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Advanced Cicerone® · Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes

Water

Syllabus Path

Water affects mash pH, enzyme performance, hop bitterness perception, malt roundness, yeast health, and finished-beer flavor. Connect a water profile to style target and process outcome rather than naming brewing cities only.

  1. IV. Beer Ingredients and Brewing Processes
  2. A. Ingredients
  3. 4. Water

Exam Focus

  • Explain water as a brewing analysis topic within Ingredients.
  • Relate source water, alkalinity, hardness, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, chloride, sodium, bicarbonate, and treatment to mash and flavor outcomes.
  • Build a water-adjustment rationale around mash pH, yeast health, bitterness, malt expression, and style without copying a city profile uncritically.

Core knowledge

  • Water affects mash pH, enzyme performance, hop bitterness perception, malt roundness, yeast health, and finished-beer flavor.
  • Calcium supports mash performance and yeast flocculation; chloride can round malt and body; sulfate can sharpen hop bitterness; bicarbonate raises alkalinity and can suit darker grists.
  • Chlorine or chloramine can form chlorophenolic off flavors and should be removed before brewing.

Study application

Connect a water profile to style target and process outcome rather than naming brewing cities only.

Key Terms

Chlorine or chloramine
Chlorine or chloramine can form chlorophenolic off flavors and should be removed before brewing.

References

1 available