CICERONE LEVEL 2 EXAM 2023-2024 ACTUAL EXAM 200
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (DETAILED
ANSWERS) |AGRADE
How long does it take to reach peak BAC levels? – ANSWER- as little as 30 minutes or
as long as 4 hours
Does eating delay alcohol absorption? – ANSWER- yes. because pyloric valve at bottom
of stomach closes to to allow digestion keeping the alcohol from reaching the small
intestine as rapidly
How is alcohol eliminated? – ANSWER- liver metabolizes 95% of alcohol. Rest is
eliminated in breath, sweat, urine, feces, milk, saliva
What is the body’s metabolic process for eliminating alcohol? – ANSWER- alcohol
oxidizes into acetaldehyde (green apple smell) onto acetic acid and finally into CO2 and
H2O
How long does it normally take for people to eliminate alcohol from their systems? –
ANSWER- approx 1 drink per hour (5 oz/.5 ml)
List some responsible beer serving practices (3): – ANSWER- 1. tell customers ABV
- serve higher ABV beers in smaller glassware
- consider legal issues, healthy consumption, etc. don’t serve anyone that is visibly
drunk, etc.
Is most beer best served aged or fresh? – ANSWER- Fresh. Should be assumed that
when beer is released from brewery it is ready to drink.
Some beer can be aged. (higher abv, barleywine, imperial stouts)
What can a retailer do to ensure beer freshness? – ANSWER- Rotate inventory – sell
older beer first , remove OOC product
How long do kegs of non-pasteurized beer last in a fridge? – ANSWER- 45-60 days
(1.5-2 mos)
How long do kegs of pasteurized beer last in a fridge? – ANSWER- 90-120 days (3-4
mos)
How long do bottles in a fridge last? – ANSWER- up to 6 mos
How long do bottles that are not refrigerated or subjected to other stresses last? –
ANSWER- less than 3 months before they start to taste “off”
What off-flavors develop when beer is stored warm? – ANSWER- 1. oxidation (papery,
wet cardboard)
- autolysis (yeast – enzymes in dead yeast begin rupturing their cell walls (or live yeast
begins breaking down dead yeast around it for food) spilling out compounds within –
results in meaty or umami - infection – buttery, vinegary, sourness, smoky, plastic-like phenolics
What happens if bottled beers are stored improperly? – ANSWER- skunking (light
struck)
cans/kegs/ceramic – 100% uv protection
brown bottles – 98%
green bottles – 20%
clear bottles – 0%
What is proper serving temp for draft systems? – ANSWER- 34-38F
Why should compressed air not be used in draft systems? – ANSWER- contact with O2
causes beer to oxidize
what is the issue with using a party pump? – ANSWER- limit the flavor stability of beer to
less than one day bc of oxidation
Explain the anatomy of a standard keg and how they work. – ANSWER- parts of a keg:
spear (down tube), valve, coupler, headspace
Sankey is most common.
When tapped, the keg valve admits gas into the headspace. This applies pressure
needed to push the beer up through the spear and out of keg while maintaining the right
carbonation
Describe the parts and workings of the pressure side of a draft system – ANSWER- 1.
gas Co2 or Co2/N2 - gas cylinder
- tank pressure 600-1200psi
- gas filter reduces likelihood of contaminants
- never keep gas cylinders in cooler
- warning for Co2 leaks
- N2 generators (extract N2 from atmosphere)
4 Gas blenders (1, 2 or 3 mixes) - Regulators (primary and secondary); primary decreases pressure from cylinder to
usable psi; secondary shows pressure being delivered to keg and can be regulated - Gas line
7 ;Couplers
What is a primary regulator? – ANSWER- Decreases pressure from the cylinder to a
lower usable pressure
what is the function of a safety release valve on a primary regulator? – ANSWERprevent dangerous pressures
What is gas line typically made of? – ANSWER- braided vinyl or poly tubing
What do couplers do? – ANSWER- allow gas into the headspace of keg
What is a Thomas Valve? – ANSWER- keeps beer from entering the gas line if there is
ever a drop in pressure.
Describe the different types of faucets (3) – ANSWER- regular – vent holes, rear sealing
Perlick – easier to clean and avail in stainless
nitro – diaphragm and restrictor plate make cascading bubbles
What are the common types of draft systems? (3) – ANSWER- Direct Draw
Air-cooled
Glycol cooled
What is draft system balance? – ANSWER- pressure in system (applied pressure)
should be balanced to system total resistance
What is the typical flow rate of beer? – ANSWER- 2 gallons/minute or 2 oz per second
what is dynamic resistance? – ANSWER- resistance from system hardware (primarily
draft tubing)
What affects the resistance a piece of tubing contributes to a draft system? – ANSWERdiameter and smoothness of walls
what are choker lines? – ANSWER- jumper line that is added to add resistance to
balance a system
what is static resistance? – ANSWER- Resistance caused by the effect of gravity –
creating resistance for a faucet that is above keg level.
Each foot the faucet is above the keg will create 0.5 lb resistance
Why is temperature so important in draft system balance? – ANSWER- steady values of
pressure and beer temp (~38F). If beer temp is higher, beer will be foamy at the tap and
will slowly lose carb in the keg
What is the most common issue in draft systems? – ANSWER- Beer temperature
What is the standard temp of draft systems? – ANSWER- 38F
How long does it take to cool a keg from 50F to 38F – ANSWER- 25 hours