Glossary
Sediment
The layer of yeast and protein that settles in bottle-conditioned or unfiltered beer.
Also called yeast sediment, lees, bottom of the bottle.
Sediment is evidence that a beer conditioned in its package, not evidence that anything is wrong. Whether to pour it in is a style question: a Belgian tripel or a bottle-conditioned pale ale is normally decanted carefully off it, while a Hefeweizen is traditionally roused and poured in, because the yeast is part of the intended flavour and appearance.
Related
- Bottle conditioning — What produces it.
- Weissbier — The style where it is deliberately poured in.
More vocabulary
Beer-clean glass · Brewer’s barrel · Cask · Cellar conditioning · Crowler · Draught · Firkin · Growler · Imperial pint · Keg
See every term on the glossary index.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.