Difference between ale and beer. What is ale and what do you drink it with? What is ale made from?

If you are a connoisseur of a foamy drink, then you should know the main ingredients from which beer is made. This is water, malt and hops, the fermentation of which leads to the appearance of a drink that has become national in some countries. Connoisseurs of “foam” are well versed in its varieties, they study the history of origin and the most popular recipes, so the question of which is healthier: beer or ale is not idle. These drinks are very popular, but many are also interested in the differences in taste and composition, which we will help you understand.

A little history

Few people know, but the remains of hops were discovered in settlements that lived 3-3.5 thousand BC, and they were found in Muslim Iran. According to another version, beer has been known since the Neolithic era - the New Stone Age, when humanity made a big breakthrough. It is even believed that some peoples originally grew grain crops in order to subsequently make a foamy drink from them. Over time, man moved on and began to invent new varieties of it, and it is not for nothing that the question of what is better, ale or beer, is heard quite often today. It is difficult to answer, because in essence, the first is a type of the second, has the same composition, but differs in the method of preparation.

Despite the fact that these are “birds of a feather,” in England today there is great debate regarding kinship, although it is obvious. By the way, it was the British who came up with another type of “foam” in the 15th century AD, and initially it was not hops that were used for this, but a mixture of herbs and spices (gruit). Now the composition is almost the same, with the exception of the same gruit, added at the final stages of production. The only difference is in the fermentation methods.

Differences in preparation

While lager, which is the general name for beer, is produced through bottom fermentation, in the case of ale, the yeast ferments under the influence of carbon dioxide at the top of the mixture. In the case of “foamy” yeast settles to the bottom, and this process lasts about two months, after which the contents of the container undergo rapid heating, which allows the fermentation process to stop. Beer becomes clean after filtration, although there are also unfiltered varieties, and it is not difficult to assume that heating kills beneficial microorganisms, which cannot be said about the second test subject, so the answer to the question of which is healthier is obvious to many.

Perhaps you too will understand whether beer or ale is better if you compare the process described above with what happens in the production of the second drink. Fermentation occurs on the surface, at a higher temperature and with the participation of carbon dioxide. After the process is completed, and this takes 30 days, maximum, the semi-finished product is poured into containers into which sugar, gruit and other additives are added. This is how repeated fermentation occurs, but it is difficult to say which is tastier, since this drink is intended for amateurs. Ale, prepared correctly, is somewhat bitter, although this attracts many to the “foamy” taste.

Traditional ale is a top-fermented beer produced at high temperatures. It is believed that ale was the first known type of beer: the British began brewing it back in the 15th century. In the Middle Ages, ale was a basic necessity, and containers of ale of varying quality were necessarily stored in every home. Later in Germany they learned to brew lager, which for a time became more popular than ale, but today Europeans happily drink both beers.

Over several centuries, so many varieties of ale were created in different parts of Europe that many of them were combined, and each type had its own recipe. Today there are several types of ale:

• Bitter.
• Pale ale.
• Barleywine.
• Porter.
• Stout.
• Dark ale.
• Alto.
• Trappist ale.

Of course, there are other, lesser-known varieties. Dark ale is recognized as the most famous and revered ale: the strength of the drink is in perfect harmony with the balanced taste, making this beer easy to drink. To prepare it, dark barley and caramel sauce, hops, yeast and prepared water are used. Sometimes ale is bottled immediately after the main fermentation, but Europeans prefer to drink ale that is additionally aged in oak barrels. This increases the strength of the dark ale and gives its aroma light oak notes. Dark ales typically range from 4.5% to 12% ABV.

Changes can be made to the production technology of classic ale, resulting in a new, unique product. Thus, the Belgians like to add fruit juice, crushed berries or nuts to the raw material to give the beer an original aroma, and the Scots like to age the ale until its strength reaches 10%, or even more. It is the Scots who hold the record for the strength of ale. Once upon a time, the Scottish brewery BrewDog wondered how many degrees dark ale could contain. The result of the experiments was an unprecedentedly strong drink: the “End of History” ale contains 55% alcohol and is currently the strongest dark ale in the world. But such a drink cannot be found in pubs.

Description

Ale is a type of beer that is produced through rapid fermentation.

Unlike lager, ale takes less time to prepare and the ale is sweeter. Preparation of such a drink takes 3-4 weeks, some types are prepared for 4 months. The drink also changes its taste depending on the storage time. Aged for several weeks, it tastes like a young beer with a strong flavor, but ale aged for several months has a pleasant herbal flavor.

To increase the strength of the ale, it is enough to store it for a month at room temperature. Beer lovers claim that such storage makes the drink even tastier.

Ale is a very ancient drink. The Sumerians knew how to brew it, although they did not add hops to it, and therefore it took very little time to prepare it. The first mention of hoppy ale was first found in England already in the 15th century.

The name "ale" has Proto-Indo-European roots and literally means "intoxication." Before hops were brought to England, the name “ale” meant drinks made by fermentation. Drinks that included hops were commonly called “beer.” The presence of hops has become a characteristic feature in order to separate beer from similar drinks. Hops gave the beer a pleasant bitterness and also perfectly set off the sweetness. Gruit was originally used to make ale. It was a kind of herbal beer that had tonic and even psychotropic properties.

In the Middle Ages, ale was very common. This is due to the fact that in those days drinking water was a very valuable product; it was obtained from rain or snow in small quantities. River water was dangerous to drink because it contained a large number of dangerous microorganisms. Low-alcohol drinks, including beer, were considered a safe alternative to drinking water. Unlike other products, this beer had a long shelf life, which was a very important advantage at that time. Beer gained particular popularity in those areas where growing grapes was problematic due to the climate or soil.

It is customary to classify ale by yeast type and fermentation temperature. At a standard temperature for ale of 15-24 degrees, esters are released. As a result of this production process, the drink is obtained with an original, slightly fruity taste. In its preparation, mostly barley malt is used.

Ale beer is very common in England. This is one of the few countries where the predominant beer type is ale rather than lager. The British drink mostly draft beer, so the maturation of this product is carried out not in brewing companies, but directly in the pub cellar. Atrectus is considered the first British brewer. His name was discovered during excavations of a Roman fort, indicating that the Romans consumed Celtic ale in Britain. In 1342, the London Brewers' Guild appeared, which was a big event in the history of the intoxicating drink. The founding of the London Guild marked the professionalization of the brewing industry.

On the world market, the main producer of ale beer is Great Britain, accounting for about 90% of all production. Basically, traditional ale can be found on the territory of the manufacturer; buying English ale abroad is quite problematic.

Calories: 41 kcal.

Energy value of the product Beer ale:

• Proteins: 0 g.
• Fat: 0 g.
• Carbohydrates: 2.9 g.

How is ale different from beer?

Many lovers of intoxicating drinks often do not know how ale differs from beer.

According to accepted standards, “beer” is the general name for drinks that are produced by fermenting malt wort. Ale, on the other hand, is a type of beer, but has distinct production characteristics. Ale, unlike another type of beer - lager, is not pasteurized or filtered. The drink is first infused and then poured into barrels. The main distinguishing feature of ale is that it is produced using the top-fermentation method. The result is a drink with a more complex aroma and taste, predominantly copper in color.

The ale is poured into small barrels, and in this form it ends up in the bar. Next, a tap is installed in the lower part of the barrel, and a small hole is left in the upper part so that air can enter the barrel. The presence of air allows you to maintain the so-called “yeast cap”, which, in turn, protects the drink from rapid oxidation.

To avoid oxidation, a keg of ale should be drunk within a few days.

Types of ale

Traditional ale is usually divided into the following types:

Bitter, or bitter ale, is the national English beer; it appeared due to the fact that brewers began to add a little hops to the drink, so the taste of the ale became slightly bitter. This drink has a pleasant dark copper color and has a refreshing taste. The strength of Bitter is within 4-5%.

Pale ale is a type of ale made from light malt. Its special feature is the local water from the city of Burton, where brewers first made this drink. Burton's water is rich in minerals, which could not but affect the taste of the new drink. Pale ale was so loved by the local population that soon all of England knew about the new beer. The name of the drink translates as “pale ale”, because its color is pale honey or golden, which distinguishes it from other types of ale. Its taste is pleasant with a slight bitterness.

India pale ale - it was invented at the end of the 18th century in India, which at that time was a British colony. Unfortunately, the beer did not survive the sea journey. When the drink reached the shores of India, its taste was hopelessly spoiled. In this regard, brewer George Hodgson decided to add more hops to the ale, which would play the role of a natural preservative in the drink. So George Hodgson invented a new strong, hoppy ale that finally survived the sea voyage without loss of taste. This drink became known as “India Pale Ale”; it is stronger than other types of ale; today it is produced in Burton and London.

Porter - a drink that appeared in the 18th century as an alternative to traditional ale. Porter owes its appearance to Ralph Harwood, who began using dark malt and burnt sugar to produce beer. The beer had a light taste, which harmoniously combined sweetness and bitterness. The drink got its name due to the fact that London “porters” were very fond of it. The strength of beer is 4.5-10%.

Stout is a type of porter and belongs to the type of ale. Ireland is considered the birthplace of stout. Stout is a beer with a characteristic bitterness. Its taste and color are due to its high degree of roasting. This is what distinguishes stout from other types of ale. There are many types of this drink: dry, coffee, etc. It all depends on the characteristics of preparation and the additional ingredients included in the ale.

Brown ale is a British beer known as "brown ale". Initially, it was a dense, sweet, low-alcohol beer. Then they began to add large amounts of hops to it. The range of tastes of this ale is extremely wide (it can be nutty, caramel, etc.).

A special type of ale is the traditional “real ale”, which is distinguished by the fact that the drink is not filtered or pasteurized. The shelf life of the so-called “live ale” is only a few days.

Real ale is a traditional British ale, known since the 17th century.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of ale are due to the presence of hops and other components in its composition. Ale in moderate quantities prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases. The drink contains vitamins B1, B2, as well as minerals such as potassium, calcium, zinc, selenium, and iron.

How to drink correctly?

Ale beer has its own characteristics of consumption.

In order to fully enjoy the taste of ale, you should drink it from special beer mugs. They are traditionally made of glass, ceramics, and wood. Nowadays, such mugs have been replaced by transparent glasses (it is believed that the play of this foamy drink is better visible in them).

In Great Britain, it is customary to drink beer in pints, that is, a little more than 0.5 liters. To begin with, drink about half of the drink, then half of what is left. They drink ale beer slowly, enjoying its pleasant taste. Before drinking, the beer can be cooled slightly (up to +6 degrees), since a supercooled drink loses its taste. Interestingly, some types of porter are served warm.

It is not customary to eat ale beer, as even the most delicate dish will overwhelm its light fruity taste. The traditional Russian snack for beer, that is, fish, is simply inappropriate when drinking ale. In addition, the fishy smell is quite difficult to get rid of, and it will definitely end up in the glass. The difficulty is that it is not customary to wash beer glassware; it is enough to simply rinse a mug or glass with hot water.

Ale is not usually mixed with other alcoholic drinks; it is drunk on its own. Drinking beer on the go is also considered bad manners. The true taste of ale can be enjoyed in a good bar or in the company of close friends.

Use in cooking

In cooking, ale can be used to prepare some dishes.

The drink has a pleasant bitterness and a sweetish aftertaste, which gives dishes a special taste. Ale is perfect for preparing the base for soups with the addition of oysters or crabs. Also, preparing beef, onion and cheese soups cannot be done without it. Ale goes well with seafood, meat dishes, and fish.

The drink is great for making very delicate French batter. In order to prepare a beer batter, we will need ale, 2 egg whites, 40 g of butter, 125 g of flour. Pour 1/8 liter of ale into the flour and stir until smooth. Then add butter, 2 egg whites, mix again. This batter is perfect for cooking meat, fish, and also for frying shrimp.

How to cook at home?

You can easily make a refreshing ginger ale at home. This is an effervescent all-natural hop drink with a strength of 4-5%.

According to the recipe, to prepare 5 liters of this ale, we need 300 g of sugar, 1 tsp. yeast, 2 lemons, ginger root. All ingredients are available, ginger root can be bought in the supermarket. It must be finely grated. The spiciness of the future ale depends on the amount of grated ginger added, so if you have gastrointestinal diseases, it is better to use a smaller amount of the root. For those who do not like spicy food, it will be enough to add 4-5 tbsp. l. grated ginger. Next, squeeze the juice of 2 lemons. Lemon juice, grated ginger, 300 g sugar and 1 tsp. yeast now needs to be poured into 5 liters of water. The water should be boiled, but not hot (about 40 degrees).

The future ale is poured into a bottle on which a water seal is installed. Soon the drink will begin to ferment, and after two days the water seal can be removed by closing the bottle with a lid. Next, homemade ginger ale is left in the refrigerator for another day. After this, the drink can be consumed.

The benefits of ale beer and treatment

The benefits of ale have long been of interest to scientists around the world.

Thus, in Finland, scientists came to the conclusion that hops, on the basis of which beer is produced, prevents the release of calcium from the bones, which, in turn, prevents the formation of kidney stones.

Drinking a small amount of stout will also do more good than harm. Thus, the drink is able to enhance antioxidant processes, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the cornea of ​​the eye, and prevents the formation of cataracts.

Harm of ale beer and contraindications

The drink can cause harm to the body if consumed excessively. It is not recommended for use by children, pregnant and lactating women. Although ale is a low-alcohol drink, its excessive consumption can lead to the development of beer alcoholism.

Drinking four glasses of beer per day increases the risk of liver cirrhosis by 2 times.

Perhaps it’s worth starting with the fact that this rather popular question is, in essence, not entirely correct.

The fact is that beer refers to all low-alcohol drinks obtained as a result of alcoholic fermentation of malt wort. Thus, ale that falls entirely under this category is only one of the varieties of beer.

However, in the beer culture inherent in the post-Soviet space, beer is actually identified with its other variety - lager. Accordingly, when asking the above question, a Russian-speaking lover of low-alcohol malt products actually wants to understand for himself how ale differs from lager. And this is the question that Shake Up gives the answer to...

Varieties of ale

Bitter ale (Bitter)

A variety of light ale that has a very pleasant and pronounced taste.

The drink acquired its name several centuries ago, when English brewers began to use hops, which give beer a bitter taste.

The typical bitter ale is dark copper in color, although some specialty varieties range from amber to bronze in hue.

Strength from 3% to 7%

Pale Ale or Pale Ale

One of the main varieties of English beer, as more hops are used in its production, which in the past allowed the beer to better withstand long-term transportation to the remote colonies of the British Empire.

The main difference is the spicy taste and lighter color.

Indian Ale (India Pale Ale)

A heavily hopped variety of pale ale.

Hops give beer a rich aroma and pleasant bitterness.

It is the most sought after style of craft beer in the United States.

Mild Ale

This style of beer originated in Great Britain in the 17th century and has a predominantly malty flavor.

Modern mild ales are generally dark in color, ranging from 3% to 3.6% ABV, although there are examples of lighter shades, as well as stronger ones, reaching 6% and above.

Brown Ale

Traditional dark English beer with alcohol content ranging from 2.8 to 5.4%.

In addition to all shades of brown color, it has a strong malt flavor and a characteristic nutty aroma.

Strong Ale

Superior to lighter versions in terms of density, alcohol content and malt intensity.

The taste may contain fruity notes or a sourish tint.

Old, aged, and dark ales are also considered special varieties of strong ale.

Barley wine

A drink that often contains more than 10 degrees of alcohol.

Beer made from grain. Color from brown-golden to black.

There are two main varieties of barley wine: English barley wine, which has a slight hop bitterness and a wide variety of colors ranging from red-gold to black, and American barley wine, which is more bitter and ranges in color from amber to light brown.

Strength from 8% to 12%.

Irish Red Ale

Differs in color from amber to dark copper, good transparency. Forms a slight off-white to yellow-brown foam.

It has a mild flavor and the sweetness of caramel malt, sometimes with a hint of toasted bread and butter or caramel.

Moderate malt aroma with notes of caramel.

Strength from 4 to 6%.

Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy

Originated in Edinburgh in the 1800s. This is a super malty, rich ale, full of caramel flavors and aromas.

It has a dark brown, rich color with a high alcohol content (from 6 to 10%).

There may be some slight bitterness on the palate, although strong caramel flavors tend to dominate the noticeable bitterness.

Some Scotch ales can taste slightly peaty.

1. Porter

   The national English beer variety, which unites many subtypes of dark beer under its name.

   It is made from at least two types of malt, one of which is brown malt.

Stout

An Irish derivative of porter, distinguished by the presence of distinct coffee notes and a burnt taste in the flavor bouquet, as well as perfect light resistance.

Nowadays, along with the classic version, containing a relatively high percentage of alcohol, there are the sour oyster stout, the Irish dry stout, its English sweet “colleague” containing lactose, as well as the imperial and tropical stouts that easily endure the vicissitudes of transportation.

In addition, the concept of ale includes such drinks as Trappist beer produced in Belgium, Holland and France (including the famous Quadrupel), red or Burgundy (according to the wine color of the drink) Flanders ale of Belgian origin, Bavarian Wheat beer, as well as The old beer comes from Dusseldorf, Germany.

Differences between ale and beer

The ale is produced using the top alcohol fermentation method.

It is based on the lightness inherent in yeast fungi growing in the Old World.

During the fermentation process, such yeast inevitably floats to the surface of the liquid, forming a kind of cap.

Only with the discovery of America did a heavier variety of yeast come to Europe, which settles during fermentation to the bottom of a vat or barrel.

Subsequently, it was these yeasts that began to be used in the production of lager (classic beer).

Ale fermentation temperatures range between 15 and 24°C as lighter yeasts prefer heat

Their overseas counterparts feel much more comfortable at lower temperatures (5-14°C, and sometimes lower).

The latter circumstance makes it possible to reduce the rate of reproduction of various microorganisms in the liquid, and thereby protect the beer from rapid souring.

However, the possibility of using American yeast on an industrial scale, and therefore introducing lager into mass production, appeared only with the invention of powerful refrigeration units.

Fermentation at higher temperatures, accompanied by an intense release of various ester compounds and natural flavors, makes the ale brighter and richer, although less stable and controllable than lager.

In addition, thanks to the same thermal factor, the process of primary ripening of ale occurs much faster than in the case of lager. It lasts on average from two weeks to two months.

Classic ale, unlike lager, is not pasteurized or filtered

Therefore, he continues to wander, as the English say, until the last drop.

This “live” drink has an incomparably brighter and more individual taste, but its shelf life is limited to a few days.

To sum it all up, it can be noted that the capriciousness and instability of ale, as a rule, lies in the fact that it can be either good or excellent.

It’s not for nothing that, as one of our readers noted, when blind tasting various varieties of a foamy drink, beer lovers in the overwhelming majority of cases choose not lager, but ale.

Hello fun company!

I’m leaving work today - the sun is shining, the roses are blooming, the birds are singing, the spruce is turning green in the flowerbed. So good. And suddenly a terrible thought came to me: I had never tried ale!

From this discovery, the colors around me faded a little, but a specific life goal appeared. It turned out that I knew almost nothing about this drink. I decided to figure it out, find out how ale differs from beer, taste it and talk about my impressions.

What is ale

The first thing I thought was that I didn’t really want to try this ale – the name was somehow vague, even slippery. In the homeland of ale, in Great Britain, the drink has two names: real ale (live ale) or traditional British beer. The word biir (beer in translation) doesn’t inspire me either.

In general, these English-speaking people are strange. Tell me, how can you name your daughter, this gentle angel, Drew?! But they call these Drews like ours, Tanyush and Svetki. But I digress.

Here we have cool and understandable names: you need to DRINK beer and we’ll be with you! So ale is one of the varieties of beer, made from the same basic ingredients:

• water (but specially prepared - it is made hard by adding calcium and magnesium salts), called liquor;
• regular barley malt, barley malt, which is roasted in different ways - hence the variety of ales: from almost light to dark brown, caramel;
• brewer's yeast - yeast in their language;
• and hops (hops) - where without it.

And the main difference between beer and ale is the fermentation technology itself. Beer is primarily fermented after the process of boiling malt with hops - the so-called “green beer” is obtained, which is poured into huge vats for secondary fermentation.

Depending on the variety, this process lasts from 14 to 60 days. The yeast settles to the bottom of the container as the beer matures. Then it is filtered (there are also unfiltered varieties), pasteurized by quickly heating it to 68-74 degrees (in bottles - up to 63) to stop the fermentation process. This manipulation kills living microorganisms and increases the shelf life of the drink to 120-180 days. This is the kind of beer we see in stores.

Before the “green beer” stage, ale is prepared in the same way, but fermentation occurs quickly, at the top, with the participation of carbon dioxide bubbles, which raise the yeast upward. The fermentation temperature is 5-8 degrees higher (25+) than for beer. The entire fermentation process (calorizator) lasts no more than 30 days.

And then everything goes wrong. The future ale is poured into steel barrels (in English and Belgian monasteries they also use oak barrels, which are a couple of hundred years old), dried hop cones are also thrown in (they give the drink a bitter taste), sugar and starch - to cause re-fermentation, and also, various finings that add fruity aroma and clarity to the drink.

According to another recipe, gruit is added to the barrels - a special mixture of herbs and spices, which includes wormwood, heather, ginger, myrtle, caraway, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, juniper berries and pine resin.

In this form, the barrels are transported to beer pubs, where the ale matures in the common room, in front of everyone. When the bartender, based on signs known only to him, decides that the ale is ready, he, in the presence of visitors, decides to unseal the keg.

This moment has its own name cask or keg. Then the Europeans drink their ale from huge mugs and enjoy life, since they need to drink the entire keg quickly, while the drink is still good.

The second difference between ale and beer is that it is never filtered or pasteurized. That is, this is truly “living” beer with billions of microorganisms, fungi and God knows what swarming around in it. Not encouraging, right? Because of this, the shelf life of the drink is only 2-3 days - after that it simply turns sour and instead of ale, a vile stale remains in the barrel.

Ale is also available in bottles. Basically, it is produced in Belgium, the so-called Trappist ale, the best brands are Duvel, Triple Moine, Straffe, Kwak. The technology there is a little different.

At the “green beer” stage, ale with additives (gruit) is bottled (similar to champagne containers) and aged in a cool place for up to 3 years. During this time, a vigorous life takes place in the sealed bottle - as many as three fermentations. Sometimes accidents happen - the strong glass doesn’t hold up and the bottles fly apart.

But the result is a bitter-sweet ale, quite strong - 7-9%, although there is a very weak option - dark English mild ale, the strength of which does not exceed 3%. It's like our kvass, only very bitter.

Another weak variety is new castle brown ale (new church brown ale). It generally looks like bittersweet water with a nutty taste. Well, that’s what they write, who tried it. The lighter the ale, the higher its strength.

Main varieties and how to drink

The most popular varieties: bitter, mild, barley wine, brown ale, porter, Scotch ale, stout, India pale ale and Irish red ale (calorizer).

It is customary to drink ale chilled to 10-12 degrees – this is how its aroma and fruity taste are felt. As they say on the forums, warm ale is a rare nasty thing. It is not customary to snack on it.

Although, in our pubs they can offer lemon or orange for a glass, as well as some salads for a snack. From meat, roast lamb and crispy bacon go well with strong brands. And for the weak ones - duck and sweet pies with apples and nuts.

By the way, unlike beer, ale is very easy to drink and you can easily drink a couple of liters. And then the main thing is to run to the toilet. In provincial English towns, after the opening of a keg of ale, a specific smell hovers around pubs - apparently not all visitors make it. It’s also alive – this ale!

From personal experience

Inspired by the information I found out, spitting on all prejudices, I said goodbye to my wife and daughter, just in case, and boldly rushed to look for where in St. Petersburg I could try ale.

It turns out that we have a lot of pubs - English, Irish, and some others, where you can taste different ales, including those from barrels brought from the manufacturer. Some breweries make their own drink, which is called ale.

I found a nice pub right on Fontanka and decided to try a triple wheat ale. What to say? To be honest, I didn't like it. I don’t want to offend millions of lovers of this specific drink, but to me it tasted like a mixture of bitter beer with a slightly spoiled compote. But! The taste and color, as they say...

One glass was enough for me, oddly enough, my stomach didn’t hurt, I’ll live. But, along the way, another problem arose - it turned out: I didn’t try the cider either! It was also served in this pub, but I didn’t dare to try two alcohol experiments on myself at the same time - I’m not that kind of hero. I left it for another time.

So, bye everyone! Dorofeev Pavel.