Cicerone Certified Beer Server Practice Test

What is the process of "mashing" in beer production?

1. A method for fermenting beer

2. A process of boiling the wort

3. Combining milled grains with hot water

4. Addition of hops during fermentation

The correct answer is: Combining milled grains with hot water

Mashing is a crucial step in the beer production process where milled grains, typically malted barley, are combined with hot water. This process activates enzymes in the malt that convert starches from the grain into fermentable sugars. The temperature of the water during mashing is important as it affects enzyme activity: higher temperatures favor the production of unfermentable sugars, while lower temperatures promote the production of fermentable sugars. This process ultimately transforms the grain into a sweet liquid known as wort, which is essential for fermentation. Thus, identifying mashing as the combination of milled grains with hot water clearly aligns with the central role it plays in producing the sugars needed for the subsequent fermentation stage.