Ales
Beers fall into two broad categories: ales 
and lagers. Ales are a popular type of beer brewed from malted barley using a top-fermenting brewer's yeast. Lagers are another major style of beer that use bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast. Ales include everything with ale in the name (pale ale, amber ale, etc.), as well as porters, stouts, Belgian specialty beers, wheat beers and many German specialty beers. Lagers include pilseners, bocks and dopplebocks, as well as a myriad of German specialty beers.
Most ales have a sweet, fruity, and full-bodied taste. In the long history of beers, ales came first. Before the 15th century, beer and ale where one and the same. Ales where as much a staple of the medieval diet as bread and water. After the introduction of hops from the Netherlands, a new beverage, called beer was bittered with hops; and it kept better than English ale because of the preservative quality of the hops. However, ales have remained popular through the centuries for their fruity, full-bodied taste.
Types of Ales
- Pale ale : Brewed using a pale barley malt.
- Brown ale : A darker barley is used to use brown ale, and it is typically fairly mild and nutty.
- Red ale : Uses roasted barley, with a pronounced malty, caramel flavor.
- Scotch ale : A malty, strong ale, possibly with toffee notes.
- Mild ale : An unaged ale, as opposed to old ale.
- Old ale : Traditionally a strong beer kept for about a year. Sharp and acetic.
Pale Ales
Brown and Red Ales
Related Guides
