Perhaps it is worth starting with the fact that this rather popular question, in its essence, is not entirely correct.
The fact is that beer refers to all low-alcohol drinks obtained as a result of alcoholic fermentation of malt wort. Thus, ale that falls entirely under this category is only one of the varieties of beer.
However, in the beer culture inherent in the post-Soviet space, beer is actually identified with its other variety – lager. Accordingly, by asking the above question, the Russian-speaking lover of low-alcohol malt products really wants to understand for himself how ale differs from lager. And to this question Vzboltay gives an answer …
Ale varieties
Bitter ale (Bitter)
A variety of pale ale that has a very pleasant and pronounced taste.
The drink got its name several centuries ago, when English brewers began to use hops, which give the beer a bitter aftertaste.
A typical bitter ale is a dark copper color, although some specialties range from amber to bronze in color.
Fortress from 3% to 7%
Pale Ale or Pale Ale
One of the main varieties of English beer, as more hops are used in its manufacture, which in the past allowed the beer to better endure long-term transportation to the remote colonies of the British Empire.
The main difference is in the spicy taste and lighter color.
Indian ale (India Pale Ale)
A heavily hopped variety of pale ale.
Hops give the beer a rich aroma and pleasant bitterness.
It is the most sought after style of craft beer in the US.
Подвиды: Imperial, Black, American, Season, Double, Triple.
Bitterness: 15 – 120
Fortress: 8% – 12%
Density: 1.005 – 1.040
Colour: dark shades
Mild Ale
This style of beer originated in Britain in the 17th century and is predominantly malty in flavor.
Modern soft ales are mostly dark in color, ranging from 3% to 3,6% ABV, although there are examples of lighter shades, as well as stronger ones, reaching 6% and higher.
Brown Ale
Traditional dark English beer with a strength of 2,8 to 5,4%.
In addition to all shades of brown, it has a strong malt flavor and a characteristic nutty aroma.
Strong Ale
Outperforms paler varieties in terms of body, alcohol content and maltiness.
The taste may have fruity notes or a sour tint.
Old, aged and dark ales are also considered special varieties of strong ale.
Barley wine
A drink often containing more than 10 degrees of alcohol.
Beer made from grain. Color is golden brown to black.
There are two main varieties of barley wine: English barley wine, which has a slight hop bitterness and a wide variety of colors ranging from red-gold to black, and American barley wine, which is more bitter and ranges in color from amber to light brown.
Fortress from 8% to 12%.
Irish Red Ale
It differs in color from amber to dark copper, good transparency. Forms a slight off-white to yellow-brown foam.
It has a mild taste and sweetness of caramel malt, sometimes with a hint of toasted bread and butter or caramel.
Moderate malty aroma with hints of caramel.
Fortress from 4 to 6%.
Scottish ale (Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy)
Originated in Edinburgh in the 1800s. This is a super malty, rich ale full of caramel flavors and aromas.
It has a dark brown, rich color with a high alcohol content (from 6 to 10%).
A slight bitterness may be present on the palate, although strong caramel flavors tend to dominate over noticeable bitterness.
Some Scotch ales may have a slightly peaty taste.
Porter (Porter)
The national English brand of beer, uniting under its name many subspecies of dark beer.
It is produced from at least two types of malt, one of which is brown malt.
Stout
An Irish derivative of porter, distinguished by the presence of distinct coffee notes and burnt flavors in the flavor bouquet, as well as perfect opacity.
These days, alongside the relatively high-alcohol classic, there are the more popular sour oyster stout, Irish dry stout, its lactose-laden English sweet counterpart, and the transportable imperial and tropical stouts.
More about stout
In addition, the following drinks fall under the concept of ale:
Trappist beer produced in Belgium, Holland and France (including the famous Quadrupelle).
Red or Burgundy (according to the wine color of the drink) Flanders ale of Belgian origin.
Bavarian Wheat Beer, as well as Old Beer, comes from Düsseldorf, Germany.
Differences between ale and beer
In the manufacture of ale, the method of top alcoholic fermentation is used.
It is based on the lightness inherent in yeast fungi growing in the Old World.
In the process of fermentation, such yeast inevitably floats to the surface of the liquid, forming a kind of hat.
Only with the discovery of America, a heavier variety of yeast came to Europe, settling during fermentation at the bottom of a vat or barrel.
Subsequently, it was these yeasts that began to be used in the manufacture of lager (classic beer).
Ale fermentation temperatures range between 15 and 24°C as lighter yeasts prefer heat.
Their overseas counterparts feel much more comfortable at lower temperatures (5-14 ° C, and sometimes even lower).
The latter circumstance makes it possible to reduce the intensity of reproduction in the liquid of various microorganisms, and thereby protect the beer from rapid souring.
However, the possibility of using American yeast on an industrial scale, and hence the introduction of lager into mass production, appeared only with the invention of powerful refrigeration units.
Fermentation at higher temperatures, accompanied by intense release of various ester compounds and natural flavors, makes the ale brighter and richer, although less stable and controllable than lager.
In addition, thanks to the same thermal factor, the process of primary maturation of ale is much faster than in the case of lager. It lasts an average of two weeks to two months.
Classic ale, unlike lager, is not pasteurized or filtered.
Therefore, he continues to wander, as the British say, to the last drop.
Such a “live” drink has an incomparably brighter and more individual taste, but its shelf life is limited to a few days.
Ale Questions and Answers by Vzboltay
Is ale stronger than beer?
Answer: No. The strength values overlap with various varieties of regular beer.
Guinness ale or lager?
Answer: First of all, Guinness is a stout, which is a type of ale.
Which Irish Ale to choose?
Answer: Read the information about the varieties of ale. Whisk loves stouts, but pale ale is also interesting, you just have to taste it, otherwise you can’t.
El how many degrees?
Answer: An extensive question, in short, from 2,8 to 12 percent of the volume.
Who Invented El?
Answer: People who lived on the territory of today’s Iran. Scientists have examined ancient pottery using chemical tests that show traces of beer date back 7000 years. This does not mean that beer was invented then, but it is the oldest proof.
How much did the most expensive ale cost?
Answer: Nail Brewing’s Antarctic Nail Ale for $ 800 to $ 1800 per 500 ml.
Relevance: 09.02.2020
Tags: beer, cider, ale