craft beer experts are always on hand to introduce guests to the many varieties on offer, provide tasting advice and answer any questions you may have. With a cellar door nearby, an accompanying wine or cheese platter is also within easy reach.

What’s better than sharing good times with friends? On our small group beer, wine and cheese tasting Hunter Valley tour, Classic Tours guests can enjoy visiting breweries, distilleries, vineyards, cheese factories and boutique produce stores. With standard and custom itineraries available, your private Hunter Valley brewery tours experience with Classic Tours is just a phone call away. Book your tour now and let Classic Tours take you and your mates to the best craft breweries in the Hunter Valley for the ultimate day out!