Ale or Lager? How Brewing Defines Beer Styles

Dark Ale, Pale Ale, Pilsner, Stout – the world of beer styles can appear daunting. However, once you understand the fundamentals of the brewing process, navigating this diverse landscape becomes refreshingly simple.

The Beer Brewing Process: Step by Step

Beer is crafted from four essential ingredients: malted barley (or alternative grains), water, hops, and yeast. Each plays a crucial role in shaping the character and flavour of the final product. The brewing journey involves several distinct steps:

• 1. Malting & Milling

  Grains (typically barley) are soaked, allowed to germinate, and then dried in a kiln. This malted grain is milled to break open the kernels.

• 2. Mashing

  Hot water is mixed with the milled malt to convert the grain starches into fermentable sugars, creating a sweet liquid called wort.

• 3. Boiling

  The wort is boiled and hops are added, giving beer its bitterness, aroma, and flavor.

• 4. Fermentation

  The wort is cooled, yeast is added, and fermentation begins. Yeast converts sugars into alcohol (though not in non-alcoholic beers) and carbon dioxide.

• 5. Conditioning

  After fermentation, the beer matures, allowing flavors to fully develop and the beer to clarify.

• 6. Packaging

  The final step is bottling, canning, or kegging the beer, ready to enjoy!

Variations in Brewing: Ales and Lagers

The diversity in beer styles arises primarily from differences in yeast strains and fermentation conditions. Here’s how it works:

Ales: Top-Fermentation

Ales are brewed using yeast strains that thrive at warmer temperatures between 15 – 25°C. During fermentation, these yeasts rise to the surface— hence the term “top-fermented.” This process typically creates beers rich in flavour, often characterised by fruity notes, bold aromas, and a robust profile that sets ales distinctly apart.

• 1. Dark Ales (Porter, Stout)

  Brewed using darker roasted malts, resulting in richer flavors and darker colors.
  
  Porters: Moderately roasted malts create balanced bitterness with chocolate and caramel notes.
  
  Stout: Heavily roasted malts produce deep coffee and chocolate flavors, with a creamy and fuller body.

• 2. Pale Ales (Blonde, IPA, NEIPA)

  Brewed with lighter malts and a notable amount of hops, producing beers with varying bitterness and aromatic profiles.

  Blonde Ale: Lightly malted and mildly hopped, resulting in smooth, subtle fruity notes.

  IPA (India Pale Ale): Significant hop additions during brewing deliver pronounced bitterness and vibrant floral or fruity aromas.

  NEIPA (New England IPA): Characterized by late and dry-hop additions, yielding juicy, fruity flavors with minimal bitterness and a cloudy appearance.

• 3. Wheat Beers

  Brewed with significant wheat content, resulting in refreshing, cloudy beers with distinctive flavors.

  Weizen (German Wheat Beer): High wheat malt content and unique yeast create banana and clove-like aromas.

  Witbier (Belgian Wheat Beer): Includes wheat and spices like coriander and orange peel, providing refreshing, citrusy, spicy notes.

• 4. Hybrid Beers

  These beers combine elements of ale and lager brewing, typically fermenting top-fermenting yeast at cooler temperatures.

  • Kölsch: Brewed using ale yeast at lower temperatures, creating a clean, crisp beer with subtle fruitiness.

  • Altbier: Brewed similarly, but using darker malts to achieve an amber color and malt-forward, balanced taste.

• 5. Belgian Abbey Ales

  Traditional Belgian beers brewed using distinctive yeast strains that impart complex, fruity, and spicy flavors.

  Dubbel: Dark malts and specific yeast yield a rich malt sweetness with dried fruit notes.

  Tripel: Brewed with pale malts and higher alcohol content, producing fruity and spicy flavors.

  Quadrupel: Highest malt intensity and alcohol content, offering complex flavors of dark fruits and caramel.

• 6. Sour Beers

  Created using wild yeast or specific bacteria to produce tart, acidic flavors through a fermentation process known as spontaneous or mixed fermentation.

Lagers: Bottom-Fermentation

Lagers are brewed with yeast strains that prefer cooler fermentation temperatures between 4 – 12°C. Unlike ales, lager yeast settles at the bottom during fermentation—hence the term “bottom-fermented.” This cooler, slower process produces beers admired for their clean, crisp, and refreshing character. Expect subtle malt flavours complemented by balanced hop notes, resulting in a smooth, clear taste that’s easy to enjoy.

• 7. Pilsners

  Pale malt base with generous hops creates pronounced bitterness and refreshing qualities.

• 8. Helles

  Brewed similarly but with less hopping, emphasizing smooth, malt-driven flavors with a clean finish.

In Summary: Cheers to Clarity!

Understanding how beer is brewed — from malting grains to packaging the final product — helps you appreciate what makes each beer unique. Whether it’s a fruity, robust ale or a clean, refreshing lager, the key lies in the subtle interplay of yeast, temperature, and ingredients. When it comes to non-alcoholic beers, the craftsmanship stays the same - it’s the process of dealcoholisation that makes all the difference.