The distinction is straightforward, yet it is difficult to discern based on cues such as taste, scent, or color
I'll never forget one of my first tables as a nervous new waiter, when a woman questioned her husband, "What does 'IPA' even stand for?"
"The man answered, "It implies it was created in America," which, although patriotic, was objectively wrong.
I kept my mouth shut at that table for two reasons. First, I still wanted a good tip. Second, even though I knew he was wrong, I didn't have the proper answer. I've since expanded my beer knowledge, which is why I was taken off guard recently when asked a seemingly simple question: What's the difference between a lager and an ale?
It turns out that the distinction between the two types of beer is rather easy, but difficult to discern based on cues such as flavor, scent, or color. Here's what you need to know about the differences between lager and ale so you can educate any beer snobs in your life—or at the very least acquire a better feel of what you prefer to order for yourself.
There are only two sorts of beer
All beers fall into one of two categories: ales or lagers. Some hybrid brews will muddy the borders, but in general, any beer you order will fall into one of those two categories. Complicating matters further is the fact that the distinction is decided not by flavor or alcohol concentration, but by the yeast employed in the brewing process.
Everything boils down to yeast
It's as simple as that. Not so fast; clearly, yeast has a long and illustrious history. All you need to know for our needs is that the yeast employed in brewing decides whether a beer is categorized as an ale or a lager.
Fun yeast facts (redundant): Ale yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is the same yeast species used in bread baking. S. lager yeast Pastorianus is said to be named after Louis Pasteur. It's all good fun.
Common misunderstandings
Many internet sites state that ales are fermented with top-fermenting yeast at warm temperatures and lagers are fermented with bottom-fermenting yeast at cold temperatures, in addition to yeast type. According to Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, these common differences are not wholly incorrect, but they are also not entirely accurate. The top/bottom-fermenting yeast, for example, fails to account for the fact that "yeast activity is dispersed throughout the liquid," implying that the yeast cells will all be at the top or bottom of the beer at various moments. Similarly, certain lager yeasts operate well at very warm temperatures, while others perform well at lower temps.
The variances in fermentation patterns and temperatures between lagers and ales might be confusing, so stick to the one genuine distinction: yeast.
Ales Examples
While all beers begin as ales or lagers, various types and tastes develop from there. Ales have long been associated with Belgium and the United Kingdom. Here are some common examples:
- Porters
- Stouts
- Wheat and Belgian varieties
- India pale ales (IPAs)
Lagers Examples
Lagers are related with the heritage of traditional Bavarian and German beers. Among the various styles are the following:
- Pilsners, especially imperial pilsners
- Bock
- Doppelbock
- Lagers in the Vienna style
- Miller High Life, Budweiser, and Coors Light are examples of American lagers.
Lagers are more pleasant across the board and are the best-selling beer style in the world, which may not come as a surprise. Ales, on the other hand, have more intense characteristics that range from extremely hoppy to extremely malty.
Now that you've learned the difference between lagers and ales, go forth and teach all of your friends. Nothing beats a night out at the bar with someone who can't stop talking about beer, right?
#AleYeast #LagerYeast #Ale #lager
SOURCE: lifehacker
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