A pint of ale

Ale is a type of beer brewed from barley malt with a top-fermenting brewers yeast that ferments quickly, giving a sweet, full body and a fruity, and sometimes butter-like, taste. Most ale contains some herb or spice, usually hops, which imparts a bitter, herbal flavour which balances the malt sweetness. As an appellative ale means any top-fermented beverage made from malt. Look up Ale in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1671x2543, 619 KB) Ale ein englisches Bier, hier ein Bitter. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1671x2543, 619 KB) Ale ein englisches Bier, hier ein Bitter. ... For other uses, see Beer (disambiguation). ... Binomial name L. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an annual cereal grain, which serves as a major animal feed crop, with smaller amounts used for malting and in health food. ... Malted barley Malting is a process applied to cereal grains, in which the grains are made to germinate and then are quickly dried before the plant develops. ... Top-fermenting yeast, saccharomyces cerevisiae, is one of the two types of yeast used in the brewing of beer, so called because when the fermentation process is complete it rises to top of the fermentation vessel. ... Binomial name Saccharomyces cerevisiae Meyen ex E.C. Hansen Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a species of budding yeast. ... For other uses, see Fermentation. ... In many areas related to the testing and evaluating of foodstuffs,such as wine-tasting and rheology, mouthfeel is a product’s physical and chemical interaction in the mouth from initial perception on the palate, to first bite, through mastication to swallowing. ... Diacetyl (IUPAC systematic name: butanedione or 2,3-butanedione) is a natural byproduct of fermentation. ... Hop umbel (branched floral structure resembling nested-inverted umbrellas) in a Hallertau hop yard Hops are a flower used primarily as a flavouring and stability agent in beer, as well as in herbal medicine. ...

Ales are very common in Britain, Germany, Canada's eastern provinces, Ireland, the United States, and Belgium; however, pale lager is the dominant style of beer in almost all other countries. (North) American lagers, as defined by the Association of Brewers, are a family of very pale to golden colored beers with light body and low to medium bitterness. ...

History of ale

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. Species Humulus lupulus L. Humulus japonicus Siebold & Zucc. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... For other uses, see Beer (disambiguation). ...

Ale was an important drink in the medieval world as a staple food, along with bread. As both undergo fermentation they were considered to be of supernatural import. For other uses, see Fermentation. ...

The word 'ale' comes from the Old English ealu, in turn from the Proto-Indo-European base *alut-, which holds connotations of "sorcery, magic, possession, intoxication". ^{[citation needed]} Proto-Indo-European (PIE) may refer to: Proto-Indo-European language the hypothetical common ancestor of the Indo-European languages Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language Proto-Indo-European roots, A list of reconstructed Proto-Indo-European roots Categories: | ...

Modern ale

Cask ale handpumps

A modern ale is commonly defined by the strain of yeast used and the fermenting temperature. Image File history File links HandPumps. ... Image File history File links HandPumps. ...

Ales are normally brewed with top-fermenting yeasts, though a number of British brewers, including Fullers and Weltons, use ale yeast strains that have less pronounced top-fermentation characteristics. The important distinction for ales is that they are fermented at higher temperatures and thus ferment more quickly than lagers. Top-fermenting yeast, saccharomyces cerevisiae, is one of the two types of yeast used in the brewing of beer, so called because when the fermentation process is complete it rises to top of the fermentation vessel. ... Fuller, Smith and Turner PLC is the full name of the brewery company better known simply as Fullers. ... Ray Welton of Weltons Brewery An independent brewery founded by Ray Welton in 1995 in Dorking. ... Lager beers are alcoholic beverages of German and Czech origin, taking their name from the German lagern (to store). Lagers are brewed principally from malted barley (without cane sugar, an adjunct), hops and water at low temperatures (usually between 5°C and 15°C) that cause bottom-fermentation. ...

Ale is typically fermented at temperatures between 15 and 24°C (60 and 75°F). At these temperatures, yeast produces significant amounts of esters and other secondary flavour and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with slightly "fruity" compounds resembling but not limited to apple, pear, pineapple, banana, plum, or prune. Typical ales have a sweeter, fuller body than lagers. Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... A carboxylic acid ester. ... Binomial name Borkh. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Pineapple (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Species See text. ... Prune refers to any of more than 125 varieties of fruit, most grown for drying. ... In many areas related to the testing and evaluating of foodstuffs,such as wine-tasting and rheology, mouthfeel is a product’s physical and chemical interaction in the mouth from initial perception on the palate, to first bite, through mastication to swallowing. ...

Differences between some ales and lagers can be difficult to categorise. Steam beer, Kölsch and some modern British Golden Summer Beers use elements of both lager and ale production. Baltic Porter and Bière de Garde may be produced by either lager or ale methods or a combination of both. However, lager production is perceived to produce cleaner tasting, dryer and lighter beer than ale. Steam beer may be defined as a highly effervescent beer made by brewing lager yeasts at ale fermentation temperatures. ... Kranz (Wreath) of Kölsch Kölsch Kölsch is a local beer speciality, brewed in Cologne, Germany. ...

Beers classed as ale use predominantly barley malts, though lambics and some wheat beers, which also use wheat, are brewed using the ale brewing methods. Traditional wooden Lambic barrels; the L on the barrel indicates the brewery. ... It has been suggested that Kristall Weissbier be merged into this article or section. ...

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^{[citation needed]}. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the... As defined by the Census Bureau, the western United States includes 13 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington lincoln, and Wyoming. ...

In many countries ale has lost popularity somewhat with the introduction of a wider variety of alcoholic beverages, most noteably lagers and alcopops. However in Britain sales of bottled ale rose by 8.4% in 2006^[1]. Lager is a well attenuated beer brewed in cool conditions using a slow-acting brewers yeast, known as a bottom-fermenting yeast, and then stored (or lagered) for a period in cool conditions to clear away particles and certain flavour compounds to produce a clean taste. ... It has been suggested that Premium Packaged Spirits be merged into this article or section. ...

Varieties of ale

Pale ale

Main article: Pale ale

Pale ales are brewed using a pale barley malt. Strengths vary from under 3% abv to over 20% in some rare barley wines. Hop levels also vary - ranging from barely noticeable to over 100 IBUs in some examples of the American India Pale Ale. Amber ale is a slightly darker type of pale ale. Bitter ale is a hoppier pale ale found in many English pubs, but difficult to find commercially compared to other English ales. A typical pale ale Pale ale is a term used to describe a variety of beers which use ale yeast and predominantly pale malts. ... Alcohol by volume (ABV) is an indication of how much alcohol (expressed as a percentage) is included in an alcoholic beverage. ... Barley wine or Barleywine is a style of strong ale originating in England in the nineteenth century (derived from the March or October beers of the 18th century) but now brewed worldwide. ... The International Bitterness Units scale, or simply IBU scale, provides a measure of the bitterness of beer, which is provided by the hops used during brewing. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... North American amber ales are beers which range from light copper to light brown in color (with some termed red ales if the color warrants). ... Bitter is a type of ale, originally derived from pale ale. ...

Brown ale

Main article: Brown ale

Brown ales are brewed using a somewhat darker barley malt than amber. They tend to be lightly hopped, and fairly mildly flavoured--generally they are flavourful, but without strong offensive flavours. Many have a nutty taste. They are mostly common in English brewing, with Newcastle Brown Ale being a popular example ^{[citation needed]}. There are American-style brown ales as well, many were created during the early 1980s by homebrewers. Pete's Wicked Ale is a successful commercial example ^{[citation needed]}; it is similar to the English original, though substantially hoppier. North American brown ales trace their heritage to American home brewing adaptations of certain northern English beers. ... Newcastle Brown Ale is a brand of dark brown ale. ... Petes Brewing Company was founded by homebrewer Pete Slosberg in 1986. ...

Dark ale

Main articles: Stout and Porter (beer)

Dark ales are brewed using dark-roasted barley malts. Stout, oud bruin and mild ale are examples. Initially, stout was a variation of porter, a stronger version known as a "stout porter." The main difference between the two is that stouts are stronger. Porters also have a wider range of colours; while stouts are black in colour, porters range from black to brown. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Porter is a beer with a dark colour. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Oud Bruin, also known as Flanders Brown, is a style of beer originating from the Flemish region of Belgium. ... Mild ale is a low-gravity, malty beer that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1600s or earlier. ...

Irish red ale

Main article: Irish red ale

Irish red ale is a type of ale originating in Ireland. The slightly reddish colour comes from the use of roasted barley, in addition to the malt. The beers are typically fairly low in alcohol (3.5% ABV typically), although stronger export versions are brewed. Irish red ale is a type of ale originating in Ireland. ...

A red ale tastes less bitter or hoppy than an English ale, with a pronounced malty, caramel flavour.

Belgian ales

Main article: Belgian beer

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 coloured beer). Many Belgian ales are high in alcoholic content but light in body due to the addition of large amounts of sucrose, which provides an alcohol boost with an essentially neutral flavour. An assortment of Belgian beer labels Belgian beer comprises the most varied and numerous collection of beers in the world and varies from the popular pale lager to the esoteric appeal of lambic beer and Flemish red. ... North American blonde ales, also called golden ales range in color from that of straw to golden blond(e). ... Dubbel, or double ale, is a style of Belgian beer. ... Trippel (also Tripel), or triple ale, is a style of Belgian beer. ...

Some specialty beers are based on monastic brewing recipes. The best known among them are the Trappist beers, which are brewed under direct control of the monks themselves. Only seven Trappist monasteries brew this beer, six in Belgium and one in the Netherlands. Similar styled ales brewed by commercial breweries (sometimes under licence of an actual monastery) are called Abbey beer. Trappist logo A Trappist beer is a beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks. ... Abbey beer denotes a style of Belgian ale similar to Trappist beer, but which may not be called Trappist however since they are not brewed under control of the monks themselves. ...

German ales

Main articles: Kölsch (beer), Altbier, wheat beer, and Berliner Weisse

German ales tend to be fermented at a somewhat lower temperature, and have more body than British or Belgian ales due to differences in mashing process; the traditional German decoction mash tends to create more oligosaccharides to provide body to the beer. The best-known varieties are Köln's Kölsch, a very pale ale, and altbier (most associated with Düsseldorf but made in other parts of western Germany as well); wheat beers such as hefeweizen and Berliner Weisse are also technically ales, though they may have different flavours, particularly the pronounced banana-like estery flavour of hefeweizen. Kranz (Wreath) of Kölsch Kölsch Kölsch is a local beer speciality, brewed in Cologne, Germany. ... Altbier (often abbreviated to Alt) is a dark, top-fermented type of beer from Düsseldorf and the Niederrhein region in Germany. ... It has been suggested that Kristall Weissbier be merged into this article or section. ... Berliner Weiße is a wheat and barley beer variant brewed exclusively in the area of Berlin, Germany. ... An oligosaccharide is a saccharide polymer containing a small number (typically three to six) of component sugars, also known as simple sugars. ... Köln may refer to: Cologne (German: Köln), the fourth largest city in Germany and largest city of the North Rhine-Westphalia state German Cruiser Köln that served from 1930-1945 mostly for the Kriegsmarine German Frigate Köln (1961-1982), a F120 Köln class frigate of... Altbier (often abbreviated to Alt) is a dark, top-fermented type of beer from Düsseldorf and the Niederrhein region in Germany. ... The title of this article contains the character ü. Where it is unavailable or not desired, the name may be represented as Duesseldorf. ... A pint of American Hefeweizen Hefeweizen, is a variety of wheat beer in which the yeast is not filtered out. ... Berliner Weiße is a wheat and barley beer variant brewed exclusively in the area of Berlin, Germany. ... A carboxylic acid ester. ...

Cream ales

Main article: Cream Ale

Cream ales, also referred to as a "creamers," are related to American lagers. They are generally brewed to be light and refreshing with a straw to pale golden color. Hop and malt flavour is usually subdued but some breweries give them a more assertive character. Two examples are Genesee Cream Ale and Little Kings Cream Ale. While cream ales are top-fermented ales, they typically undergo an extended period of cold-conditioning or lagering after primary fermentation is complete. This reduces fruity esters and gives the beer a cleaner flavour. Some examples also have a lager yeast added for the cold-conditioning stage or are mixes of ales and lagers. Adjuncts such as maize and rice are used to lighten the body and flavour although there are all-malt examples available. Cream Ales, are derived from the American light lager style. ... (North) American lagers, as defined by the Association of Brewers, are a family of very pale to golden colored beers with light body and low to medium bitterness. ... High Falls Brewing Company (High Falls) is an American brewery located Rochester, New York. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

Beer Portal

• Cask ale
• Beer style
• Lager
• Wheat beer

Image File history File links Portal. ... Cask ale is the term given to unfiltered and unpasteurised beer which is conditioned and served from a cask without additional pressure. ... Rauchbier, a smokey style of beer Beer style is a term used to differentiate and categorize beers by various factors such as colour, flavour, strength, ingredients, production method, recipe, history, or origin. ... Lager is a well attenuated beer brewed in cool conditions using a slow-acting brewers yeast, known as a bottom-fermenting yeast, and then stored (or lagered) for a period in cool conditions to clear away particles and certain flavour compounds to produce a clean taste. ... It has been suggested that Kristall Weissbier be merged into this article or section. ...

External links

• Michael Jackson on Ale and Porter