On a daily basis, the American public is bombarded with these terms, but how many beer drinkers actually know what they refer to? This post seeks to address THE fundamental difference between beer styles: Ale vs. Lager. I won't profile all of the beer styles within these categories, but I do want people to be aware of the differences. I'll try to keep it short and simple, but as with most things beer related, it could prove to be a difficult task.
ALE
An ale contains the same basic ingredients as a lager (malted barley, hops, water), but the fundamental difference lies in the yeast. Ales are brewed with a strain of yeast known as "Top fermenting yeast," that ferments at temperatures between 60-75 degrees. Although the origins of this magical strain of bacteria are not entirely clear, the regions of Europe that are renown for these styles are Great Britain and Belgium. Ales typically ferment faster and more robustly than lagers. They tend to have fruitier, sweeter tastes (which can be nicely balanced by a good dose of hops).
Contrary to American popular belief, not all beers are meant to be served at a temperature just above freezing. In fact, if an ale tastes significantly worse at room temperature, it probably is not a quality brew. Any beer drinker who has traveled to England will tell you that many of the beers they serve on tap are served at around 50-60 degrees. Ales are meant to be served between these temperatures to maximize flavor and aroma. I'm not advocating that you don't refrigerate your brew, but just keep in mind that icing it down in a bucket isn't the best way to treat a well brewed ale.
Color is not an indication of an ale vs. a lager
There are many ale styles, such as stouts and brown ales, that are much darker than "pale ales." Some good mainstream examples of ales include: Sierra Nevada Pale, Newcastle, Blue Moon and Fat Tire
LAGER
A lager contains the same basic ingredients as an ale, but it uses a different strain of yeast commonly known as "bottom fermenting yeast," that initially ferments at temperatures between 50-60 degrees. The brew then undergoes a "lagering" period at 40-50 where fermentation is completed. Although brewing historians can't be positive on the origins of this strain, it is widely accepted that it originated in Germany, where brewers stored their fermenting beers in cold caves. The yeast eventually evolved to operate at these temperatures, fermenting slower and producing fuller, rounder tastes.
Lagers are meant to be served very cold. In fact, a lager served at greater than 40 will likely lose its intended flavor.
Miller, Coors, and Budweiser are all technically examples of a Czech subset of lagers: pilseners. Pilseners are excellent beers when they are brewed with quality ingredients, but the watered down crap that big beer companies refer to as "pilseners" dominating the American beer landscape of today are a terrible example of the style. The reason why there is so much "cold imagery" associated with Coors, Miller, and Bud is because these companies know that the only way their beer is "drinkable" is when it is ice cold.
Unfortunately, there aren't many well-brewed, commonly available examples of lagers, but any of the winter seasonal varieties of microbrew that contain the vocabulary "Lager" "Oktoberfest" or "Dunkel," and any imported German or Czech lager you can get your hands on are a good bet. There are not many American microbreweries that specialize in lagers because the market is dominated by the "Big 3."
Drink up my friends
Todd
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