It’s in the mix – how brew methods distinguish ale from lager
Approved by:
Paige Master, Gainesville Weddings in Gainesville Florida
Beer – which in general terms means ale and lager – is easily the most consumed beverage in the UK, with about 28 million pints of the stuff going down the hatch each day. Around 21 million pints of that is lager, with ale comprising the remaining 7 million pints. However, aside from the sales imbalance, what is the real difference between ale and lager?
The answer lies in how the two types are brewed, and here is a brief explanation of how the brewing methods vary.
Top Fermentation -v- Bottom Fermentation
Lagers are brewed using what’s known as ‘bottom fermentation’. This simply means that the yeast used during fermentation is a type that sinks to the bottom of the fermentation container. With lager, the yeast doesn’t really affect the taste of the finished product as it does with ale. Lagers tend to get their taste from the malt and hops, plus favours develop further during cask conditioning (see next section). Another difference is that bottom fermented yeast can often be reused by simply scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Ales are brewed using what’s known as ‘top fermentation’. This simply means that the yeast used during fermentation stays at the top of the fermentation container. Yeast is a vital part of the finished ale’s taste because it releases esters which affect the drink’s flavour.
Storage, period of brewing and temperature
Lager ferments at a relatively low temperature (around 8-15 C). Post fermentation, the lager is stored at a temperature around freezing for up to half a year – this storage period is known as ‘cold conditioning’. Cold conditioning explains why lager usually takes longer to brew than ale. Lager actually derives its name from this period of storage – the word ‘lager’ is German for ‘storage’.
On the other hand, ales ferment better at higher temperatures (usually between 15 and 24 C). This high temperature combined with no requirement for cold conditioning is why ales take less time to brew than lager. Typical brew time is 3 to 4 weeks (longer for certain types of ale), but this can be decreased with artificial carbonation.
Ingredient variations
Ale recipes tend to require more malts and hops than lager – hence their maltier or hoppier taste. Another big taste difference comes from the fact that ale brewers are more creative with recipes than lager brewers. It’s not uncommon for ale makers to add ingredients like coffee, honey, fruit, chocolate or nuts during brewing. Generally speaking, lager brewers simply don’t experiment with recipes on the same scale that ale brewers do, which means a much wider choice of flavours for beer drinkers.
As you can see, the brewing process is what fundamentally separates lager and ale. However, as an end user, all we really care about is how a beer tastes. So because taste is so important to enjoying a beer, you’ll expect your local to be doing all it can to clean its beer lines as effectively and regularly as possible. That’s why publicans in-the-know use automated line cleaning systems such as CellarBright’s to rapidly and efficiently wash their lines, and this helps to keep the beer fresh tasting at all times.
CellarBright is a innovative automated beer line cleaning system which can save thousands of pounds every year for businesses selling keg and cask beer and lager. It minimises waste by letting the beer that’s in the lines be drawn off and sold before line cleaning commences, letting you sell 100% of the beer that you’ve paid for.
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