At Northwestern, our beer choices usually range from water to piss water. But out in the real world, there are actually dozens of beer varieties. There are two basic categories: ales and lagers, both of which you’ve probably seen on the pong table. Here’s the difference:
Lagers
Country of origin: Germany
Fermentation temperature: 45 to 55 degrees F
Yeast characteristics: Bottom fermenting. Brewers use yeasts that ferment in the wort at the bottom of the vat.
Color: Tend to be a lighter yellow in color
Flavor: Clean and crisp. You won’t taste the bitter hops as much as you would in an ale.
Average alcohol content: 2 to 5 percent
Common lagers: Bud Light, Coors Light, Heinekein, Corona, Miller High Life, Amstel Light, Busch, Keystone Light
Most common sub-genres:
- Pilsner/Pale lager: Light but somewhat bitter. People used to differentiate between a pilsner and a pale lager, but now brewers seem to use the terms interchangeably. Today, just think of it as a “premium” lager. Examples: Beck’s, Stella Artois, Pilsner Urquell
Ales
Country of origin: Britain
Fermentation temperature: 60 to 75 degrees F
Yeast characteristics: Top fermenting. Brewers use yeasts in ales that ferment in the wort at the top of the vat.
Color: Usually darker in appearance than a lager, sometimes amber-colored or darker.
Flavor: Complex, rich, and somewhat bitter. Some brewers even add hints of fruit.
Average alcohol content: 4 to 7 percent
Most common sub-genres:
- Pale ale: Bitter and a sweet, hoppy flavor. Examples: Bass Ale, Dogfish IPA, Budweiser Pale Ale
- Brown ale: Nutty and sweet. Known for going down smoothly. Examples: Newcastle Brown Ale, Sierra Nevada Brown Ale, Goose Island Nut Brown
- Stout ale: Roasted coffee flavors. Often sweet. Examples: Guinness, Russian Imperial Stout, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout
- Bitter ale: Rich in hop flavor with some bitterness. Examples: Goose Island Honker’s Ale
- Amber ale: Bitter but smooth. Amber in color. Examples: Budweiser American Ale