What is an ale and what is a lager?
When I am asked, I am always wondering whether it is right to come with a quick answer or not. From time to time, a customer will say: “Oh, I don’t like lagers” or “‘ales are just too far out in taste profile”. I understand how a sommelier feels when a customer says that he or she doesn’t like white wines and only drinks reds, vice versa. What is the difference between an ale and a lager? They are both beer to me. However, with both terms being widely used in the brewing field and among customers, some clarifications are necessary. The quick answer Ale refers to top-fermented beers. It regroups a very large family of styles traditionally brewed in the Old continent. Typically, ales are warm fermented beers, fermenting temperatures ranging from 13 – 24 degrees Centigrade. A beer that underwent a warm fermentation might carry a lot of flavors, although it depends as well on other factors, such as the grain bill, the hops and the yeast strain used. • Ales include: Abbey beer, Altbier; Bar
