Drinks Glossary and Terminology
Alphabetical glossary of wine, beer, and spirits terms, from production to distribution.
The following is a selected list of terminology used in the wine, beer, and spirits industries; from production to fine wine and distribution.
Scroll down the list or search on the page (Ctrl+F) for a word.
ABC
Cellar mantra emphasising constant hygiene.
Multiple
Abv at Charge
Percent alcohol measured by volume.
Multiple
Abv At Charge
Alcohol strength of wash/mash entering the still.
Spirits
ABW
Percent alcohol measured by weight.
Multiple
Acetaldehyde
Green-apple/off-cider note from young beer or stressed fermentation.
Beer
Acidity
There are numerous types of acids that are found in all wines. They include citric, tartaric, malic, and lactic. Wine from hot climates, and or hot vintages tend to be lower in acidity. Wines from cooler climates are higher in acidity.
Wine
Activated Carbon Polishing
Filtration step to reduce congeners/colour in neutral spirits.
Spirits
Active Cask
First-fill cask with strong extractive power.
Spirits
Adjunct Syrup
Liquid corn/rice sugar added to the kettle or fermenter.
Beer
Adjuncts
Non-malt fermentable ingredients (corn, rice, sugar).
Multiple
Age Statement (As)
Declared age is youngest whisky in the bottle.
Spirits
Ageing / Maturation
Spirit stored in wood barrels to develop flavour.
Spirits
Alcohol
Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, the by-product of the fermentation process.
Multiple
Alembic Still
Onion-shaped pot still common in brandy/rum craft distilling.
Spirits
All-Grain Brewing
Brewing with only malted grains (no extract), full mash control.
Beer
Alpha Hop Utilisation
Percentage of hop alpha acids isomerised into bitterness.
Beer
Am/Pm Line Check
Routine verifying temperature, carbonation, and clarity on all taps.
Multiple
Amontillado
A variation of Fino sherry. It is first matured as a Fino, followed by a long and slow oxidative maturation, resulting in a wine with some flavour characteristics of Fino but much darker in colour due to age.
Multiple
Angelica Root
Botanical adding earthy, dry character to gin.
Spirits
Angel'S Share
Spirit lost to evaporation during ageing.
Spirits
Anosmia
The loss of smell.
Multiple
AOC
Appellation d'Origine Controllee: French Government certification awarded to select regions for agricultural product that is most often for wine or cheese.
Wine
Appellation
A legally defined geographical location used to identify where (and how) grapes are grown and made into wine.
Wine
Assemblage
French term for the grape varieties used to blend a wine.
Wine
Attenuation
Percentage of sugars converted to alcohol.
Multiple
Autolysis
Breakdown of dead yeast cells; can cause meaty/rubbery flavours.
Beer
Azienda Agricola
An Italian wine term for an estate winery (a winery with vineyards).
Wine
Bagasse
Fibrous cane residue; influences terroir where used as fuel.
Spirits
Balthazar
12 litre bottle.
Multiple
Barrel / Cask
Wooden vessel (typically oak) used for ageing spirits.
Multiple
Barrel Entry Proof
ABV of spirit when filled into cask for ageing.
Spirits
Barrel-Aging
Storing beer in wood barrels for flavour.
Beer
Barrique
Or Barrel, a vessel to age wine which is usually made from oak.
Wine
Base Grain
Wheat, barley, corn, or grape neutral used for gin.
Spirits
BDX
Abbreviation for Bordeaux.
Wine
Beer Clean Glass
Glass free of residues; judged by lacing and bubble behaviour.
Multiple
Beer Engine
Hand pump used for dispensing cask ale.
Multiple
Beer Flight
Selection of small beer samples.
Beer
Bergamot
Citrus botanical adding Earl-Grey/tea-like aroma.
Spirits
Bin
Originally a batch or collection of wine bottles, but more specifically a brand name that separates a particular wine from others produced by the same winery. Often appears on wine labels with a number such as 'Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon'.
Wine
Bio-Transformation
Yeast-driven conversion of hop compounds into new aromatics.
Beer
Blanc De Blancs
Appears on Champagne labels. A wine made entirely from white grapes, in other words Chardonnay.
Wine
Blanc De Noirs
Champagne made from black grape varieties, namely Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Please see the Champagne wine label page for additional information, including the sweetness levels.
Wine
Blend
When one or more grape varieties is used to produce the wine.
Wine
Blend / Blended Whisky
Combination of malt and grain whiskies.
Multiple
Blended Malt
Blend of single malts from multiple distilleries (no grain whisky).
Spirits
Blow-Off Tube
Hose allowing krausen/COâ‚‚ to escape during vigorous fermentation.
Beer
Blow-Through
Pushing water through a beer line to clear product before cleaning.
Multiple
Blush
Widely used term for a pale-pink-coloured wine.
Wine
Boil
Stage where wort is boiled and hops are added.
Beer
Boiling Point Elevation
Effect of dissolved solids raising boiling temperature.
Spirits
Bonded Warehouse
Excise-controlled storage facility.
Multiple
Bordeaux First Growths
1er GCC (Premier Grand Cru Classé), 1er CC (Premier Cru Classé), PGC (Premier Grand Cru) and 1er GCC 'A' or 'B' (classifications for wines from the Bordeaux right bank region of Saint-Emilion).
Wine
Botanicals
Herbs, spices, fruits used to flavour gin.
Spirits
Botrytis
The fungus Botrytis cinerea attacks grapes (and occasionally other parts of the vine) in humid conditions. It can develop into devastating grey rot but, in the right conditions, a desirable botrytis infection occurs, producing what is called noble rot. Many of the world's greatest sweet wines are crafted from the furry, mould-covered shrivelled grapes that result.
Wine
Bourbon Barrel / Hogshead / Butt
Common cask types/sizes used in maturation.
Spirits
Bp Or Buyer'S Premium
The charge or fee paid by the buyer to the auction house.
Multiple
Brand Manager
Distributor employee who is responsible for a particular brand or producer.
Multiple
Break Point (Cut Line)
Sensor/indicator guiding transition from heads to hearts.
Spirits
Brewhouse
Full brewing system including vessels.
Beer
Brewpub
Venue that brews and serves its own beer.
Beer
Bright Beer
Clarified beer ready for packaging or serving.
Beer
Broker
In Bordeaux, a broker is the same as a Courtier, which is a person acting as the intermediary between chateau and the négociants. Outside of Bordeaux, brokers act as an intermediary between buyers and sellers of wine.
Wine
Brown Out (Oxidation)
Colour and flavour darkening from oxygen pickup in beer.
Beer
BSL
Label Condition: 'Bin Soiled Label'.
Multiple
Cã”Tes
A French label term for wines from a slope or hillside (contiguous) vineyard – such as along a river. (e.g. Côtes du Rhône).
Multiple
Cachaza/Cachaã§A (Related)
Fresh cane juice spirit from Brazil (non-rum category but process-relevant).
Spirits
Cane Honey
Concentrated cane juice used in some Spanish-style rums.
Spirits
Cane Juice Rum
Rum made from fresh sugarcane juice (e.g., rhum agricole).
Spirits
Cane Variety
Specific cultivars affecting sugar, acidity, and aroma.
Spirits
Carbonation
Dissolved CO2 giving beer its fizz.
Beer
Carbonic Bite
Sharp, prickly sensation from high dissolved COâ‚‚.
Beer
Cardamom (Green/Black)
Potent spice botanical; use carefully to avoid dominance.
Spirits
Case Equivalent
See Eq. Case.
Multiple
Cask Ale
Unfiltered beer undergoing secondary fermentation in the cask.
Multiple
Cask Breather
Low-pressure COâ‚‚ device to reduce oxidation in cask ale service.
Multiple
Cask Finishing
Secondary maturation in different wood (e.g., sherry, port).
Spirits
Cask Strength
Bottled at natural ABV from cask without dilution.
Spirits
Cassia Vs Cinnamon
Related bark botanicals with different eugenol intensity.
Spirits
Cava
The term used for Spanish sparkling wines produced by the Champagne method.
Wine
CC
Cork and Capsule Condition: 'Corroded Capsule'.
Wine
Cellar
Cool storage area for conditioning liquid before service.
Multiple
Cellar Management
Practices maintaining beer quality in storage.
Beer
Cellarage
The process of charging for storing goods in a warehouse. Typically, cellarage is charged on Paid Reserve held by a wine merchant on behalf of their clients.
Wine
Char Level (1€“4+)
Degree of barrel charring impacting flavour/colour.
Spirits
Charred Oak
Barrel interior burned to flavour whisky/rum (especially bourbon).
Spirits
Chateau
French term for an estate. Chateau is used most often in Bordeaux.
Wine
Choker Line
Short narrow section to balance keg dispense pressure/flow.
Multiple
Citrus Peel
Botanical adding fresh citrus notes to gin.
Spirits
Claret
A traditional English term for red wines from Bordeaux.
Wine
Clarifiers (Flocculants)
Aids to clear molasses wash before ferment.
Spirits
Clarifying Agents
Substances like isinglass used to clear beer.
Beer
Closed Top Vs Open Top Fermenters
Impacts ester production and infection risk.
Spirits
CNDP
Abbreviation for Chateauneuf du Pape. Also written as CDP.
Multiple
Cold Chain
Temperature-controlled distribution for beer.
Beer
Cold Crash
Rapid cooling post-fermentation to drop haze-forming particles.
Beer
Colheita
A tawny port from a single vintage. Instead of showing the number of years (such as 10-year-old, 20-year-old and so on), the label will give the vintage.
Wine
Collar (Headspace)
Space left in a cask/keg for conditioning and COâ‚‚.
Multiple
Column Still / Coffey Still
Continuous distillation system for high-purity spirits.
Multiple
Commission Order Processing
Buying and selling stock were the agent claims a commission from the supplier for goods sold to the customer. Goods can physically go direct from the supplier to customer or via an intermediary warehouse.
Multiple
Commodity Code
Government issues product group code used for international statistics and tax.
Multiple
Compound Gin
Gin made by blending spirit with botanical extracts.
Spirits
Conditioning
Maturation process to develop flavours.
Spirits
Congeners
Flavour compounds created during fermentation and ageing.
Multiple
Cooperage
Workshop crafting, repairing, and re-charring barrels.
Spirits
Copper Contact Time
Exposure to copper surfaces to bind sulphur compounds.
Spirits
Copper Still
Still made of copper, which removes sulphur compounds.
Spirits
Coriander Seed
Common gin botanical providing citrus/spice notes.
Spirits
Courtier
Broker in Bordeaux that acts as the intermediary between the chateau and the négociants.
Wine
Crã‰Mant
Sparkling wines made outside the Champagne region using the traditional method.
Wine
CRC
Cork and Capsule Condition: 'Cracked Capsule'.
Multiple
Cream Sherry
An artificially sweetened sherry.
Wine
CRU
This French word translates to growth and indicates a vineyard or group of vineyards that are recognised for quality. Cru is usually used alongside a quality level determined by the appellation rules such as premier cru or grand cru.
Wine
Crusted Port
Named for the crust, or deposit, which develops as the wine ages in the bottle. These wines are blends of several vintages.
Wine
Cubeb Berry
Peppery botanical with floral top notes.
Spirits
CUC
Cork and Capsule Condition: 'Cut Capsule'.
Multiple
Customer Reserve
See Paid Reserve.
Multiple
Customs Warehouse
UK warehouse authorised to hold alcoholic drinks, tobacco, and oils where customs duty payment is referred.
Multiple
Cuvã‰E
A French term, but increasingly seen on New World wine labels also. Denotes a wine of a specific blend or batch. In many cases this will also indicate a house speciality.
Wine
Cuvier
French term for where the vinification of the wine takes place.
Wine
DC
Cork and Capsule Condition: 'Depressed Cork'.
Multiple
DDP
Delivered Duty Paid. Signifies that the price quoted includes all the charges, including shipping, and any taxes as applicable up to the destination named by the buyer.
Multiple
Decoction Mash
Traditional method boiling a portion of mash to enhance maltiness.
Beer
Demerara Style
Guyanese heavy rum style with wooden still heritage.
Spirits
Dephlegmator
Reflux condenser controlling rectification in hybrid/column stills.
Spirits
Depletion
Data generated by distributors monthly that tracks sales and inventory depletions linked to a specific supplier. The report contains the following: beginning inventory, purchases, ending inventory, and depletions.
Multiple
DF
Duty Free. See IB / IN BOND.
Multiple
Diastatic Power
Enzyme strength in malt (°Lintner/°WK) to convert starches.
Beer
Distillation
Heating a liquid to separate alcohol from water and impurities.
Multiple
Distilled Gin (Eu Category)
Gin produced by redistilling in presence of botanicals.
Spirits
Distributor Incentive
Incentive provided to distributor in return for achieving predetermined sales goals.
Multiple
Do
Denominación de Origen. A Spanish term denoting quality wine from a designated area.
Wine
DOC
Denominazione di Origine Controllata. Below DOCG and equivalent to the French AOC.
Multiple
DOCA
Denominación de Origen Calificada. Highest classification for Spanish wine. Rioja and Priorat only.
Wine
DOCG
Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. Highest classification for quality Italian wines. For more on Italian wine and labelling laws.
Wine
Doorman Effect (Hop Creep)
Enzymes in dry hops restart fermentation, raising diacetyl.
Beer
Double Magnum
3 litre bottle.
Multiple
Dp
See Duty Paid.
Multiple
Drip Loss
Waste from faucets, over-pour, and spillage tracked for yield.
Multiple
Dry Hopping
Adding hops post-fermentation for aroma.
Beer
Dunder
Fermented backset used to enhance rum fermentation.
Spirits
Dunder Pit
Outdoor pit cultivating bacteria/yeast for high-ester ferments.
Spirits
Dunnage Vs Racked Warehouses
Traditional earthen-floor vs palletised storage.
Spirits
Duty Free
See IB / IN BOND.
Multiple
Duty Paid
Secure area for tax-declared alcoholic stock.
Multiple
Duty-Paid Stockroom
Secure area for tax-declared alcoholic stock.
Multiple
Earthy Base Notes
Angelica/orris/licorice forming gin’s backbone.
Spirits
EB
Estate Bottled.
Multiple
En Primeur
Means to buy/sell wine before it is bottled and/or released into the market. Some common examples of wines sold using this method include Bordeaux Classed Growths, top Burgundy and Rhone Valley wines, and port wines, among others.
Wine
Enology
The science of wine and winemaking (see “oenologyâ€).
Wine
Entrainment
Liquid droplets carried up with vapour, causing smearing of cuts.
Spirits
Eq. Case
Unit of measure equal to a traditional 12 bottle case (12x75cl). Allows comparison of units across different formats.
Multiple
Esterification
Chemical reaction in rum creating fruity aromas.
Spirits
Esters Per Hl Aa
Measure used to classify ester intensity in rum.
Spirits
ETT
Last pints on a cask/keg; higher risk of off-flavours.
Multiple
Excellar Order Processing
See Drop Shipment.
Multiple
Excise Warehouse
Warehouse authorised to hold alcoholic drinks, tobacco, and oils where excise duty payment is referred.
Multiple
Expression Window
ABV range where botanical oils remain soluble/clear.
Spirits
Faints Receiver
Vessel collecting tails for re-distillation.
Spirits
FAN
Nutrient pool yeast needs for healthy fermentation.
Beer
Feints
Tails fraction saved for re-distillation in spirit run.
Spirits
Fermentation
Yeast converts sugars to alcohol and flavour compounds.
Multiple
Fermentation Time (Hours)
Longer ferments often yield fruitier congeners.
Spirits
FG
Sugar density after fermentation.
Multiple
Field-To-Flask Traceability
Batch tracking from raw material to bottle.
Spirits
Filtration
Removing impurities or colour after distillation.
Multiple
Fino
A style of sherry that is the driest and most pale in colour.
Wine
First Growths
Term for the absolute top Bordeaux wines, as defined by the French Government in the official 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wine.
Wine
FL
Label Condition: 'Faded Label'.
Multiple
Flagship Beer
A brewery’s main or best-known beer.
Beer
Floor Malting
Traditional manual germination method on malting floors.
Spirits
Flow Control Tap
Faucet allowing on-the-fly restriction for perfect pour.
Multiple
Foam Breaker
Mechanical/chemical aid preventing puking in the still.
Spirits
FOB
'Free on Board'. Where purchases are legally owned by the buyer at the point the goods are delivered on board a ship or aeroplane. Typically for goods coming from Australia, New Zealand and the Americas.
Multiple
Forced Carbonation
Injecting CO2 under pressure.
Multiple
Foreshots / Heads
Volatile early distillation fractions removed for safety/quality.
Multiple
Fortified
A wine that is stabilised by the addition of spirits, typically made of neutral, clear grape brandy. For example, about 30% of Port wine is spirit, which raises the ABV to 20%.
Multiple
Fresh Vs Dried Citrus
Impacts brightness, pith bitterness, and oil stability.
Spirits
Frizzante
An Italian wine with a lighter sparkle than Spumante. Sometimes also referred to as 'semi-sparkling'.
Wine
Futures
See En Primeur.
Multiple
Gabf Style
Reference to US Great American Beer Festival style guidelines.
Beer
Gas Management Panel
Cellar manifold controlling COâ‚‚/Nâ‚‚ blends across lines.
Multiple
Gcc
Grand Cru.
Wine
GCC
Grand Cru Classé. Seen on Bordeaux classed-growth labels.
Wine
Glass Froster
Chiller for frozen glassware (for lagers/RTDs where legal).
Multiple
Glucoamylase
Enzyme used to create highly attenuated “Brutâ€/dry beers.
Beer
Grain Whisky (Scotch)
Whisky from grains in column stills, lighter character.
Spirits
Grain-To-Glass Gin
Producer ferments and distils their own neutral spirit.
Spirits
Grand Arã´Me
Extremely high-ester rum style for blending.
Spirits
Grand Cru Classe
French term for use in Classification’s, for example, there are Five Growths in the Medoc that are all Grand Cru Classe. The term is also used in the Classification of St. Emilion.
Wine
Gravity Dispense
Serving beer directly from a cask via gravity.
Multiple
Growler
Refillable takeaway beer container.
Beer
GSL
Label Condition: 'Glue-Stained Label'.
Multiple
Guest Ale
Rotating beer from an external brewery.
Beer
Half/Demi
0.375 litre bottle.
Multiple
Haze
Cloudiness in beer from proteins, hops, or yeast.
Beer
Head
Foam on top of beer.
Beer
Heads/Tails Recycling
Re-distilling unwanted fractions to recover usable alcohol.
Multiple
Hearts / Middle Cut
Clean central portion of distillation used for the final spirit.
Spirits
Hectare
Term of land measurement that is equal to 2.47 acres of land. All French vineyards are measured in hectares.
Multiple
Hectolitre
Term of measurement for liquid that for example is equal to 100 litres to 2.64 gallons. Yields are arrived at by measuring the number of hectolitres per hectare in all French and most European vineyards. In America, it is counted by the number of tons per acre. A hectolitre produces roughly 10 cases of wine.
Wine
High Wines
Final spirit after second distillation.
Spirits
High-Brix Ferment
Elevated sugar concentration impacting yeast stress/esters.
Spirits
Hop
Flower that adds bitterness, flavour, and aroma.
Multiple
Hot-Cut/Cold-Cut
Timing of spirit cut determining weight vs brightness.
Spirits
HSA
Oxygen pickup during hot stages causing staling later.
Beer
Ht / Hors-Taxe
French for 'excluding tax'. Another way of specifying this is to say 'plus applicable taxes'.
Multiple
Hydrometer Correction
Temperature-corrected density readings for proofing.
Spirits
IB / In Bond
IB or I/B: 'In Bond'. Refers to wines stored in bonded warehouses or storage facilities, which are exempt from certain taxes. These also do not incur any taxes if bought or sold while still in bond. Another important feature of 'in bond' pricing is that if someone chooses to have the wine delivered at a later date, the tax is payable on the original sale price of the wine and not the current market value.
Multiple
IBU
Measures beer bitterness based on hop acids.
Beer
Ibu Contribution By Addition
Predicted bitterness from each timed hop addition.
Beer
Ice Wine
Wines produced from grapes that have been naturally frozen while still on the vine. The idea is to separate the frozen water during pressing, leaving behind a liquid with higher dissolved sugars and other solids which do not freeze. Inniskillin Riesling Niagara Peninsula Ice Wine.
Multiple
IGP
Indication Géographique Protégée, the EU term for VDP (Vin de Pays). A French country wine which comes from a broad designated area and is of lower quality than AOC wines.
Wine
IGT
Indicazione Geografica Tipica. Denotes wine from a specific region within Italy. Many of the finest wines in Italy may be labelled IGT to avoid DOC or DOCG regulations.
Wine
Imperial
6 litre bottle.