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Advanced Cicerone® · Beer Flavor and Evaluation

Hops

Syllabus Path

Advanced candidates should study hops as part of normal beer flavors, connecting the syllabus heading to accurate flavor description, source attribution, and style-fit judgment.

  1. III. Beer Flavor and Evaluation
  2. B. Normal beer flavors
  3. 2. Hops

Exam Focus

  • Explain hops as a sensory evaluation topic within Normal beer flavors.
  • Use specific evidence such as appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, finish, intensity, likely compound, and production or handling context.
  • Apply the topic to accurate flavor description, source attribution, and style-fit judgment rather than repeating the heading alone.

Core knowledge

  • Hop expression includes bitterness, flavor, and aroma from alpha acids, oils, variety, origin, harvest quality, storage, and addition timing.
  • Late, whirlpool, and dry-hop additions emphasize flavor and aroma, while boil additions emphasize bitterness.
  • Regional descriptors can include citrus, pine, resin, tropical fruit, herbal, floral, spicy, earthy, woody, catty, onion, and garlic notes.

Study application

Separate hop bitterness from hop flavor and aroma before judging style fit or process cause.

Key Terms

Regional descriptors
Regional descriptors can include citrus, pine, resin, tropical fruit, herbal, floral, spicy, earthy, woody, catty, onion, and garlic notes.

References

1 available