Beverage industry glossary
Beverage industry terms, explained simply. From A for ABV to Z for zero-alcohol.
A
- Bottling and filling Production
- Filling the finished drink into bottles, cans or kegs under conditions that are as clean and low in oxygen as possible.
- Finish Tasting
- The aftertaste of a drink after swallowing: how long and in what way flavours and aromas remain.
- Absinthe Spirits
- Herbal spirit with wormwood, aniseed and fennel. Traditionally diluted with cold water, which makes it turn cloudy.
- Astringency Tasting
- A dry, furry, puckering feeling in the mouth caused mainly by tannins, as in red wine or tea.
- Ale Beer
- Umbrella term for top-fermented beers, usually with fruity esters and a fuller aroma than bottom-fermented types.
- Alcohol-free sparkling wine Non-alcoholic
- A sparkling drink based on dealcoholised wine or grape juice that resembles sparkling wine without alcohol.
- Non-alcoholic beer Non-alcoholic
- Beer with an alcohol content of no more than 0.5 percent ABV; flavour close to regular beer.
- Alcohol labelling (ABV) Law and labelling
- Statement of the alcohol content in percent by volume on drinks above 1.2 % vol.
- Alcohol duty (spirits duty) Law and labelling
- An excise duty on spirits and other alcohol products, based on the quantity of pure alcohol.
- Allergen labelling Law and labelling
- The duty to highlight 14 allergenic substances or products in labelling.
- Altbier Beer
- A dark copper, top-fermented beer with a bitter character, traditionally from Düsseldorf and the Lower Rhine.
- Amaro Spirits
- Italian herbal liqueur with a bittersweet taste, usually drunk as a digestif.
- Angel's share Spirits
- The share of a spirit that evaporates through the wood during cask ageing. Depending on climate it is roughly one to two percent a year, more in warm regions.
- Aperitif Bar and cocktails
- A light, often bitter or dry drink before a meal, intended to stimulate the appetite.
- Apple juice Non-alcoholic
- The most drunk fruit juice in Germany; cloudy or clear, often made from orchard fruit.
- Aquavit Spirits
- Scandinavian spirit from neutral alcohol flavoured mainly with caraway or dill. Minimum strength is 37.5 percent.
- Arabica Coffee and tea
- A coffee species (Coffea arabica) that supplies most of the world's coffee and is known for a delicate acidity and complex aroma.
- Armagnac Spirits
- French brandy from Gascony, usually distilled once in a continuous apparatus and often more rustic than cognac.
- Aroma wheel Tasting
- A graphic overview that arranges aromas in groups and subgroups, helping to name scent and flavour impressions.
- Aseptic filling Production
- Filling a previously sterilised drink into sterile packaging under germ-free conditions.
- Fortification Production
- Adding neutral alcohol to a drink to raise its alcohol content or stop fermentation, as with port.
- Winemaking maturation (élevage) Production
- Maturation and care of wine in the cellar between fermentation and bottling, in tank or wooden cask.
- Auslese (German Prädikat wine) Wine and sparkling wine
- German Prädikat level for wine made from fully ripe, hand-selected grapes with higher must weight than Spätlese.
- Appearance and colour Tasting
- The visual impression of a drink: colour, clarity, brilliance and viscosity, the first step of every tasting.
B
- Barista Trade and logistics
- A professional who prepares and serves coffee drinks, especially espresso-based specialities.
- Barkeeper Bar and cocktails
- A person who pours and mixes drinks behind the counter; in German often used as a synonym for bartender.
- Bar spoon Bar and cocktails
- A long-handled spoon with a small bowl for stirring, layering and measuring small amounts, holding about 5 millilitres.
- Barrel-aged beer Beer
- Beer that matures in wooden barrels after fermentation and takes on aromas from the wood and former contents.
- Barrique Wine and sparkling wine
- A small oak barrel, usually of 225 litres. Wine ageing in it takes up wood aromas and develops through contact with oxygen.
- Bartender Bar and cocktails
- A professional who prepares and serves drinks in a bar and knows ingredients, recipes and guest care.
- Beerenauslese (BA) Wine and sparkling wine
- Sweet wine made from overripe, usually botrytised individual berries that are selectively picked.
- Berliner Weisse Beer
- A tart, light wheat beer with low alcohol, traditionally drunk with syrup.
- 'Alcohol-free' designation Law and labelling
- In Germany drinks with at most 0.5 % vol may generally be called 'alcohol-free'.
- Beer mix drink Beer
- A drink made of beer plus at least one other component such as lemonade or cola.
- Beer duty Law and labelling
- An excise duty on beer based on quantity and original gravity.
- Organic labelling (EU organic logo) Law and labelling
- A legally protected indication of organically produced products, controlled under the EU organic regulation.
- Bitter (bitters) Spirits
- A spirit with a pronounced bitter note from roots, barks and herbs. It serves as aperitif, digestif or cocktail ingredient.
- Bitter lemon Non-alcoholic
- Carbonated lemon soft drink flavoured with quinine, tasting tart and bitter, used as a mixer.
- Bitters Bar and cocktails
- Highly concentrated herb and spice extracts added by the drop to cocktails to give depth and seasoning.
- Bitter compounds Tasting
- Substances that produce a bitter taste, such as hop bitterness, tannins or quinine, making drinks tart and complex.
- Blended whisky Spirits
- A mix of different whiskies, often malt and grain whisky from several distilleries, tuned to a consistent style.
- Blind tasting Tasting
- A tasting in which brand, origin and price remain unknown, so that the verdict rests only on perception.
- Bock beer Beer
- A strong beer with at least 16 percent original gravity, full-bodied and malt-forward.
- Sulphur off-note Tasting
- An unpleasant sulphur smell of rotten eggs or rubber, usually caused by yeast stress during fermentation.
- Boston shaker Bar and cocktails
- A two-part shaker made of two cups that fit into each other, usually metal or metal and glass.
- Bouquet Tasting
- The sum of the scent notes of a matured drink, especially wine; often combining fruit, fermentation and ageing aromas.
- Bourbon Spirits
- American whiskey made from at least 51 percent corn and matured in new charred oak barrels.
- Brandy Spirits
- A spirit from distilled wine or other fermented fruit juice, usually aged in wooden casks. Cognac and Weinbrand belong to it.
- Tied house arrangement Trade and logistics
- A contractual tie of a hospitality business to a brewery as its beer supplier.
- Brewer's yeast Beer
- Single-celled fungi that convert sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide and strongly shape a beer's flavour profile.
- Fizzy drink Non-alcoholic
- Colloquial term for sweet carbonated lemonade, especially common in eastern Germany and in earlier times.
- Pot still Spirits
- A copper vessel with head and condenser for batch distillation. It yields aromatic distillates and works in batches.
- Distillery Spirits
- A business where spirits are made by distillation, from small fruit distilleries to large whisky distilleries.
- Brew ratio Coffee and tea
- The ratio of ground coffee to water used in brewing.
- Brut Wine and sparkling wine
- Taste designation for dry sparkling wine with little sugar, in the EU at most 12 grams of residual sugar per litre.
- Build Bar and cocktails
- A preparation method in which all ingredients are assembled directly in the serving glass, without a shaker or mixing glass.
C
- Calvados Spirits
- French apple brandy from Normandy, aged in oak barrels. Pears may also be included.
- Cappuccino Coffee and tea
- An espresso drink with hot milk and milk foam, traditionally in roughly equal parts.
- Cask Spirits
- A wooden barrel for maturing spirits. Cask type, size and previous contents, such as sherry or bourbon, clearly shape colour and taste.
- Cava Wine and sparkling wine
- Spanish sparkling wine, mostly from Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada, made by traditional bottle fermentation.
- Champagne Wine and sparkling wine
- Protected designation of origin for sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France, made by traditional bottle fermentation.
- Batch Trade and logistics
- A quantity of a product made or filled under the same conditions and carrying a common identifier.
- Batch number Production
- A marking of a production batch that allows the origin and time of production of a product to be traced.
- Cleaning in place Production
- Cleaning tanks, pipes and filling lines in a closed system with caustic, acid and hot water, without dismantling.
- Clarifying Bar and cocktails
- A process in which cloudy particles are removed from a drink or juice so that it becomes crystal clear.
- Classic (sparkling) Non-alcoholic
- Term for mineral water with a high carbon dioxide content.
- Cobbler shaker Bar and cocktails
- A three-piece shaker with a cup, built-in strainer and cap, commonly used at home.
- Cognac Spirits
- Protected brandy from the Cognac region of France, distilled twice in pot stills and aged in oak barrels.
- Cola Non-alcoholic
- A brown, caffeinated soft drink with a characteristic aroma of citrus, spices and caramel colour.
- Cold brew Coffee and tea
- Coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for many hours.
- Collab brew Beer
- A beer developed and brewed together by two or more breweries or people.
- Cordial Bar and cocktails
- A preserved syrup of fruit, sugar and acid used as a drink ingredient in bars.
- Craft spirits Spirits
- Spirits from small, mostly independent producers who value hand-crafted production and individuality.
- Craft beer Beer
- Handcrafted beer from small, often independent breweries, usually emphasising aroma and style diversity.
- Crema Coffee and tea
- A light-brown, fine-pored layer of foam on a freshly made espresso.
- Crémant Wine and sparkling wine
- French sparkling wine from regions outside Champagne, made by bottle fermentation, often with protected origin such as Alsace or Loire.
- Crowler Beer
- A large can filled at the tap and sealed by a machine.
- Crushed ice Bar and cocktails
- Finely broken ice that chills drinks quickly and dilutes them more strongly.
- Cuvée (blend) Wine and sparkling wine
- A wine made from several grape varieties, sites or vintages blended into one coordinated whole.
D
- Darjeeling Coffee and tea
- A tea-growing area in north-eastern India at the foot of the Himalayas, known for fine black teas.
- Dash Bar and cocktails
- The smallest bar measure: a short squirt, usually from a bitters bottle, of roughly a fifth of a millilitre or a little more.
- Disgorgement Production
- Removal of the yeast deposit from the bottle in sparkling wine made by traditional bottle fermentation.
- Decanting Wine and sparkling wine
- Carefully pouring wine from the bottle into another vessel to separate sediment or expose the wine to air.
- Distillation Spirits
- A separation process in which an alcoholic liquid is heated and the rising vapour is condensed again. This raises the alcohol share.
- Digestif Bar and cocktails
- A spirit or liqueur served after a meal, usually strong, herbal or high in alcohol.
- Not-from-concentrate juice Non-alcoholic
- Fruit juice obtained directly from pressed fruit and bottled without water removal.
- Doppelbock Beer
- An especially strong, malt-rich beer with typically 18 percent original gravity or more; brand names often end in “-ator”.
- Dosage Wine and sparkling wine
- Addition of a liqueur of wine and sugar after disgorging in sparkling wine. It determines how sweet the finished wine tastes.
- DPG (German deposit system company) Law and labelling
- The operator of the uniform deposit system for one-way beverage packaging in Germany.
- Dry hopping Beer
- Adding hops after the main fermentation to gain aroma without extra bitterness.
- Dry shake Bar and cocktails
- Shaking without ice, usually for drinks containing egg white, to whip it and create a fine foam.
- Flow cooler Trade and logistics
- A device that runs beer through a chilled line while tapping and brings it to serving temperature.
E
- e-mark Law and labelling
- A small 'e' next to the quantity confirming compliance with EU requirements on fill quantity.
- EAN / GTIN Trade and logistics
- A globally unique article number printed as a barcode on the package and scanned at the checkout.
- Stainless steel tank Production
- A closed stainless steel vessel for fermentation and storage that is neutral and easy to clean and cool.
- One-way bottle Trade and logistics
- A bottle intended for a single filling that goes to recycling after use.
- One-way deposit Law and labelling
- The statutory 25-cent deposit on most one-way drink bottles and cans made of plastic, metal or glass.
- Single vineyard site Wine and sparkling wine
- A clearly delimited vineyard with its own name. Soil, slope and climate shape the character of the wine.
- Types of ice in the bar Bar and cocktails
- Different forms of ice such as cubes, crushed ice, large blocks or spheres that determine how a drink is chilled and diluted.
- Eisbock Beer
- A very strong beer made by freezing water out of a Bock, resulting in a concentrated flavour and more alcohol.
- Iced tea Non-alcoholic
- A cold, usually sweetened refreshing drink based on tea infusion or extract, often with lemon or peach.
- Ice wine (Eiswein) Wine and sparkling wine
- Sweet wine from frozen grapes picked and pressed at minus 7 degrees or colder. The sugar stays concentrated in the juice.
- Energy drink Non-alcoholic
- A caffeinated soft drink with additives such as taurine; subject to special labelling requirements.
- Dealcoholisation Production
- Removing alcohol from a finished drink, for example by vacuum distillation or membrane processes, preserving taste as far as possible.
- Dealcoholisation of beer Beer
- Methods that remove alcohol from beer or limit its formation.
- Degassing and oxygen management Production
- Removing or keeping away dissolved gases, especially oxygen, so that drinks stay fresh and do not oxidise.
- Decaffeination Coffee and tea
- A process that removes most of the caffeine from green coffee or tea.
- Espresso Coffee and tea
- A coffee drink made by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee.
- Euro pallet (EPAL) Trade and logistics
- Standardised wooden pallet measuring 1200 × 800 mm, used as a load carrier in the beverage trade and exchanged in a pooling system.
- Export lager Beer
- A mild, bottom-fermented beer with slightly higher original gravity than Pils; originally brewed for shipping out of town.
- Extract Tasting
- The total of dissolved, non-volatile components of a drink, such as sugars, acids and minerals; it contributes to body and fullness.
- Coffee extraction Coffee and tea
- The dissolving of flavours and compounds from ground coffee by water.
F
- Keg / cask Trade and logistics
- A container for draught beer and other drinks that is dispensed through a tap system.
- Draught beer Beer
- Beer filled in kegs and served through a tap system; fresh with fine foam.
- Cask ageing Production
- Storing a drink in wooden casks, where it takes on aromas, colour and structure from the wood and oxygen contact.
- Cask strength Spirits
- A spirit bottled straight from the cask without dilution with water. Alcohol content is therefore often above 50 percent ABV.
- Fat washing Bar and cocktails
- A process in which a spirit is flavoured with a fat that is afterwards removed again by chilling.
- Federweisser (partly fermented grape must) Wine and sparkling wine
- Young, still fermenting grape must in autumn, sweet, fizzy and cloudy. It contains yeast and low to medium alcohol.
- Off-flavours Tasting
- Unwanted smell or flavour notes in drinks that point to faults in production, storage or hygiene.
- Feinherb (off-dry) Wine and sparkling wine
- Free taste term for wine with slight residual sweetness, usually around medium dry. The exact sweetness is set by the producer.
- Fermentation Production
- Transformation of ingredients by micro-organisms such as yeasts, bacteria or fungi; covers more than alcohol, for example tea, kombucha or kefir.
- FIFO / FEFO Trade and logistics
- Warehouse principles: FIFO picks the oldest stock first, FEFO the stock with the earliest best-before date.
- Filter coffee Coffee and tea
- Coffee in which hot water runs through ground coffee in a filter and drips into a pot or cup.
- Beer filtration Beer
- Brewing step removing yeast and haze particles from beer to increase clarity and stability.
- Filtration Production
- Removing haze particles, yeast and micro-organisms from a drink using filters to make it clear and more stable.
- Fine straining Bar and cocktails
- A technique in which a drink is poured through an additional fine mesh to hold back small ice shards and fruit fibres.
- First crack Coffee and tea
- The audible cracking of beans during roasting that marks the transition to a drinkable roast.
- First flush Coffee and tea
- The first harvest of the tea season in spring, best known for Darjeeling.
- Fizz Bar and cocktails
- A variation of the sour topped up with soda water, making it sparkling and refreshing.
- Flair bartending Bar and cocktails
- Show-oriented bartending with juggling of bottles and shakers, combining entertainment with drink preparation.
- Flaming Bar and cocktails
- A technique in which citrus oil or alcohol is briefly ignited for aroma and visual effect.
- Bottle conditioning Beer
- Further fermentation in the container in which residual sugar and yeast create natural carbonation.
- Bottle ageing Tasting
- Development of a drink in the sealed bottle that can change aroma, structure and appearance.
- Closure Production
- The closure of a bottle such as natural cork, screw cap, crown cap or swing top; it influences shelf life and aroma.
- Flat white Coffee and tea
- An espresso drink with finely steamed, velvety milk and only a thin layer of foam.
- French press Coffee and tea
- A coffee pot in which ground coffee steeps in hot water and is then pressed down with a mesh plunger.
- Fruit infusion Coffee and tea
- An infusion of dried fruit and fruit pieces without tea leaves and without caffeine.
- Fruit nectar Non-alcoholic
- Drink made from fruit juice or puree with water and sugar up to a maximum; fruit content between 25 and 50 percent depending on fruit.
- Fruit juice Non-alcoholic
- A drink made from the juice of fruit without added sugar, either as not-from-concentrate juice or from concentrate; legally regulated.
- Fruit juice drink Non-alcoholic
- A drink with a small fruit juice share (about 6 to 30 percent depending on fruit), water, sugar and often flavourings.
- Net quantity Law and labelling
- The statement of the quantity contained in the package, for drinks in litres, centilitres or millilitres.
G
- Garnish Bar and cocktails
- An edible or decorative addition to a drink, such as a fruit slice, herb sprig or olive, that adds to its look and aroma.
- Garnish techniques Bar and cocktails
- Methods for preparing and attaching a drink's decoration, such as zests, spirals, fans or herb bouquets.
- Fermentation (alcoholic) Production
- A biological process in which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide; the basis of beer, wine, cider and spirits.
- Palate Tasting
- The taste impression of a drink in the mouth, including sweetness, acidity, bitterness, body and mouthfeel.
- Pack unit Trade and logistics
- A sales or delivery unit of a drink such as a crate, keg, carton or six-pack.
- Fruit spirit (Geist) Spirits
- A spirit from fruit steeped in neutral alcohol and then distilled, such as raspberry Geist. The spirit is aromatic and fresh.
- Tannins Tasting
- Plant phenols from skins, seeds and wood that cause a dry, tart feeling in the mouth.
- Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Law and labelling
- An EU protection mark for products where at least one production stage takes place in the named area.
- Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Law and labelling
- An EU quality label for products entirely made and processed in a defined area.
- Beverage wholesale trade Trade and logistics
- A wholesaler that supplies restaurants, retailers and event organisers with beverages in bulk and takes back empties.
- Beverage retail Trade and logistics
- The sale of beverages to end customers, for example in a beverage store, a specialist shop or via a delivery service.
- Beverage supply contract (beer purchase agreement) Trade and logistics
- A contract in which a business commits to buying drinks from a particular supplier over a longer period.
- Beverage store Trade and logistics
- A store with a wide range of drinks in crates and multipacks, usually with deposit return and self-collection.
- Gin Spirits
- A juniper spirit made from neutral alcohol and botanicals. Juniper must dominate in taste.
- Ginger ale Non-alcoholic
- Carbonated soft drink with ginger flavour, often used as a mixer.
- Gose Beer
- A top-fermented wheat beer with a slightly salty and tart note and coriander, originally from Goslar and Leipzig.
- Grappa Spirits
- Italian pomace brandy from the pressing residues of winemaking, meaning skins, seeds and stems of the grapes.
- Grosses Gewaechs (GG) Wine and sparkling wine
- VDP designation for dry top wines from the best sites (Grosse Lage) of member estates.
- Growler Beer
- A refillable bottle or jug, usually of glass or stainless steel, for taking fresh draught beer to go.
- Green tea Coffee and tea
- An unoxidised tea whose leaves are heated early and stay green.
- Gutswein (estate wine) Wine and sparkling wine
- Entry level of the VDP classification: wine from the estate's own vineyards, without a specific site name and mostly for easy enjoyment.
- Gypsy brewing Beer
- Brewing without an own brewery: the brewer rents capacity at other breweries for their own recipes.
H
- HACCP (food hygiene) Law and labelling
- A system for identifying and controlling hazards in the production and serving of food.
- Oat drink Non-alcoholic
- Plant-based drink made from oats and water in which starch is broken down by enzymes; may not be called oat milk.
- Medium dry Wine and sparkling wine
- Taste designation for wine with slightly noticeable residual sweetness, between dry and sweet. The sugar content is legally limited.
- Shelf life and best-before date Production
- The best-before date states until when an unopened product keeps its qualities under proper storage; it is not an expiry date.
- Happy hour Bar and cocktails
- A period in which a bar or venue offers drinks at reduced prices, usually in the late afternoon or early evening.
- Balance Tasting
- A well-matched interplay of sweetness, acidity, bitterness, alcohol and aroma in which nothing stands out unpleasantly.
- Hawthorne strainer Bar and cocktails
- A bar strainer with a coiled spring that is placed on a shaker or mixing glass and holds back ice and coarse solids.
- Hazy IPA (NEIPA) Beer
- A cloudy, fruity-hoppy IPA with soft bitterness and full mouthfeel.
- Yeast Production
- Single-celled fungi that ferment sugar, forming alcohol, carbon dioxide and aroma compounds; decisive for style and taste.
- Medicinal water Non-alcoholic
- Water with a proven preventive or relieving effect that must be authorised under medicinal law.
- Home delivery service Trade and logistics
- A delivery service that brings crates of drinks to the door and takes the empties away in return.
- Hot filling Production
- Filling a drink into the bottle at high temperature and sealing it immediately, so that it stays low in germs.
- Munich Helles Beer
- A mild, easy-drinking, bottom-fermented lager of golden colour with a pronounced malt character, originally from Munich.
- Origin labelling Law and labelling
- A statement of the country or region a product comes from, with rules against misleading claims.
- Highball Bar and cocktails
- A tall, slim glass, or a simple drink served in it: a spirit with plenty of mixer and ice, such as a gin and tonic.
- High-pressure processing Production
- Preserving drinks, especially juices, with very high pressure instead of heat, keeping freshness and aroma well.
- Hops Beer
- A climbing plant whose cones give beer bitterness, aroma and keeping quality; with malt the most important beer ingredient.
I
- IBU (International Bitterness Units) Beer
- A figure for the bitterness of a beer; the higher the value, the more bittering compounds from hops it contains.
- Independent bottler Spirits
- A company that buys casks from distilleries and bottles them under its own name without distilling itself.
- Proprietary bottle Trade and logistics
- A reusable bottle with its own shape that only one bottler or brand fills and takes back.
- Infusion Bar and cocktails
- A process in which ingredients such as fruit, herbs or spices steep in a liquid to transfer their flavour.
- India Pale Ale Beer
- A hop-forward pale ale with pronounced bitterness and often a fruity, resinous aroma.
- Irish whiskey Spirits
- Whiskey from Ireland, often triple distilled and mild in taste. It must mature at least three years in wooden casks.
- Isotonic drink Non-alcoholic
- A sports drink with a similar concentration of dissolved particles as blood, supplying fluid, minerals and carbohydrates.
J
- Vintage Wine and sparkling wine
- The year in which the grapes of a wine were harvested. That year's weather influences ripeness, acidity and aroma.
- Jigger Bar and cocktails
- A double-sided metal measuring cup used to dose spirits and juices precisely in the bar.
- Youth protection (alcohol sales) Law and labelling
- Youth Protection Act rules on the age from which alcoholic drinks may be sold or consumed.
- Julep strainer Bar and cocktails
- A spoon-shaped, perforated bar strainer inserted into a mixing glass to pour stirred drinks without ice.
K
- Kabinett Wine and sparkling wine
- The lowest Prädikat level in Germany: light wines from ripe grapes, often fresh, with moderate alcohol.
- Coffee cherry Coffee and tea
- The fruit of the coffee plant, which usually contains two seeds that later become coffee beans.
- Coffee blend Coffee and tea
- A mix of coffees of different origins or varieties intended to achieve a consistent flavour profile.
- Cold stabilisation Production
- Chilling a drink so that tartrates and proteins precipitate and do not appear later as crystals or haze in the bottle.
- Carbonation Production
- Enriching a drink with carbon dioxide, added externally or through fermentation, for tingle and freshness.
- Crate Trade and logistics
- A sturdy carrier for usually 12 or 20 bottles, issued with a deposit in the reusable system.
- Kellerbier (cellar beer) Beer
- Naturally cloudy, usually unfiltered beer with low carbonation, traditionally matured in a cool cellar.
- Kettle sour Beer
- A tart beer in which the wort is soured with lactic acid bacteria before boiling.
- Wine legs (church windows) Tasting
- Streaks of droplets running down the glass after swirling that can hint at alcohol and extract content.
- Clear ice Bar and cocktails
- Ice without visible air inclusions that looks clearer and usually melts somewhat more slowly.
- Carbonation Non-alcoholic
- Carbon dioxide dissolved in a drink, providing tingle and freshness.
- Coconut water Non-alcoholic
- Clear liquid from inside young coconuts, not a coconut milk product.
- Column still Spirits
- A tall distillation column for continuous distilling. It produces high-strength, usually lighter and more neutral distillates.
- Kölsch Beer
- A pale, top-fermented, filtered beer from Cologne with mild hop and fruit character; protected as a designation of origin.
- Kombucha Non-alcoholic
- A fermented tea drink made with a culture of yeasts and bacteria; slightly sour and often sparkling.
- Order picking Trade and logistics
- Assembling ordered items from the warehouse for delivery or collection.
- Terms Trade and logistics
- Agreed price and delivery terms between supplier and trader, such as discounts, payment period and minimum quantities.
- Contract brewing Beer
- A brewer or brand that has its beer produced under contract at another brewery.
- Cork and screw cap Wine and sparkling wine
- Common bottle closures for wine: natural cork or alternatives such as screw caps. Both can protect wine well and each has quirks.
- Cork taint Tasting
- A musty, mouldy off-smell, mainly in wine, caused by the chemical TCA from the cork or the cellar environment.
- Korn (German grain spirit) Spirits
- German grain spirit from wheat, rye, barley, oats or buckwheat, without added flavouring, with at least 32 percent ABV.
- Body Tasting
- The impression of fullness and weight of a drink in the mouth, from light and slim to full and powerful.
- Herbal infusion Coffee and tea
- An infusion of dried herbs or plant parts that does not come from the tea plant.
- Cold chain Trade and logistics
- Uninterrupted cooling of a product from filling until it reaches the customer.
L
- Lagenwein (single-vineyard wine) Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine from a single named vineyard site. In the VDP classification this includes Erste Lage and Grosse Lage.
- Lager Beer
- Umbrella term for bottom-fermented, cold-matured beers; internationally often a pale, mild beer.
- Lambic Beer
- A Belgian beer made by spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts and bacteria and often matured for years.
- Landwein (regional wine) Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine with protected geographical indication, simpler than quality wine but naming a larger region.
- Layering Bar and cocktails
- A technique in which ingredients of different density are carefully poured on top of each other to form separate visible layers.
- Food Information Regulation (FIC) Law and labelling
- The EU regulation specifying what information must appear on prepacked foods.
- Empties Trade and logistics
- Empty deposit bottles, crates and kegs that are returned to be reused or recycled.
- Empty-container sorting Trade and logistics
- Separating returned empties by bottle type, manufacturer and crate type for return to bottlers and breweries.
- Rental equipment Trade and logistics
- Equipment offered for rent for celebrations, such as tap systems, cooling units, glasses and festival furniture.
- Supply chain Trade and logistics
- The path of a drink from raw material via bottler, wholesaler and retailer to the customer.
- Delivery note Trade and logistics
- A document recording the type and quantity of delivered goods and any empties taken back.
- Liqueur Spirits
- A sweet spirit with alcohol, sugar and flavours from fruit, herbs, nuts or cream. Sugar content is at least 100 grams per litre.
- Lemonade (soft drink) Non-alcoholic
- A sweet carbonated soft drink made of water, sugar, acidulant and flavourings.
- Listing Trade and logistics
- Inclusion of an article in a trader's range or a supplier's article list.
- London dry gin Spirits
- Gin style in which all flavour comes from distilling botanicals in alcohol. Almost nothing may be added after distillation.
- Long drink Bar and cocktails
- A mixed drink of large volume, usually over ice in a tall glass, in which a spirit is lengthened with plenty of non-alcoholic mixer.
- Lot marking Law and labelling
- Mandatory batch identification on prepacked goods so that products are traceable.
- Lungo Coffee and tea
- An espresso pulled with more water for longer, giving a larger, milder drink.
M
- Grind size Coffee and tea
- The fineness of ground coffee, which must be matched to the brewing method.
- Mashing Beer
- Brewing step in which crushed malt is mixed with warm water so enzymes convert starch into sugar.
- Malolactic fermentation Production
- Conversion of sharp malic acid into milder lactic acid by bacteria, known as biological acid reduction.
- Malt Beer
- Germinated and dried grain, usually barley, which provides sugar, colour and flavour for beer.
- Malt drink (Malzbier) Non-alcoholic
- A dark, sweet, barely fermented malt drink with low alcohol.
- Märzen (Oktoberfest beer) Beer
- An amber to pale, bottom-fermented full-strength beer with a robust malt body; the base of many festival beers.
- Matcha Coffee and tea
- A finely ground powder of shaded, steamed green tea leaves that is consumed whole.
- Maceration Production
- Soaking plant or fruit parts in a liquid so that aromas, colour and constituents pass into it.
- Medium (lightly sparkling) Non-alcoholic
- Mineral water with moderate carbonation, less tingling than classic.
- Reusable offer obligation Law and labelling
- Since 2023, hospitality businesses must also offer take-away food and drinks in reusable packaging.
- Reusable bottle Trade and logistics
- A bottle that is cleaned after return and refilled many times.
- Returnable crate Trade and logistics
- Deposit-bearing plastic crate for returnable bottles that stays in circulation until returned.
- VAT on drinks Law and labelling
- Most drinks are taxed at the standard rate of 19 percent; milk and certain milk drinks at the reduced 7 percent.
- Mezcal Spirits
- Mexican agave spirit from various agave species whose hearts are usually cooked in earth pits, which often gives a smoky taste.
- Best-before date Trade and logistics
- The date until which a product retains its specific qualities when stored properly.
- Minerality Tasting
- Contested tasting term for stony, salty or chalky impressions in wine.
- Mixology Bar and cocktails
- The craft and science of cocktail making, combining technique, knowledge of ingredients and creative recipe development.
- Mocktail Bar and cocktails
- A non-alcoholic cocktail prepared with the techniques and care of classic cocktails.
- Moka pot Coffee and tea
- A stovetop brewer in which steam pressure forces hot water upward through coffee grounds.
- Muddling Bar and cocktails
- Pressing fruit, herbs or sugar with a pestle in a glass or shaker to release their aromas and juices.
- Muddler Bar and cocktails
- A stick-shaped tool made of wood, plastic or stainless steel used to press fruit, herbs or sugar in a glass or shaker.
- Multivitamin juice Non-alcoholic
- A blend of several fruit juices, often with added vitamins; juice, nectar or drink depending on its content.
- Mouthfeel Tasting
- The tactile perception of a drink in the mouth, such as creamy, sparkling, velvety, astringent or oily.
N
- Nutrition declaration Law and labelling
- A table of energy and nutrients per 100 millilitres or grams on prepacked foods.
- No age statement (NAS) Spirits
- Whisky without an age on the label, where the age of the youngest component is not stated.
- Nose Tasting
- The smell impression of a drink, perceived by smelling the glass before drinking.
- Washed processing Coffee and tea
- A processing method in which the fruit pulp is removed and washed off before the beans are dried.
- Low-sodium mineral water Non-alcoholic
- Mineral water with less than 20 milligrams of sodium per litre, suitable for low-salt diets.
- Natural mineral water Non-alcoholic
- Officially recognised water from underground sources protected against contamination, bottled at the source and original in its purity.
- Natural mineral water (designation) Law and labelling
- Officially recognised water from a protected underground source that may only be treated in limited ways.
- Cloudy juice Non-alcoholic
- Fruit juice that has not been clarified by filtering, containing fruit particles and natural haze.
- Natural wine Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine made with as little intervention and additives as possible. There is no uniform legal definition.
- Near water (flavoured water) Non-alcoholic
- Lightly flavoured water, usually with little or no sugar, positioned between water and lemonade.
- Neat Bar and cocktails
- A serving style in which a spirit is poured pure, without ice, water or mixer, at room temperature.
- Nominal volume Law and labelling
- The volume stated on the package to which the net quantity labelling refers.
O
- Top-fermented Beer
- Fermentation method with yeasts working at 15 to 24 degrees Celsius that collect at the top of the vessel.
- Fruit brandy Spirits
- Distillate from fermented fruit without added alcohol or flavouring. Typical examples are Kirschwasser, plum brandy and Obstler.
- Oleo saccharum Bar and cocktails
- A citrus-oil and sugar mix in which sugar draws the essential oils out of citrus peels.
- On the rocks Bar and cocktails
- A serving style in which a drink is presented over ice cubes in the glass, usually a tumbler.
- Oolong Coffee and tea
- A partially oxidised tea that lies between green and black tea.
- Orange wine Wine and sparkling wine
- White wine fermented on the skins like red wine. This gives it colour, tannins and powerful aromas.
- Ortswein (village wine) Wine and sparkling wine
- Middle VDP tier: wine from sites of one named village, meant to show the character of that parish.
- Oxidation Tasting
- A change in a drink caused by oxygen that breaks down freshness and fruit and creates notes of nuts, sherry or cardboard.
P
- Pallet (Euro pallet) Trade and logistics
- A standardised wooden load carrier on which drinks are stacked for transport and storage.
- Event beverage supply Trade and logistics
- Supplying celebrations and events with drinks and equipment, including return of unused goods.
- Pasteurisation Production
- Briefly heating to below boiling point to kill germs and make the drink last longer.
- Perlage Tasting
- The rising and appearance of carbonation bubbles in sparkling wine, champagne or beer; fine and lasting is a sign of quality.
- Semi-sparkling wine (Perlwein) Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine with light carbon dioxide and lower pressure than sparkling wine. It fizzes gently and is often offered in simpler qualities.
- Pet-Nat (Pétillant Naturel) Wine and sparkling wine
- Lightly sparkling wine in which the first fermentation is completed in the bottle, without a second fermentation.
- Deposit Trade and logistics
- An amount charged on top of the price when buying a container and refunded when it is returned.
- Deposit system Trade and logistics
- The whole of deposit collection, take-back, settlement and return of containers.
- Pilsner Beer
- A pale, bottom-fermented beer with a clear hop bitterness and a lean body. It is the most widely drunk style in Germany.
- Pisco Spirits
- Grape brandy from Peru and Chile, distilled from wine or grape must.
- Pool bottle Trade and logistics
- A uniformly designed reusable bottle shared by many bottlers and exchanged among them.
- Port wine Wine and sparkling wine
- Fortified sweet wine from Portugal's Douro Valley whose fermentation is halted by adding brandy.
- Pot still Spirits
- Copper batch still used for distillation; typical for malt whisky, cognac and many rums.
- Prädikat wine Wine and sparkling wine
- Highest German quality tier based on grape ripeness, without added sugar. Levels range from Kabinett to Trockenbeerenauslese.
- Pressing Production
- Separating juice from fruit or mash using pressure, as the basis for juice, must, wine and fruit brandies.
- Primary aromas Tasting
- Aromas that come directly from the grape or raw material, such as fruit, flowers or herbs.
- Proof Spirits
- Historical measure of alcohol content. In the USA one proof equals half a percent by volume, so 80 proof is 40 % vol.
- Prosecco Wine and sparkling wine
- Italian sparkling or semi-sparkling wine from the Glera grape, usually tank-fermented, fruity and light.
- Pu-erh Coffee and tea
- A fermented tea from China's Yunnan province that is often pressed and aged.
Q
- Quality wine (Qualitätswein) Wine and sparkling wine
- German quality level for wine from a designated growing region that passed an official test and meets minimum requirements.
- Spring water Non-alcoholic
- Water from underground sources bottled at the spring; must meet drinking water quality but need not be officially recognised.
R
- Radler (shandy) Beer
- A beer mix drink of beer and lemon soda, usually 1:1; called Alsterwasser in northern Germany.
- Rauchbier (smoked beer) Beer
- Beer from malt kilned over beechwood fire, with a distinct smoke and bacon aroma, especially from Franconia.
- Grape variety Wine and sparkling wine
- The type of grapevine a wine is made from, such as Riesling or Pinot Noir. It shapes aroma, acidity and style.
- Maturity notes Tasting
- Aromas created by ageing, such as honey, leather, tobacco or nuts, that distinguish matured drinks from young ones.
- Maturation Production
- The time after production in which a drink rests and its aromas, structure and harmony develop.
- Purity law (Reinheitsgebot) Beer
- Historic rule from 1516 allowing beer to be made only from water, malt, hops (and yeast); today anchored in the provisional beer law.
- Remaining shelf life Trade and logistics
- Time remaining until the best-before date at delivery or sale.
- Residual sugar Tasting
- Sugar that remains in the drink after fermentation, given in grams per litre and decisive for the degree of sweetness.
- Retronasal perception Tasting
- Perception of aromas that travel from the mouth through the throat to the nose when exhaling, shaping the flavour impression.
- Reverse dry shake Bar and cocktails
- A variant of the dry shake in which the drink is first shaken with ice, strained and then shaken again without ice.
- Rim Bar and cocktails
- A coating of salt, sugar or spice on the glass edge that complements the drink's taste and look.
- Rimming Bar and cocktails
- A method in which the rim of a glass is coated with salt, sugar or spices.
- Ristretto Coffee and tea
- A particularly short, concentrated espresso made with less water.
- Robusta Coffee and tea
- A coffee species (Coffea canephora) that is hardy and high-yielding, contains more caffeine and gives a strong, bitter flavour.
- Rolling Bar and cocktails
- A gentle mixing technique in which a drink is rolled back and forth between shaker cups without being shaken.
- Rooibos Coffee and tea
- A caffeine-free infusion from the needle-like leaves of a South African shrub, usually sold as tea.
- Rosé Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine of pink to light red colour made from red grapes where the skins remain in contact with the juice only briefly.
- Roast level Coffee and tea
- A measure of how far coffee has been roasted, from light with more acidity to dark with roast aromas and bitterness.
- Roasting Coffee and tea
- Heating of green coffee beans, during which colour, aroma and flavour develop.
- Red wine Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine made from red or blue grapes, with colour and tannins taken from the skins during fermentation on the mash.
- Take-back obligation for deposits Law and labelling
- Retailers selling one-way packaging subject to deposit must take back comparable packaging.
- Rebate Trade and logistics
- A subsequent refund or credit from the supplier, usually depending on the quantity purchased.
- Stirring Bar and cocktails
- A gentle preparation method in which ingredients are chilled and diluted with ice in a mixing glass using a bar spoon, keeping the drink clear.
- Mixing glass Bar and cocktails
- A tall, heavy glass vessel with a spout in which drinks are stirred with ice rather than shaken.
- Rum Spirits
- A spirit from sugarcane juice or molasses, fermented and distilled. White, golden and dark styles exist, often cask-aged.
- Rye whiskey Spirits
- Whiskey whose mash consists mainly of rye. It often tastes spicier and drier than bourbon.
S
- Juice from concentrate Non-alcoholic
- Juice from which water was first removed and later added back; equivalent in fruit content.
- Acidity Tasting
- The sour taste impression of a drink, giving freshness and liveliness; it should balance with sweetness.
- Licence to serve alcohol Law and labelling
- Official permission to serve alcoholic drinks in a restaurant or pub.
- Head Tasting
- The foam on a freshly poured drink, especially beer; it affects appearance, aroma and mouthfeel.
- Sparkling wine Wine and sparkling wine
- Umbrella term for wine with carbon dioxide from fermentation and high bottle pressure, including Sekt, Champagne, Cava, Crémant and Prosecco Spumante.
- Sparkling wine duty Law and labelling
- An excise duty on sparkling wine, levied by quantity.
- Schnaps Spirits
- Colloquial umbrella term for clear, high-proof spirits; not a fixed legal category.
- Fining Production
- Treatment with additives that bind haze and unwanted substances and let them settle, so the drink becomes clear.
- Spritzer (juice and sparkling water) Non-alcoholic
- A non-alcoholic mixed drink of fruit juice and mineral water, usually 1:1 to 1:2.
- Schwarzbier (black lager) Beer
- A dark, bottom-fermented beer with mild roasted notes, lighter than stout.
- Black tea Coffee and tea
- A fully oxidised tea with a strong flavour and a dark cup colour.
- Sulphiting Production
- Adding sulphur dioxide as a preservative that inhibits oxidation and microbes; labelling as sulphite is required.
- Swirling Tasting
- A circular movement of the glass that brings a drink into contact with air and releases aromas.
- Scotch whisky Spirits
- Whisky from Scotland that must be matured for at least three years in oak casks.
- Sekt (German sparkling wine) Wine and sparkling wine
- Quality sparkling wine with higher carbon dioxide pressure, made by a second fermentation in bottle or tank.
- Secondary aromas Tasting
- Aromas formed during fermentation and further processing, such as yeast, butter or banana notes.
- Serving temperature Tasting
- The temperature at which a drink is served; it largely determines how aroma, sweetness, acidity and carbonation come across.
- Shaking Bar and cocktails
- A preparation method in which ingredients are shaken hard with ice in a shaker to chill, dilute and combine them.
- Shaker Bar and cocktails
- A vessel for shaking drinks with ice, usually a Boston shaker made of two tins or a three-piece cobbler shaker.
- Sherry Wine and sparkling wine
- Fortified wine from the area around Jerez in Andalusia, aged using the solera system.
- Short drink Bar and cocktails
- A small, concentrated cocktail of roughly 60 to 100 millilitres, usually served without ice in a stemmed glass, such as the Martini or Manhattan.
- Shrub Bar and cocktails
- A mix of fruit, sugar and vinegar used as a sweet-sour syrup in drinks or as a refreshment.
- Portafilter Coffee and tea
- A metal handle with a basket that holds the coffee grounds and locks into the group head of an espresso machine.
- Single cask Spirits
- A bottling taken exclusively from a single cask, not blended with whisky from other casks.
- Single malt Spirits
- Whisky made from malted barley distilled at a single distillery, usually in pot stills. It is not mixed with other distilleries.
- Single origin Coffee and tea
- Coffee that comes from a single country, region or even a single farm.
- Syrup Bar and cocktails
- A thick, heavily sweetened preparation of juice, sugar and flavourings used to sweeten or flavour drinks.
- Small batch Spirits
- A trade and marketing term for spirits made or bottled in small batches.
- Smoothie Non-alcoholic
- A pureed drink of whole fruit or vegetables, often with juice or yoghurt; thick and fruity.
- Sommelier Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine professional in hospitality and retail, responsible for selection, purchasing, storage, service and advice on wine and drinks.
- Product range Trade and logistics
- The totality of articles a trader carries.
- Sour Bar and cocktails
- A cocktail family of spirit, lemon or lime juice and sugar or syrup, balancing sweetness and acidity.
- Spätlese Wine and sparkling wine
- Prädikat level for wine from late-picked, fully ripe grapes. Usually fuller than Kabinett, and can be dry or sweet.
- Spherification Bar and cocktails
- A molecular-gastronomy technique in which liquid is formed with alginate into small spheres with a thin gel skin.
- Splash Bar and cocktails
- An imprecise measure for a small pour of liquid, larger than a dash, roughly one to two bar spoons.
- Spritz Bar and cocktails
- A light aperitif drink of sparkling wine, a bitter aperitif or liqueur and a splash of soda, served over ice.
- Sprudel (sparkling water) Non-alcoholic
- Colloquial German term for water with plenty of carbonation, regionally also for mineral water in general.
- Original gravity Beer
- The amount of dissolved substances in the wort before fermentation, given in degrees Plato or percent; determines strength and body.
- Still water Non-alcoholic
- Mineral water with no or very little carbon dioxide, calm in the glass.
- Stout Beer
- A very dark, top-fermented beer with roasted notes of coffee and chocolate from heavily roasted barley or malt.
- Straight up Bar and cocktails
- A preparation chilled with ice and then strained, served without ice in the glass, usually a stemmed cocktail glass.
- Strainer Bar and cocktails
- A sieve that holds back ice, fruit pulp or herb remnants when a drink is poured out.
- Drop shipment Trade and logistics
- A sale in which goods go directly from the producer to the customer without passing through the trader's warehouse.
- Sulphite declaration Law and labelling
- A mandatory note 'contains sulphites' above 10 milligrams of sulphur dioxide per kilogram or litre.
- Sweetness Tasting
- The sweet taste impression, mainly caused by sugar but also influenced by alcohol and glycerol.
T
- Table water Non-alcoholic
- A manufactured drink made from drinking water, mineral water or other ingredients, with added minerals or carbon dioxide.
- Tamping Coffee and tea
- Pressing the ground coffee in the portafilter flat with a tamper so that water flows through evenly.
- Tank method (Charmat) Production
- Sparkling wine production in which the second fermentation takes place in a pressure tank rather than in the bottle.
- Tannins Wine and sparkling wine
- Astringent compounds from grape skins, seeds, stems and wood. They give red wine structure and a dry, gripping mouthfeel.
- Tap takeover Beer
- An event in which a brewery fills several or all taps of a venue with its beers.
- Taproom Beer
- A bar attached to a brewery that serves the brewery's own freshly tapped beer.
- Tea grades Coffee and tea
- Trade terms such as Orange Pekoe or Broken that describe leaf size and shape of tea.
- Tea plant (Camellia sinensis) Coffee and tea
- An evergreen plant whose leaves give black, green, white tea, oolong and pu-erh.
- Tequila Spirits
- Mexican spirit from blue agave with protected origin. Blanco, reposado and añejo exist depending on ageing time.
- Terroir Wine and sparkling wine
- The interplay of soil, climate, site and human practice that gives a wine from a particular place its character.
- Tertiary aromas Tasting
- Aromas developed through ageing in cask or bottle, such as nuts, leather, tobacco or honey.
- Throwing Bar and cocktails
- A technique in which a drink is poured in a high arc back and forth between two vessels to aerate and chill it.
- Tonic water Non-alcoholic
- A carbonated, slightly bitter soft drink with quinine, popular as a refreshment and mixer.
- Peat and peated whisky Spirits
- When malted barley is kilned over peat fires, the malt takes up smoke. The whisky then tastes smoky, medicinal or maritime.
- Route planning Trade and logistics
- Planning of delivery trips in which customer stops, time windows and vehicle capacity are combined into efficient routes.
- Traditional method Production
- Sparkling wine production with second fermentation in the bottle, as for Champagne; also called méthode champenoise.
- Grape juice Non-alcoholic
- Fruit juice from wine grapes; sweet and, if unfermented, alcohol-free.
- Dry Wine and sparkling wine
- Taste designation for wine with very little residual sugar. German law sets upper limits depending on acidity.
- Dry and off-dry Tasting
- Designations of the perceived sweetness of a drink; dry means barely sweet, off-dry slightly sweet and sweet clearly sweet.
- Natural processing Coffee and tea
- A processing method in which whole coffee cherries are dried before the outer layers are removed.
- Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) Wine and sparkling wine
- Highest classic Prädikat level: highly concentrated sweet wine from raisin-like, botrytised berries.
- Sediment and lees Production
- Settled solids such as yeast, protein and fruit remnants that collect at the bottom of tank, cask or bottle.
- Twist Bar and cocktails
- A thin strip of citrus peel that is squeezed over a drink to release its essential oils, then often used as garnish.
U
- Umami Tasting
- The fifth basic taste besides sweet, sour, salty and bitter: savoury and rich, as from glutamate; of minor importance in drinks.
- Bottom-fermented Beer
- Fermentation with cold-loving yeasts at about 4 to 12 degrees Celsius that settle at the bottom; the basis of lagers.
V
- Vacuum distillation Production
- Distilling under reduced pressure so that liquids evaporate at low temperature and delicate aromas are protected.
- VDP (association of German Prädikat wine estates) Wine and sparkling wine
- Association of German Prädikat wine estates: a group of wineries with its own stricter quality rules and a vineyard classification.
- Taster and sommelier Tasting
- Professionals who judge and describe drinks; the sommelier also advises restaurants on drinks and food pairing.
- Tasting Tasting
- A systematic examination of a drink with eyes, nose and palate to judge appearance, aroma, taste and quality.
- Packaging Act (VerpackG) Law and labelling
- Federal act on packaging duties (deposit, registration, reusables); replaced on 12 August 2026 by an EU regulation and an implementing act.
- Packaging register LUCID Law and labelling
- A public register where producers must register their packaging before placing it on the market.
- Blending Production
- Combining several batches, varieties or vintages into one drink with a consistent, desired style.
- Alcohol by volume (ABV) Spirits
- Statement of alcohol content as a share of total volume at 20 degrees Celsius. On labels it appears as % vol.
- Heads and tails Spirits
- The first and last fractions during distilling, which are separated off. Between them lies the middle cut, the drinkable heart.
- Temporary licence Law and labelling
- A time-limited permit to serve alcohol at a party or event without a permanent licence.
- Packaging unit (VPE) Trade and logistics
- The smallest quantity in which a supplier sells an item, for example one crate or one carton.
- VS, VSOP, XO (age statements) Spirits
- Age grades for cognac and similar brandies indicating the minimum maturation time in cask.
W
- Goods receipt Trade and logistics
- Acceptance and checking of delivered goods against the delivery note and the order.
- Water treatment Production
- Cleaning and adjusting process and mixing water for hardness, mineral content and purity, since water makes up most of most drinks.
- Water hardness Non-alcoholic
- Measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts in water, stated in degrees of German hardness (°dH).
- Wine quality categories Law and labelling
- Quality tiers under wine law, from wine without origin to Prädikatswein.
- Weinbrand (German brandy) Spirits
- A spirit from distilled wine, aged in oak. The designation is regulated in Germany.
- Grape harvest Wine and sparkling wine
- Harvest of wine grapes, in Germany mostly in autumn, by hand or by machine.
- White tea Coffee and tea
- A lightly processed tea made from young buds and leaves that is only withered and dried.
- Weissherbst Wine and sparkling wine
- Rosé wine made from a single red grape variety, designated as quality wine of one variety and one region.
- White wine Wine and sparkling wine
- Wine usually made from light-skinned grapes that are pressed before fermentation without skin contact.
- Wheat beer Beer
- A top-fermented beer with a large share of wheat malt; fruity and spicy with banana and clove notes.
- Withering Coffee and tea
- The first processing step of tea leaves, in which they lose water and become soft.
- Vermouth Wine and sparkling wine
- Aromatised, fortified wine flavoured with herbs and spices, including wormwood.
- Whisky / Whiskey Spirits
- A spirit from fermented grain mash, distilled and matured in wooden casks. Origin and grain determine the style.
- Winemaker (vintner) Wine and sparkling wine
- A person or business that grows vines and makes wine from them, often from vineyard to bottling.
- Vodka Spirits
- A neutral-tasting spirit from grain, potatoes or other raw materials, usually heavily filtered, at 37.5 percent or more.
- Wort Beer
- The sugary liquid obtained from mash and hops that forms the base of beer before fermentation.
Z
- Draught system / dispensing system Trade and logistics
- Equipment that cools, pressurises and dispenses draught beer.
- Centilitre and bar spoon measure Bar and cocktails
- The usual bar measure: 1 cl equals 10 ml. A bar spoon holds roughly 5 ml, which is half a centilitre.
- Centrifugation Production
- Separating solids from liquid by rapid rotation to remove sediment, yeast or pulp.
- Steeping time Coffee and tea
- The time tea or coffee steeps in hot water before it is poured off or removed.
- Simple syrup Bar and cocktails
- A simple solution of sugar and water, usually 1:1 or 2:1, that sweetens cocktails and mixes in easily.
- Ingredient list Law and labelling
- A list of a food's ingredients in descending order by weight.
- Zwickelbier Beer
- Naturally cloudy, unfiltered beer drawn straight from the sampling tap (Zwickel) of the maturation tank, with gentle carbonation.