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Ale is an ancient word for a
fermented
alcoholic
beverage obtained chiefly from
malted
barley.
Before the introduction of
hops into England from the
Netherlands in the
15th century the name "ale" was
exclusively applied to unhopped fermented beverages, the
term "beer" being gradually introduced to describe a brew
with an infusion of hops. This distinction no longer
applies.
Ales are brewed with
top-fermenting yeasts at
temperatures from 15 to 25 °C
(59 to 77 °F).
For comparison,
lagers are brewed over longer
periods, at lower temperatures, to satisfy the
bottom-fermenting yeasts. Ales are also usually served at a
higher temperature than lagers: in the UK typically around
12 °C (54 °F) for an ale as compared to 8 °C (46 °F) for a
lager.
In a number of
U.S. states, especially in the
western United States, "ale" is
the term mandated by state law for any beverage fermented
from grain with an alcoholic strength above that which can
legally be named "beer," without regard to the method of
fermentation or the yeast used. This distinction is not
obsolete, but it is idiosyncratic.
In former times the
Welsh and
Scots had two distinct kinds of
ale, called common and spiced ales, the
relative values of which (compared to
mead) were appraised by law in the
following terms:
If a farmer have no mead, he shall pay two
casks of spiced ale, or four casks of common ale, for one
cask of mead.
Ales are very common in
Britain,
Germany, the
United States, and
Belgium; however,
Lager is the dominant style of
beer in almost all countries, worldwide.
Varieties of ale
United Kingdom / American ales
United Kingdom ales are, worldwide,
the most popular variety of beer fermented with
top-fermented yeast. Most beers in this region typically are
made with yeast strains that leave some
esters behind, producing flavors
often described as "fruity" or "buttery". "Earthy" English
hops are added, adding to the complexity. Within this
region, a wide variety of substyles can be found -- ranging
from roasted malt ales (porter, stout), to highly hopped
ales (India pale ale), to malt-balanced ales (Scottish ale).
Alcohol ranges from the very low (e.g. the English mild
beer) to the very high (e.g. the English barley wine).
American style ales rose out of the
microbrewery / craft brewing revolution that began in the
early 1980s. Typically, these ales are very similar to their
British counterparts, but have cleaner yeast strains, and
often have higher hop rates dominated by American varieties
(such as the citrusy Cascade hop.)
Belgian ales
Belgium produces a wide variety of
specialty ales that elude easy classification. In addition
to making a variety of
blonde ale, common classifications
for these specialty beers may be
dubbel (malty-complex with a
red hue) and
tripel (a high-alcohol,
lightly-gold colored beer).
Some specialty beers are based on old
monastic brewing recipes; these beers are often referred to
as abbey ales. Six monasteries in
Belgium still brew beer; such
beers are designated with the
trappist term.
German / hybrid ales
These are old-style ales fermented in
Germany. A long, cold conditioning period yields a cleaner
style, free of the esters that one finds in UK ales.
Wheat beer
Wheat beer is found mostly in
Germany, but examples can also be found in America and
Belgium. German wheat beers are typically fermented with a
yeast that yields
esters with banana- and clove-like
flavours. In contrast to most styles, these beers are
typically served unfiltered (with the suspended yeast
clouding the beverage). In American microbreweries, wheat
beer is usually fermented with a clean yeast and filtered.
Often this beer is combined with fruit flavors (e.g.
raspberry wheat beers) to create a light, refreshing drink.
-
Belgian
witbier/bière blanche
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Weissbier,
Hefeweizen and Dunkelweizen
Specialty ales
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