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A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

glossary Q

glossary R

RAAF DUBBEL
Raaf brewery, Holland. A fine, smooth and strong Abbey beer.

RAAF TRIPPEL
Raaf brewery, Holland. Big and blustery Abbey beer with a smooth, malty flavour and a touch of sourness on the finish.

RAFFO
Peroni brewery, Italy. Typically lightweight, bland Italian lager style.

RATSHERRN BOCK
Elbschloss brewery, Germany. Rich, malty Doppelbock style, despite its understated name.

RATSHERRN PILS
Elbschloss brewery, Germany. Nicely dry Pilsener- style.

RATSKELLER EDEL-PILS
Lindener Gilde brewery, Germany. A Pilsener- style of some finesse, better than the straight Gilde Pilsener, but not special.

RAUCHBIER (Generic)
Germany. A copper-coloured "bottom-fermented" beer with a distinctive smoky-biscuity taste, which comes from malt grains that are put through a special smoking process. Producers of this style include B�rgerbr�u (distinctive, copper- coloured Kaiserdom) and Spezial (confusingly named Lager, this beer has a light, smooth malty flavour with the rich, caramelised, typically smoky aftertaste of a Rauchbier). Some Rauchbier are made as M�rzenbier (see M�rzenbier), including Heller (whose Aecht Schlenkerla is the most famous Rauchbier and produced as a M�rzenbier, albeit for the restricted availability of the Schlenkerla tavern in Bamberg, Franconia) and Spezial (very smoky, approaches the quality of Schlenkerla). Budels in Holland makes Dutch Rauchbier called Capucijn (fairly strong with an assertive, smoky finish), while Poretti does the same in Italy with its Spl�gen Fum�e (ruddy-copper-coloured brew with a smoky character on the finish).

RAUCHENFELS STEINBIERE
Rauchenfels brewery, Germany. This brewery revived the concept of "stone-beer", which harked from times prior to the development of metal kettles, when huge baking-hot stones were heated and dropped in to heat up the wort, which in its wooden vessel could not be boiled by direct heat. The result (in the version brewed by Rauchenfels today, anyway) is a smooth, rich-tasting beer with a curious, smoky-caramelised aftertaste. A "stone-beer" has an acquired taste, which the cult-following of Rauchenfels has obviously acquired.

RAUCHENFELS STEINWEIZEN
Rauchenfels brewery, Germany. The wheat beer version of "stone-beer", Steinweisen is predictably sharper taste and is preferred by Rauchenfels cult-following.

RED ERIC
Ceres brewery, Denmark. A dry, lager-type of little interest but for the fact that it used to be ros�-coloured until an EC ban.

R�SERVE DU BRASSEUR
St-Arnold brewery, France. A light, clinically clean, filtered Bi�re de Garde.

R�SERVE ST-LANDELIN
Rimaux brewery, France. An unexceptional Abbey-type beer.

ROCHEFORT
Rochefort brewery, Belgium. Trappist beer Typical malty Trappist beer.

RODENBACH GRAND CRU
Rodenbach brewery, Belgium. An exclusive bottling of the two year old beer that is used to fortify and mellow the basic Rodenbach blend, the Grand Cru is fuller and smoother, with a more pronounced sour note on the finish.

RODENBACH
Rodenbach brewery, Belgium. A "top-fermented" red- coloured beer, blended from young and old ales, full of sour fruit and a sharp, bitter finish.

ROLAND (Generic)
Belgium. A type of Saison beer, usually in a large corked bottle and may be aged for up to 12 months. See
Saison.

ROS� DE GAMBRINUS
Cantillon brewery, Belgium. A smooth Frambozen Lambic with a sharply fruity finish.

ROSSA, LA
Moretti brewery, Italy. Strong, ruddy-copper-coloured "bottom-fermented" beer with lots of malty character and a clean, well-hopped finish.

ROYAL DUTCH POST HORN
Breda brewery, Holland. Light, lager-type.

RUBIN
EKU brewery, Germany. Deep, dark export-style Dunkel of decent quality.

glossary S

SACCHAROMYCES CARLSBERGENIS
Important bottom-fermenting yeast (see
beer making).

SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE
Important top-fermenting yeast (see beer making).

SACCHAROMYCES UVARUM
Important bottom-fermenting yeast (see beer making).

SAISON (Generic)
Belgium. A regional style of "top-fermented" beer, a Saison is usually amber or light-copper in colour, with a fluffy head, a certain sweet-cum-sour yeasty-fruitiness on the palate and a soft but nicely hopped finish and probably bottle- conditioned. Its producers include Du Bocq (fairly basic stuff, sold as Saison R�gal), Saison Dupont and Saison Silly. Pipaix, Roland and Voisin are different types of Saison beer, which come in large, corked bottles and may improve for up to 12 months after purchase.

SALVATOR
Paulaner brewery, Germany. Supposedly the very first Doppelbock produced, Salvator's full and rich flavour enables it to keep up with the best of the imitators it has spawned.

SAN MIGUEL PREMIUM LAGER
San Miguel brewery, Spain. Soft, malty- style lager with some hoppiness on the finish.

SANS SOUCI
Moretti brewery, Italy. Finer version of the basic Moretti lager style, the pale colour, delicacy of flavour and well-hopped character make it a fine Pilsener-type.

SANWALD HEFE WEISS
Dinkelacker brewery, Germany. Run-of-the-mill wheat beer.

SCH�FF-FEUERFEST
Sch�ffbr�u brewery, Germany. A dark and very strong Doppelbock, which is conditioned for at least 12 months, has a big burst of fruit on the palate and thankfully little fizz.

SCHIERLINGER ROGGEN
Schierlinger brewery, Germany. An unusual, "top-fermented" rye beer, Roggen is deep-bronze in colour, packs a fruity punch and has a distinctive spicy-bitter finish.

SCHNEIDER-WEISSE
Schneider brewery, Germany. A classic wheat beer.

SCHULTHEISS BERLINER WEISSE
Schultheiss brewery, Germany. The greatest of all Berliner Weisse.

SCOTCH ALE
Scotland. Dark, strong (up to 10% ABV), malty ale with ripe, fruit overtones. Much copied elsewhere.

SELECTA XV
San Miguel brewery, Spain. Smoother, richer, more malty and much fruitier version of the Premium Lager (see San Miguel Premium Lager).

SEPTANE 5
Terken brewery, France. A soft, floral Bi�re de Garde that is filtered and reminiscent of an export lager.

SEZOENS PILS
Martens brewery, Belgium. Reasonable replica of the Pilsener-style.

SEZOENS
Martens brewery, Belgium. Pale, hoppy-fruity brew that falls somewhere between a Saison and a Pilsener.

SIEGEL PILS
Dortmunder Union brewery, Germany. A light, malty so- called Pils-style made from non-Pilsener malt, Siegel Pils is a pleasant enough brew with a very light hoppiness, but not special.

SION K�LSCH
Sion brewery, Germany. Fresh, flowery, aromatic K�lsch of some finesse.

SKOL
Breda brewery, Holland. Light, tasteless lager-type.

SLOEBER
Moortgat brewery, Belgium. The darkest of this brewery's off-dry, abbey-style beers.

SPATEN PILS
Spaten brewery, Germany. Good Pils-style, but really no better than this brewery's M�nchner Hell.

SPECIALE ENGHIEN
Saison Silly brewery, Belgium. This Saison beer is a stronger version of the Doublette Engheim. See Saison.

SP�CIALE PALM
Palm brewery, Belgium. Golden-coloured "top- fermented" ale with a dry, citrussy flavour and an assertive, well-hopped finish.

SPL�GEN FUM�E
Poretti brewery, Italy. Ruddy-copper-coloured brew with the smoky character of a Rauchbier.

ST-ARNOLDUS
Yves Castelain brewery, France. A full, fruity and unfiltered Bi�re de Garde.

ST-JACOBUS BLONDER BOCK
Forschungs brewery, Germany. Big, lusty brew with lots of sweet, malty flavour.

ST-LANDELIN RESERVE
Rimaux brewery, France. An unexceptional Abbey-type beer.

ST-L�ONARD
St-L�onard brewery, France. A popular Bi�re de Garde of moderate quality.

STAMM ALT
Dinkelacker brewery, Germany. Uninspiring Altbier.

STAROPRAMEN
Staropramen brewery, Czech Republic. Soft, malty export type beer that lacks the hoppy finesse of the best Czech beers.

STAUDER PILS
Stauder brewery, Germany. Basic Pils-style of no special interest.

STEAM BEER
A beer produced by a special fermentation in long shallow vessels. The style is uniquely American, specifically Californian, and one good example is Anchor brewery's Anchor Steam.

STEINBOCK
Dortmunder Kronen brewery, Germany. A crisp, dry, dark Bock.

STELLA ARTOIS
Artois brewery, Belgium. Pale-coloured, light- bodied, typically fizzy Pilsener-style.

STILLE NACHT
De Dolle brewery, Belgium. The De Dolle Brouwers or "The Mad Brewers" are two Belgians, Joe and Kris Herteleer, who caught the beer-bug in the UK when they purchased a home brew kit from Boots! Still Nacht is a "top-fermented", deep-coloured, seasonal beer sold at Christmas.

STOUT
There are two basic types of stout, bitter stout and sweet (or milk) stout. The sweet stuff, as epitomised by Mackeson and many other regional brews is not dissimilar to a gassier, richer, darker version of mild. Classic stout is, however, bitter stout and Guinness, Murphy's and Beamish are all first-rate. They are also all Irish, of course, although stout is a derivative of porter, an entirely English creation that has fallen by the wayside and, perversely, no such similar products are made by a British brewery, let alone an English one, although Mackeson is, as indicated above, just one of many British sweet stouts produced. Draught stout is about 4-4.5% ABV and bottled 4.5- 5%, although bottled versions exported to the tropics can be as high as 8%. The startling difference between bottled and draught bitter stout, whether Guinness, Murphy's or Beamish is one of gas: the bottled version like all bottled beers contains CO2, which is coarse on the tongue and accentuates the extreme bitter character of a stout, whereas a head on the draught version is principally nitrogen, an inert gas that is smooth on the tongue and the creamy effect this provides subdues the bitter elements. Draught Guinness in the all-black can, not the gold one, was the first stout to utilise the DraughtflowTM System, which employs nitrogen to produce a very similar creamy effect in a can, since when Beamish and Murphy's have followed suit. The same technology has been applied to Guinness Draught Bitter in a can, a move that has been followed by Boddington, Flowers and others (see DraughtflowTM System).

STROPKEN GRAND CRU
Slaghmuylder brewery, Belgium. A smooth, sophisticated "top-fermented" beer with fine malty flavour, but not the spicy brew it once used to be.

SUPER-DORT
Alfa brewery, Holland. Sweet and strong.

SUPER LEEUW
De Leeuw brewery, Holland. Pale lager style of some interest.

SWINKELS
Bavaria brewery, Holland. Cheap, light, malty-tasting beer.

SYLVESTER
Brand brewery, Holland. A "top-fermented" beer that is dark-tawny in colour, full in body, with a dry, concentrated, fruity flavour.

SYMPATOR
W�rzburger Hofbr�u brewery, Germany. A Doppelbock of little note.

glossary T

THE GREAT DANE
Faxe brewery, Denmark. An interesting, unpasteurised, export-type canned lager from a small, independent brewery.

TRAPPIST, TRAPPISTE or TRAPPISTENBIER (Generic)
Belgium/Holland. Copper-coloured, "top-fermented" ale of significant strength (6- 9% ABV), which is always bottle-conditioned, a Trappist beer is a robust product, but should always be ripe, round and fruity (not unlike how you would imagine a bottle-conditioned barley wine might taste) and comes in three styles of increasing strengths: the basic Trappist beer, which is often referred to as a Single, Dubbel and Trippel. Only five breweries in Belgium (Chimay, Westmalle, Westvleteren, Orval and Rochefort) and one in Holland (Schaapskooi) run by monks belonging to the Trappist Order are allowed, by law, to make and sell Trappist beer. The monks of the Notre Dame abbey at Scourmont were the first to perfect and market the Trappist style of beer under the Chimay label. See
Dubbel and Trippel.

TREMANATOR DOPPELBOCK
Dortmunder Actien brewery, Germany. Sounds so terrifying for such a docile brew.

TRIPPEL (Generic)
Belgium/Holland. The strongest of the three styles of Trappist beer, its producers include Abdij der Trappisten Westmalle (very pale-coloured, Westmalle's Trippel is more citrussy and assertive than its Dubbel), Maes (sold under the Grimbergen label, the Trippel is stronger and paler than the Dubbel, with a fruitier-malty character and a dryish finish), and Schaapskooi (strong, spicy beer from Holland's only Trappist brewery). See
Trappist.

TUBORG
Tuborg brewery, Denmark. Various lightly-hopped lagers are produced under the internationally well-known Tuborg label.

TUN
Large vessel used in the brewing process.

glossary U

UR-BOCK DUNKEL
Einbecker Brauhaus, Germany. Strong, dark lager of excellent depth and quality.

UR-BOCK HELL
Einbecker Brauhaus, Germany. Strong, light-coloured lager of far less character than the Dunkel.

UR-BOCK
Heller brewery, Germany. Classic Bock

UR-M�RZEN
Spaten brewery, Germany. Many believe this to be the finest M�rzenbier currently in production.

UR- or URQUELL
Literally means "source of", but so abused it means nothing most of the time.

UR-WEIZEN
H�ll brewery, Germany. Copper-coloured wheat beer, full of rich, fruity, bottle-aromas.

URBOCK
Bavaria St-Pauli brewery, Germany. Not a Bock as such, but a Doppelbock, although this beer's mediocre quality makes it a rather moot point.

UREICH PILS
Eichbaum brewery, Germany. A well-brewed, delicate rendition of the Pils-style made from non-Pilsener malt, Ureich Pils has a nice hoppy-malt feel in the mouth.

URSTOFF
Kulmbacher M�nchshof brewery, Germany. A deep, dark Doppelbock of some note.

URTYP 1634
Paulaner brewery, Germany. A well-coloured export- style Dunkel, but not as god as the firm's basic Alt-M�nchner.

glossary V

VAN VOLLENHOVEN STOUT
Heineken brewery, Holland. A Dutch attempt at the stout style using "bottom-fermentation" techniques is strange but not unpleasant.

VELTINS PILSENER
Veltins brewery, Germany. Rather sweet, but well-balanced Pilsener-style beer produced in small quantities.

VIEILLE GARDE
Monceau St-Waast brewery, France. A rather unusual Bi�re de Garde with a malty palate and a sharp, assertive fruity finish.

VIEUX FOUDRE GUEUZE
Vanderlinden brewery, Belgium. This deep coloured blend of old and young Lambic beers is very lively, with a full, fluffy head and a fine, assertive finish.

VIEW FOUDRE KRIEK
Vanderlinden brewery, Belgium. Splendidly fresh and aromatic, if you like sweet cherry flavoured beer.

VLAAMSE BOURGOGNE
Bois brewery, Belgium. Fairly sweet "top- fermented" burgundy-coloured beer, full of sour fruit flavours and a sharp, bitter-sweet finish.

VOISIN (Generic)
Belgium. A type of Saison beer, usually in a large corked bottle and may be aged for up to 12 months. See
Saison.

glossary W

WARSTEINER PILSENER
Warsteiner brewery, Germany. Typical premium- type Pilsener-style beer with a delicate aroma and overly clean palate.

WARSTEINER PREMIUM VERUM
Warsteiner brewery, Germany. A light, premium beer made in the Pilsener-style, but without Pilsener malt.

WATER
One of the four ingredients of beer along with
grain, yeast and hops.

WEISSE or WEISSBIER (Generic)
Germany. Generic terms for white beer, which is synonymous with wheat beer. See
Wheat Beer.

WEIZENBIER (Generic)
Germany. A term for wheat beer, which can be either pale (see Wheat Beer) or dark (see Dunkel Weizen).

WEIZENBOCK (Generic)
Germany. A dark version of wheat beer, which is "top-fermented" as a Weizenbier should be, rather than "bottom-fermented" as a Bock is. Producers of this style include Erdinger (strong, amber-coloured, with a tart, bitter-sweet finish called Pinkantus), H�ll (tart and spicy, with stewed apple fruit) and Maisel (big-bodied, intense flavour).

WESTMALLE TRAPPISTENBIER DUBBEL
Abdij der Trappisten Westmalle brewery, Belgium. Dark brown Trappist beer with a ripe, malty flavour and a fairly dry, fruity finish.

WESTMALLE TRAPPISTENBIER TRIPPEL
Abdij der Trappisten Westmalle brewery, Belgium. Very pale-coloured Trappist beer, more citrussy and assertive than the Dubbel.

WESTVLETEREN ABBOT
Westvleteren Trappist brewery, Belgium. The Abbott (recognised by its yellow crown-cap) is the strongest beer produced by the monastery.

WESTVLETEREN DUBBEL
Westvleteren Trappist brewery, Belgium. As no single version is commercialised by the order of St-Sixtus, this double (recognised by its green crown-cap) is the most basic style of Trappist beer sold by the monastery.

WESTVLETEREN EXTRA
Westvleteren Trappist brewery, Belgium. The Extra (recognised by its blue crown-cap) is fruity and sharp, coming between the Special and Abbot in terms of strength.

WESTVLETEREN SPECIAL
Westvleteren Trappist brewery, Belgium. The Abbott (recognised by its red crown-cap) is creamier, spicier and stronger than the Dubbel, but has less strength than the Extra.

WESTVLETEREN ST-SIXTUS (Generic)
Belgium. Any Westvleteren beer that has a label or includes the name St-Sixtus will not be the authentic Trappist beer, which carries no label, but it will be a very good, authorised replica, which has been brewed by a nearby commercial brewery, under licence from the monastery.

WESTVLETEREN
St-Sixtus brewery, Belgium. Although the authentic Westvleteren Trappist beer is brewed by the monks and at the monastery of the Trappist order of St-Sixtus in Westvleteren, it has no label, no mention of St-Sixtus and can only be identified by the name of Westvleteren on the crown-cap or the Westvleteren name embossed on the bottle. Any beer that has a label or includes the name St-Sixtus, will be brewed by a nearby commercial brewery, under licence from the monastery.

WHEAT BEER
A "top-fermented" beer fermented from a mix of wheat malt (usually a minimum 50%) and barley malt, which usually produces a very pale beer with an alcoholic strength of just over 5% ABV, a sour, fruity-biscuity flavour (distinctive brews often have a spiced-apple character) and a substantial sediment (those prefixed with Hefe labour this point). Unlike most bottle-conditioned ales, the sediment in a wheat beer is supposed to be poured into the glass to produce the desired cloudy effect. It gives the beer its special fruity roundness and, of course, makes the beer fizzy to one degree or another, which when poured often throws such a vast, fluffy, voluminous head that it requires the use of a special glass to contain. Most wheat beers are German, but Belgium also has a certain renown, particularly for its rustic Lambic beers. Producers of this style include Arcen (Arcener Tarwe is a lightly-hopped, cidery Dutch attempt at this style), Ayinger (Br�u Weisse is a frothy-white, tart, spicy beer that has been conditioned with sediment from the previous brew), De Kluis (the Hoegaarden or Witte Van Hoegaarden is a well-hopped, cloudy yellow-white beer, spiced in the old style with coriander and cura�ao, typically tangy to taste, with a bitter fruit flavour that honeys with age), Dinkelacker (Weizen Krone and a Hefe called Sanwald, both run-of-the-mill), EKU (run- of-the-mill Weizen), Erdinger (fizzy Hefe with a fluffy head, apple fruitiness on the palate and a spicy, bitter-sweet finish), Gouden Boom (typically fizzy, quite spicy, with a sour finish, called Blanche de Bruges or Brugs Tarwebier), Haake-Beck (fresh, zesty Bremer Weisse, with a sharp, fruity finish), Hacker-Pschorr (Pschorr-Br�u Weisse has a fluffy-head and a sour-biscuity flavour with a fine spiced-apple tang), Hofbr�uhaus (an Edel Weizen with lots of sharp-fruity flavour), H�ll (a copper- coloured Ur-Weizen, full of rich, fruity, bottle-aromas), Hofbr�uhaus (Dunkel-Weizen is not a Dunkel, as such, but a splendid dark wheat beer), Kaltenberg (the crisp, unpasteurised Prinzregent Luitpold Weissbier has a typically tart taste, which is reminiscent of stewed apple on the finish), L�wenbr�u (cidery Hefe), Maisel (a Weizen Kristall-Klar that is effervescent, predictably crystal-clear and well appreciated by some, plus a tawny-coloured Hefe with a sour-apple taste), Paulaner (the Altbayerische Weissbier undergoes a lengthy conditioning and is appreciated for its supple fruitiness), Pinkus M�ller (its Alt Weissbier is rich, ripe and well-honed, with a soft, mature, malty flavour, while the Hefe is delicate and spritzy, with an easy, mild finish), Raaf (a bitter-sweet Witbier that incorporates Pilsener malt, which gives the beer its long, delicate citrus flavour), Rauchenfels (Steinweisen is the wheat beer version of a "stone-beer" - see Rauchbier - which is predictably sharper to taste and the preferred beer of Rauchenfels healthy cult-following), Schneider (the straight Schneider Weiss is a classic, although the Aventinus even better), Schultheiss (its Berliner Weiss is considered to be the finest of its type), Spaten (decent but not special basic wheat beer, but a full, spicy-apple flavoured Hefe called Franziskaner), Tucher (lacklustre Weizen and Hefe), VEB (Berliner Kindle Weisse is classic, with a spicy, stewed apple flavour and sour cream aftertaste, but while its basic Berliner Weisse is good, it does lack a certain concentration) and W�rzburger Hofbr�u (crisp and fruity Hefe). See also
Alt Weissbier, Berliner Weiss, Bi�re Blanche, Dunkel Weizen, Hefe, Lambic, Weissebier, Weizenbier, Weizenbock and Whitbier (next entry).

WHITBIER (Generic)
Belgium. A white or wheat beer, often comparable to a German Weissebier.

WHITE BEER
Synonymous with pale-coloured wheat beer. See Weissebier.

WICK�LER PILSENER
Wick�ler brewery, Germany. The light aroma and overly clean palate of this beer is typical of the Premium-type Pilsener-style.

WITBIER
Raaf brewery, Holland A bitter-sweet wheat beer that incorporates Pilsener malt and has long, delicate citrus flavour.

WITTE VAN HOEGAARDEN or HOEGAARDEN
De Kluis brewery, Belgium. Hoegaarden was once the most famous wheat beer village in Belgium, with over 30 breweries, but as this style of beer gave way to modern beers, all the breweries gradually went out of business. De Kluis was a brave revival of an abandoned brewery in 1965, but has required investment from the Stella Artois group to survive. Hoegaarden White is a well-hopped, cloudy yellow- white wheat beer, considered by some to be the finest of its type. Interestingly it is spiced with coriander and cura�ao, an ancient but seldom practised custom that produces a typically tangy beer with a bitter fruit flavour that honeys with age.

WORT
The liquid extract that is created from the
mash. This sugary liquid is then fermented into beer.

W�RZIG HERB
Hofmark brewery, Germany. See Das Feine Hofmark.

W�RZIG MILD
Hofmark brewery, Germany. See Das Feine Hofmark.

glossary X

X-PERT
Gulpen brewery, Holland. A so-called super-premium style, this Dutch beer has a touch too much colour for a classic Pilsener, but is beautifully bottle-conditioned, which adds a smooth, refined quality to its nicely hopped palate and finish.

glossary Y

YEAST
One of the four ingredients of beer along with
grain, water and hops. Yeast is a single cell organism that converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

glossary Z

ZWICKELBIER (Generic)
Germany. An unfiltered beer, but one of no great distinction.

ZYMURGY
The science of beer brewing.

back to glossary entry A

  

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