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Quizzes > Lifestyle & Hobbies

Beer Test: Check Your Craft Beer and Brewing Know-How

Quick, free beer trivia quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Dan AylingUpdated Aug 27, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art style beer mug with foam, hop leaves, and quiz title on coral background

This beer quiz helps you check your knowledge of styles, hops, yeast, brewing steps, and flavor notes. Answer quick questions, get instant feedback, and pick up a new fact or two. For more practice, try our craft beer quiz or explore beer trivia questions today.

What is the main ingredient in beer that provides fermentable sugars?
Yeast
Barley
Hops
Water
Barley is the primary grain used in brewing beer and is malted to convert its starches into fermentable sugars during the mash. These sugars are then consumed by yeast to produce alcohol and CO2. While water makes up most of beer by volume, it doesn't provide sugars for fermentation. .
Which brewing style is characterized by a strong hop bitterness and citrusy aroma?
Stout
Wheat Beer
IPA
Lager
IPAs, or India Pale Ales, are known for their pronounced hop bitterness and often citrusy or floral aroma profiles. This style originated from British beers shipped to India and modern craft versions intensify hop character. .
What gas is produced by yeast during fermentation?
Methane
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbon dioxide
During fermentation, yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which is responsible for beer's carbonation. Oxygen is actually undesirable during fermentation as it can lead to off-flavors. .
What color scale measures the color of beer?
SRM
OG
ABV
IBU
The Standard Reference Method (SRM) is the most widely used scale to quantify beer color, based on light absorption. IBU measures bitterness, ABV measures alcohol content, and OG measures original gravity. .
What does IBU stand for?
International Bitterness Units
Imperial Beer Units
India Bittering Units
International Beer Units
IBU stands for International Bitterness Units, a measure of the bitter compounds in beer, mainly iso-alpha acids from hops. A higher IBU indicates stronger bitterness. .
Which of the following is a top-fermenting yeast used in ales?
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Brettanomyces bruxellensis
Lactobacillus
Saccharomyces pastorianus
Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a top-fermenting yeast strain used for ales at warmer temperatures, settling at the top during active fermentation. Saccharomyces pastorianus is used for lagers at cooler temperatures. .
What is the typical alcohol by volume (ABV) range for standard pale lagers?
8-9%
2-3%
4-5%
6-7%
Standard pale lagers usually range from 4% to 5% ABV, balancing drinkability and flavor. Lower ABVs are uncommon, while craft variations may go higher. .
Which country is known as the birthplace of pilsner?
Czech Republic
Belgium
England
Germany
The city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic is where the first pale lager named Pilsner was brewed in 1842. It set the template for modern pale lagers around the world. .
What is the primary purpose of adding hops to beer?
Flavor only
Bitterness and aroma
Alcohol content
Color
Hops contribute both bitterness from alpha acids balanced in the boil and aromatic qualities from essential oils added later. They also impart subtle flavor notes. They do not add alcohol or significant color. .
In brewing, what is 'mashing'?
Carbonation process
Boiling wort
Fermenting sugars
Converting starches to sugars
Mashing involves soaking milled malt in water at controlled temperatures to activate enzymes that convert starches into fermentable sugars. This step is fundamental for wort creation. .
Which sugar is most commonly produced in the mash?
Fructose
Glucose
Maltose
Sucrose
Maltose is the primary disaccharide produced when malt enzymes break down starches, and it is the main sugar yeast ferments into alcohol. Other sugars are present in smaller amounts. .
What is the difference between ale and lager fermentation?
Hops added
Malt type
Water pH
Temperature and yeast type
Ales use top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures (60 - 75°F), while lagers use bottom-fermenting yeast at cooler temperatures (45 - 55°F). This difference affects flavor and fermentation kinetics. .
Which yeast strain is typically used for lager beers?
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Saccharomyces pastorianus
Lactobacillus
Brettanomyces
Saccharomyces pastorianus (formerly S. carlsbergensis) is a bottom-fermenting yeast used for lagers, thriving at cooler temperatures and producing a clean profile. .
What does 'dry hopping' refer to?
Removing hops from wort
Adding hops during the boil
Adding hops during fermentation
Filtering hops out
Dry hopping is the addition of hops to fermenting or finished beer to extract volatile hop aroma compounds without adding bitterness. It enhances the beer's aromatic character. .
What is 'attenuation' in brewing?
Beer clarity
Yeast growth rate
Degree of sugar conversion
Hop alpha acid content
Attenuation measures the percentage of fermentable sugars that yeast converts to alcohol and CO2, indicating how 'dry' or 'sweet' a beer will be. It's calculated from original and final gravity readings. .
What is a 'gravity reading' a measure of?
Color
Hop bitterness
Yeast cell count
Sugar content
Gravity readings, measured with a hydrometer or refractometer, indicate the sugar concentration in wort or beer. Original gravity and final gravity readings are key to determining ABV and attenuation. .
Which compound is responsible for the 'clove' aroma in Belgian ales?
Diacetyl
Phenethyl alcohol
4-vinyl guaiacol
Isoamyl acetate
4-vinyl guaiacol, created by certain yeast strains through decarboxylation of ferulic acid, imparts a spicy, clove-like aroma characteristic of many Belgian styles and wheat beers. .
What is the typical IBU range for an American IPA?
40-60
15-25
80-100
25-35
American IPAs typically fall between 40 and 60 IBUs, delivering pronounced bitterness balanced by malt backbone and hop aromatics. Some modern variants push higher, but classic guidelines set this range. .
In brewing water chemistry, what does 'carbonate' primarily affect?
Protein stability
Hop utilization
Mash pH
Yeast health
Carbonates in brewing water act as alkalinity, raising mash pH. Proper carbonate levels help maintain ideal mash conditions and influence flavor. .
What process uses heat to kill microorganisms in wort without boiling?
Pasteurization
Boil
Fermentation
Mashing
Pasteurization applies controlled heat to kill unwanted microbes in wort or finished beer without a full boil, preserving delicate flavors. It's more common in packaged beer but can be used on wort. .
What is 'diacetyl rest' in lager fermentation?
Filtering yeast
Cooling to stop fermentation
Adding hops to reduce butter flavor
Holding temperature to reduce diacetyl
A diacetyl rest involves raising the temperature near the end of lager fermentation to allow yeast to reabsorb and reduce diacetyl, which can cause a buttery off-flavor. It's a standard lagering practice. .
Which hop acid contributes most to bitterness in beer?
Polyphenols
Essential oils
Beta acids
Alpha acids
Alpha acids in hops isomerize during the boil into iso-alpha acids, which are the primary bittering compounds in beer. Beta acids and oils contribute aroma but not significant bitterness. .
What is yeast flocculation?
Yeast sugar conversion
Yeast settling process
Yeast reproduction
Yeast stress response
Flocculation refers to the clumping and settling of yeast cells out of suspension after fermentation, affecting beer clarity. Yeast strains vary in their flocculation behavior. .
What is the significance of the International Bitterness Units calibration based on iso-alpha acids?
It quantifies bitterness via iso-alpha acids standardized at 275 nm
It quantifies beer color intensity
It measures ester content in beer
It measures alpha acidity before isomerization
IBU calibration uses spectrophotometry at 275 nm to quantify iso-alpha acids, the bitter compounds in beer, ensuring consistent bitterness measurement across samples. This standard method underpins IBU values worldwide. .
In decoction mashing, what is the main benefit to the beer profile?
Enhanced malt complexity and body
Increased clarity
Reduced fermentation time
Increased hop utilization
Decoction mashing, which involves boiling a portion of the mash and returning it to the main mash, develops deeper malt flavors, richer body, and enhanced color through Maillard reactions. It's traditional in classic European styles. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Popular Beer Styles -

    After completing the quiz, readers will be able to distinguish between classic and craft beer styles by their defining characteristics such as flavor, color, and aroma.

  2. Recall Brewing Fundamentals -

    Readers will gain a solid grasp of key brewing ingredients and processes, enabling them to explain how malt, hops, yeast, and water interact to create different beer profiles.

  3. Analyze Flavor Profiles -

    Participants will learn to assess beer tasting notes and identify common flavor descriptors, improving their ability to evaluate and compare brews.

  4. Evaluate Beer Trivia Facts -

    By answering trivia questions, readers will reinforce their knowledge of beer history, terminology, and brewing innovations.

  5. Distinguish Craft Beer Innovations -

    Quiz-takers will understand what sets craft beers apart from mass-produced brews, including unique ingredients, experimental techniques, and brewery philosophies.

  6. Apply Quiz Strategies -

    After the quiz, users will be equipped with tips and techniques to approach similar beer knowledge quizzes more confidently and accurately.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Beer Style Foundations -

    Master the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) categories by reviewing common style parameters like color (SRM), bitterness (IBU), and alcohol by volume (ABV). For example, American IPA typically ranges from 40 - 70 IBU and 6 - 7% ABV. Use the "Beer Style Triangle" mnemonic - Color, Bitterness, Strength - to lock in flavor profiles before diving into a beer trivia quiz.

  2. Malt, Hops, Yeast & Water Roles -

    Understand the four core brewing ingredients: malt provides fermentable sugars, hops add bitterness and aroma, yeast drives fermentation, and water chemistry shapes mouthfeel. A handy acronym is "M.H.Y.W." (Malt, Hops, Yeast, Water) to recall each element's impact. Industry sources like ASBC and university brewing programs emphasize water pH adjustment for optimal hop utilization in craft beer quiz topics.

  3. Bitterness & Color Calculations -

    Learn the Tinseth formula for IBU: IBU = (AAU × U × 75) / V, where AAU = alpha acid units, U = utilization, and V = batch volume in gallons. For SRM color estimation, use SRM ≈ 1.4922×(MCU^0.6859). Practicing these equations from brewing science journals will sharpen your skills for the beer knowledge quiz and deepen your technical insight.

  4. Fermentation & Yeast Science -

    Differentiate ale versus lager yeast strains by temperature ranges (ale: 18 - 22°C; lager: 8 - 12°C) and typical attenuation rates (70 - 80%). Use the "Cool vs. Warm" mnemonic to recall lager and ale distinctions. Referencing peer-reviewed fermentation studies helps you anticipate flavor outcomes and ace brewing facts quiz questions.

  5. Sensory Evaluation Techniques -

    Practice the BJCP tasting method: Glass, Look, Nose, Taste, Finish (G.L.N.T.F.) to systematically assess beer. The flavor wheel from Siebel Institute guides you through aroma and taste descriptors like "esters," "phenols," and "diacetyl." Regularly sampling blind flights boosts confidence and precision in any beer quiz challenge.

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