To many people’s surprise, there are only two types of beer. That’s right, every single beer can be grouped into two categories: ales and lagers.
The biggest difference between the two, although there are many, is the type of yeast used. Apart from completely different flavor profiles, aromas, mouthfeel, visual appearances, and many other characteristics, the yeast and the beers’ fermentation times are the biggest technical differentiators at play between an ale and a lager.
What Is An Ale And How Is It Different From A Lager?
Ales generally offer more variety in their flavors, and are heavier and higher in ABV than lagers.
Ales are much different from lagers. Ales use ale yeast, whereas lagers use lager yeast. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, A.K.A. brewer’s yeast, is the type of yeast used to brew ales. Ales have a much fuller body, taste and mouthfeel compared to lagers. Ales generally hold more complex flavors and aromas. There are many styles for each type of beer.
When we think historically about beer–like, way back to its origins–we’re referring to ales. Lagers were introduced second. Ales used to be only dark and heavy beers. Now, they’ve evolved into the myriad of styles we see today. Some popular ale styles today include pale ales and India pale ales, stouts, blonde ales, Belgian’s and lambic-style beers. There are more styles of ales than there are lagers, and the continued experimentation involving new beers and beer styles means there are only more to come.
All of these ale styles are brewed using brewer’s yeast and ferment at warmer temperatures compared to lagers (between roughly 60℉ and 70℉). Additionally, ale yeast is top fermenting, meaning that the yeast forms a thick coat on top of the beer as it ferments.
Ales are second in popularity in the United States, especially in the macro brewery market. However many craft breweries are shifting towards more ale styles due to their faster brewing time which is important for small breweries to keep up with demand.
What Is A Lager?
Now that we’ve covered ale characteristics, it’s time we tackle lagers. What is a lager, and how do we characterize them? In general, lagers are lighter and more crisp beers than ales. They commonly have fruit and berry characteristics in their aroma.
It’s believed that lagers came to be around the year 1400 when monks stored their beer in cold caves or underground. As the beer was hiding away beneath the surface, it would continue to ferment at low temperatures and produce the clear, crisp beers we know today.
Lagers use a different type of yeast compared to ales. Lager yeast is often referred to as Saccharomyces pastorianus. All lager yeast is bottom-fermenting. This type of yeast eats more of the sugars present during fermentation, leading to a crisper and cleaner beer than ales. Lagers take much longer than ales to ferment; where ales take just a week or two, lager yeast can take up to six weeks to finish eating up the sugars in the fermentation container before they’re done or forcefully halted by the brewer. These beers also ferment at colder temperatures: 45-58℉.
Lagers are arguably more popular than ales, especially on the domestic scale in the U.S. Beers like Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Lite are all lagers. Imports like Stella Artois, Heineken, Moosehead, Peroni Nastro Azzuro, and many others are also lagers. These beers are often known for their drinkability and versatility, making them a good choice for parties, dinners, or other social gatherings.
Aside from specific lager brands, common lager styles include Marzen or Oktoberfest, Dunkel, Helles, American light lager, international or European lager, and any type of pilsner.
To recap, the critical differences between these two beer styles are the types of yeast strains used, fermentation temperatures and times, and their individual characteristics. Ales are usually more complex and full, and lagers are typically lighter, more refreshing, crisp and clean
