The Difference Between Ale and Lager Beer

Beer is an alcoholic beverage made from grains, hops, yeast, and water. There are two main types of beer: ale and lager. Ale is a top-fermented beer, while lager is a bottom-fermented beer. The main difference between ale and lager is the fermentation process and the type of yeast used.

Ale is made with high-fermented yeast, while lagers are made with bottom-fermented yeast. Chemical reactions occur more slowly at lower temperatures, greatly affecting characteristics such as taste, carbonation and alcohol content. Ales are generally fruitier, sweeter, fuller and more complex than lagers, which tend to be softer, lighter and generally easier to drink. Ales have a more fruity taste, while lagers have a more crunchy taste that is not so sweet. Lagers tend to have a very clean and crisp taste, a lighter beer and a milder flavor.

They also tend to have a sweeter, milder and more refreshing taste. Lagers also go through an extra step that beers don't go through, one of cold conditioning to develop greater clarity. This stage allowed more yeast, protein and hops to be deposited outside the lager, dramatically improving clarity and reducing the cold haze. In comparison to ales, lagers have a lower alcohol content due to the slower fermentation process. People can make other generalizations about things like color, taste, aromas, alcohol by volume (ABV) and other factors, but the bottom line is that an ale is a top-fermented beer and a lager is a bottom-fermented beer. When trying to figure out which brand of beer to buy adds another level of complexity to your choice. We've provided you with a list of the best sweet beers there are for you to try.

This malted Doppelbock tastes like a slice of black bread with caramel butter spread on top. It is incredibly rich, intense dark red in color and well balanced despite not having any hop flavor. Dundee Original Honey Brown has a good balance of all the flavors it has, without one overwhelming the other, making it a great drinkable beer. Ale and lager are two types of beers that are fermented from grains. Sweet beer is different types of beer that taste a little less like beer.

For example, an ale and a pale lager can be a sweet beer as long as they don't taste too much like beer. Within the two different types of fermentation used, there are infinite variations so you will find many subcategories of ales and lagers but all of those subtypes will be fermented as ales or fermented as lagers. Schwarzbiers, a lager style, are as black as night while Belgian witbiers, an ale style, are paler than any lager beer. Ale comes from the word “ale-brewing” which means “brewing beer in Old English” while Lager comes from the German word lagerbier which means “storage beer”. Ale and lagers are served at different temperatures to allow their flavors to manifest on the palate. Although the differences between ale and lager beer are many having a better idea of the facets of the brewing process and the ingredients that affect the final product allows you to better appreciate the differences between the two varieties.