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F
Faro
A blend of equal parts of two types of lambic beer, sweetened with sugar and sometimes colored and diluted with water. Practically extinct.

Fatty Acids
Acids based on a string of carbon atoms; they often have unpleasant flavors.

Fermentation
A process in which yeast obtains energy in the absence of oxygen by breaking sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol.

Fermentation Lock
A simple water and bubble-type device used during closed or secondary fermentation that prevents ambient air from coming in contact withj the fermenting brew. At the same time, the fermentation lock permits the escape of carbon dioxide (a by-product of fermentaion). It fits into a rubber cork atop a carboy being used as a secondary fermenter.

Fermenter
A generic term for any open or closed vessel in hich primary and/or secondary fermentation take place.

Filtration
Beer is still slightly cloudy after lagering, and requires filtering to remove any remaining yeast and other insoluble materials to achieve a brilliant clarity.

Final gravity
The density of sugar to water after fermentation.

Fines
The finely crushed, flourlike portion of the draff.

Fining
A procedure used by some brewers to aid in the clarification of their brews. Usually a gelatinous ingredient such as gelatin, Irish moss, or isinglass is added in the brewing process, thus facilitiating clarification.

Finishing Hops
Fresh, aromatic hops that are added to the boiling wort during the final 1-2 minutes of boiling. Clean hops can be added during secondary fermentation. This is called dry hopping. Care should be taken to ensure cleanliness. Finishing hops impart a hop aroma and flavor to beer.

Flat
A general lack of carbonation. Usually in old or poorly produced brew.

Flocculance
The clumping of yeast cells into masses toward the end of the fermentation process. When yeast flocculates, it contributes to the clarification of the beer.

Flocculation
The clumping together of protein molecules or yeast cells to form relatively large, irregularly shaped particles.

Floor Malting
A traditional germination method that calls for the steeped barley to be spread over a flat surace in order to germinate for approximately 13 days.

Flouride
An ion sometimes added to drinking water in communities across the United States but which has little or no effect on the outcome of beer brewed with that water.

Force carbonate
To dissolve co2 into beer under pressure.

Four Vessel Brewing
Traditional decoction brewing method requiring a mash cooker, a mash tun, a lauter tun, and a kettle. Mashing is carried out in the mash tun, and starts at a low temperature while portions of the mash are taken out and boiled in the cooker and later returned to the mash tun, thus gradually raising the temperature of the entire mash. The mash is afterwards filtered in the lauter tun and the resulting wort is boiled in the copper kettle.

Framboise
Raspberry lambic.

Freshness Dating
The visible coding of beer bottles with a freshness date so that consumers know that they are receiving fresh beer.

Fusel Alcohol
Any alcohol of higher molecular weight than ethanol (drinking alcohol). Fusel alcohols impart a harsh, clinging bitterness.

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