Beer glossary

Beer is categorised according to the original wort content, the percentage of fermentable substances in the wort.

The colour of the beer is defined by the malt. The kilning (drying) heat defines the colour of the malt and hence of the beer: the hotter the kiln, the darker the malt.

After the storage period, the bottom fermenting beer runs through a filter unit. Filtration removes the last of the suspended solids (yeast, protein, and hops residue) and clarifies the beer. Top fermenting Weissbier types are bottled and kegged in their naturally cloudy state.

Beers are classified according to the method used for their fermentation:

Top fermented beers from the Andechs monastery brewery:

• Andechser Weißbier Hell
• Andechser Weißbier Dunkel
• Andechser Weißbier non-alcoholic
• Andechser Weizenbock

This generally extends to:
Altbier, Kölsch, Weizen, Weizenbock, etc.

Bottom fermented beers from the Andechs monastery brewery:

• Andechser Vollbier Hell
• Andechser Spezial Hell
• Andechser Export Dunkel
• Andechser Bergbock Hell
• Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel

This generally extends to:
Pils, Export, Lager, Bock, Doppelbock, light and dark full-bodied beer.

Bitterness is the impression of taste between the tongue and the palate. The bitterness of beer is carried mainly by the constituents of the hops, but also by the natural salt content of the brewing water and vegetable tannins from the malt.

The bitterns are provided by the hops. They lend the beer its characteristic bitter aroma.

Bottom fermenting beers are made with yeasts that sink to the bottom of the fermenting vat after fermentation. Fermentation takes place here at temperatures up to 9 °C.

“Brew” is the name given to a production batch in the brewhouse.

“Brew kettle” is another term for wort copper.

The brewhouse is fitted with the equipment needed for brewing beer: mash tun, mash copper, lauter tun, wort copper.

The optimal, consistent quality of water is particularly important for brewing.
It must be free of odours and microorganisms and have a neutral taste. Its salt content, above all in the form of calcium and magnesium compounds, contribute to the flavour of the beer.