Ale and Beer are both related to alcohol. The major difference in types of Beer always comes from the yeast used in it. There are mainly two ways to ferment this kind of drink: fermentation like an Ale or fermentation like a Lager. Ale is a family within Beer, which is a kind of alcohol.
Beer is an alcoholic drink that is made through the process of fermentation of cereal grains. Beer is divided into two types known as Ale and Lager. The lagers are mainly denoted by the term Beer.
Ale is one of the two types of Beer. These are carbonated alcoholic beverages made from fermented cereal grains. These are the top-fermented in contrast to Lager or commonly known as Beer.
Key Takeaways
- Beer is a general term used to describe all types of fermented beverages, while Ale is a beer brewed using a warm fermentation process.
- Ale is brewed using malted barley, while beer can be brewed using a variety of grains such as wheat, rice, and corn.
- The difference between Beer and Ale lies in their brewing process and ingredients, with Ale being a beer brewed using a warm fermentation process and malted barley.
Beer vs Ale
Beer is a fermented beverage made by brewing malted barley with hops and other grains, such as wheat. Ale is a type of beer that is brewed with a type of yeast that ferments at higher temperatures and produces more fruity and complex flavors than the yeast used for brewing lagers.
Beer or Lager is mainly processed at a temperature between 40°F to 45°F. These have different color shades as well as different levels of alcohol. This kind of beer is believed to be more clear and pure. This kind of beer has a more constant taste and is very favorable to industrial production. With the property of purity and sharpness in taste, this kind of Beer is lighter.
Ale is a kind of beer that is fermented at room temperature only. The temperature falls mainly between 60°F and 70°F. This kind of Beer is more thinker and contains more flavor. Ale is top-fermented, which also forms a thick foam at the top and is darker in colour.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Beer | Ale |
|---|---|---|
| Preferable temperature | Cool (around 40°F to 45°F) | Warm around 60°F and 70°F |
| Yeast | Saccharomyces carisbergi | Saccharomyces uvarum / Saccharomyces cerevisiae |
| Thickness and Flavour | Less | More |
| Alcohol content | Varies but Beer(Lager) is known for its light alcohol content | Varies but Ale are known for its roughness and more alcohol contents |
| Process | More time consuming and better for industrial production | Easy to make since is less impure |
| Transparency | More clear and pure | Darker and less pure |
What is Beer?
Beer can also be denoted as Lager, as done in most of the places are processed at a rather cold temperature. The yeast used in the Beer (lager) process is Saccharomyces carisbergi and Saccharomyces uvarum, which have their origin in America. This kind of yeast is also known as Lager Yeast.
This kind of Yeast is fragile and requires keen observation throughout the process. Lager yeast is hard to process since small changes in the factors like temperature and amount of yeast can affect the flavor, colour, taste, etc.
These kinds of beers are much more smooth, clear, and much purer. The difference in purity comes because of the yeast. Lager yeast, unlike Ale yeast, reacts chemically with sugar in some form.
Due to the fragile nature of the process, this kind of fermentation takes much more time than Ale. Beer (Lager) have many variations mainly based on the colour. Some of the types are Pale lager, Vienna lager, and Dark Lager.
What is Ale?
Ale is a top-fermented beer that is processed at room temperature. The yeast used in the process of Ale is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a very common and widely used yeast. This kind of yeast is also known as Ale Yeast.
This kind of Yeast is very easy to use as the removal process is easy and neat. The Yeast, during the process, rises above the liquid and, later, eventually after completing the process, settles down. The Ale can be removed very easily without any interference from the leftover yeast.
Ale Yeast is fast working, which even can be completed under a time limit of one week. This kind of Yeast has a movement upwards all the way through the fermenting Ale, which makes the process faster in comparison to other Beer (Lager).
Ale is a very popular beer for small as well as large-scale production because of its easy process and less time consumption. Ale has many subdivisions in itself, some of which are Brown Ale, Pale Ale, Indian Pale Ale, Golden Ale, Scotch Ale, Mild Ale, Burton Ale, Old Ale, Belgian Ale, and Cask Ale.
All these kinds of Ales have a difference in either storage time or colour or alcohol percentage or flavor, or any other property making each unique in the family of Ale.
Main Differences Between Beer and Ale
- The most important thing is that Ale is one type of beer while Lager is another type of beer. In some concepts, the Lager family is also known as Beer.
- Ale is top-fermented, while on the other hand, Beer (Lager) is bottom-fermented.
- The temperature of fermentation is warmer for Ale, while for Beer (Lager), it is cooler and chillier.
- The time required to process and ferment is less in the case of Ale, around the one-week minimum, while on the other hand, Beer (Lager) takes much more time, which can be around three weeks minimum.
- Ales were the most common kind of beer found in ancient times mainly because they were produced at a warmer temperature. On the other hand, Beer (Lager) was discovered much later during the medieval ages when it was found that Ale continued to ferment more when kept in cooler places.
- Ales are rougher and are less mellow, while Beers (Lager) is more mellow and smooth.
- Ales are more sweet, fruity, and full of flavor, while Beers (Lager) is less efficient in the case of flavor. But flavor in any beer can be added with extra ingredients.
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1094/ASBCJ-49-0054
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03266.x
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814606006650
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