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Links 🔗
- The science and magic of beer
For my first contribution of this new segment Pub Convos, I thought why not start with one of the top 5 beverages consumed in the world, the humble social lubricant we call Beer. People always ask me when I mention I enjoy a pint of ale, what is the difference between ale and beer? Hopefully, this week’s Pub Convos will shed a light on the subtle differences between beer, ale and lager.
Beer:
- Generally, beer is an all-encompassing term that refers to any beverage that has been brewed and undergone a fermentation process.
- There are five key ingredients to brewing beer: a starch source (most commonly malt), water, yeast, hops, and time.
- Beer can be broadly categorised into 2 varieties: Ale and Lager.
Lager:
- The beer style that most people associate with the term beer.
- Pale in colour often fizzy and served extremely cold. Crisp clean flavour
- Characterised by the use of bottom-brewing yeast (yeast that ferments at low temperatures) in the fermentation process.
- Common examples of Lager: Tiger, Carlsberg, Carling, Fosters, Budweiser
Ale:
- Darker in colour, normally with less carbonation and served at a slightly warmer temperature. Less crisp and has more sophisticated flavours.
- Characterised by the use of top fermenting yeast (yeast that ferments at warmer temperatures) in the fermentation process.
- Common examples of Ale: Guinness, Newcastle Brown Ale, IPAs
- Most commonly found in the UK and US.
This is just a brief overview of beer styles and beer comes in all varieties. As Pub Convos evolve, we will delve deeper into the specifics of beer and the brewing process. It is Friday after all, lets raise a glass to the weekend wherever you are in the world and remember: ENJOY RESPONSIBLY
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