BASIC TYPES OF BEER

ALE

Ale has been produced for centuries. The first known recipe (the Alulu beer recipe) was written in Sumerian on a clay tablet around 2050 BC. The word ale actually comes from the Old English word ealu, which in turn stems from the Indo-European root alut, meaning magical and intoxicating.

Ale is the oldest type of beer. For brewing ale, yeast is used that ferments at higher temperatures (between 15 and 23 ^oC). High temperatures have a direct impact on the flavour, making the beer fuller-bodied and fruitier. It also has a higher alcohol content.

Ale is actually an “immature” beer that only fully matures in the facility’s cellar, where secondary fermentation takes place. Such beers are usually ready for drinking within three weeks of the start of fermentation, but some brewers leave them to mature for several months.

There are several types of ale, each with a specific flavour and its own story.

LAGER

LAGER is the most popular type of beer in the world, as it is considered the most refreshing. These are bottom-fermented beers, where the yeast requires a lower temperature for development (between 7 and 12 ^oC). They are also served more chilled.

In general, they are lighter in colour and have a sharper flavour. However, dark beers are also represented in this group.

The term LAGER comes from the German word for storage, as the beer was once traditionally stored before drinking in the same cold rooms where it was fermented.

In the 19th century, before the advent of refrigeration, German brewers dug storage cellars and filled them with ice from nearby lakes and rivers, which they used to cool the beer in summer. To further protect the cellars from the summer heat, chestnut trees were planted. These have dense canopies but shallow roots that do not interfere with the underground cellars. The practice of serving beer at such locations evolved into the modern beer garden.

The rise of lager was intertwined with the development of refrigeration technology, as it enabled the brewing of lager throughout the year (brewing in summer was previously prohibited in many locations across Germany). Efficient refrigeration also enabled the brewing of lager in more places around the world and kept the beer cold until it was served.

Lager beer styles differ from one another primarily due to regional diversity.