What is the definition of Real Ale?
Real ale MUST be alive when you drink it. This is the fundamental definition. The alternative is pasteurisation. (ie killing off the yeast before the beer leaves the brewery.) Real ale continues to ferment in the cask or bottle after leaving the brewery. This process is known as secondary fermentation. As the fermentation proceeds after putting into casks (cask conditioned) or bottles, (bottle conditioned) the carbon dioxide produced is dissolved into the liquor and gives the beer a natural measure of ‘Condition’ (see section 2.b). If you have killed off the yeast before casking you have to add CO2 to make the beer fizz. In the majority of cases real ale will be brewed with traditional (or variations of) recipes using traditional techniques.
