Beer. Lager. Ale.
Whatever. Grab a case of Keystone Light and call it a day. But on the rare occasion that requires a real case of real beer, or if you just want to be that annoying know-it-all, there is a large difference between the different types of beer.
The term "beer" has become an all-encompassing word that applies to ale and lager. However, according to www.pubs.com , it originally only applied to drinks that contained hops. Hops are actually a distinct plant — not a part of wheat as some people think. The dried flower from the plant is used in beer. Hops add bitterness to the drink and give the beverage a distinct aroma. The bitter quality of hops counters the sweetness of the malt.
According to pubs.com, hops were first added in the eighth century to prevent ale from going sour. At first, the British snubbed this new addition and continued to drink ale, a sweeter, stronger drink. Eventually, people came around and began enjoying this cheaper version of ale that was less likely to spoil.
I have discovered that there really is no "beer." What you're drinking Friday night is either ale or lager — most likely lager.
Ale appears to be the first version of these beverages, dating back some 5,000 years. Ale, as I have mentioned, is a sweeter drink and usually contains some sort of herb or spice. Ale is made with malt, whichrefers to the process that grains go through before they are fermented in beer.
Barley and wheat are the two most common grains used in ale. The grains are soaked, germinated and baked which releases sugar. The sugar gives the yeast something to react with and also gives ale the sweeter flavor. The type of grain used is of great importance when brewing beer. For example, a difference in grains is what creates pale ale, brown ale and dark ale. Some examples of ales are Pete's Wicked, Trappist, Newcastle and La Fin du Monde.
Then there is lager. The name refers to a special fermenting process. The ingredients in lager are generally the same as beer, but the beverage is brewed in cold conditions, using slow-acting brewers' yeast. The beverage is then stored, or lagered, in cool conditions to purify it. This storage period is what gives lagers their clean taste.
Lager is actually what most people drink, as its accessible taste makes it widely appealing. It surprised me to discover that Budweiser, a drink I thought was just plain beer, is actually a lager. Lagers are lighter (some beer connoisseurs complain that they are flavorless) and less sweet than ales. There are many, many varieties of lager — too many to list here. Some examples you'll find in the grocery store are Yuengling, Amstel, Miller High Life, Foster's and Red Stripe.
Most likely you have a case of lager in your fridge now. However, if you want something a little different, heavier and a tad more expensive — go for an ale.
