What is the difference between an ale and a lager?

[picappgallerysingle id="4830322" align="left"]In the most basic classification scheme, there are two main types of beer.  No, its not “tastes great” / ”less filling”-  they are ales and lagers.  Ales, the oldest beers in the world, have been around thousands of years longer than lagers.  Looking at the history of beer, civilizations as far back as the Sumerians and Egyptians have been brewing and drinking what would be considered ales.  Lagers, on the other hand, may have only been around since the mid-nineteenth century.  However, many have speculated that “lagering” may have been “discovered” as far back as the Dark Ages, when some European brewers may have stored their beer in ice caves for later consumption. What they found was that the beer that was stored and fermented cold had a much clearer and cleaner beer “free from turbidity”.

What is a Stout?

The Stout was traditionally a stronger full-bodied variety of a porter, called a “stout porter” or “stouter”, but soon emerged as its own very popular style.

While the distinction between a stout and porter is still a little confusing, the stout is, generally speaking, a fuller-bodied, stronger, and darker beer with strong coffee or burnt caramel flavors.  Stouts, much like coffee for many folks, is an acquired flavor.  It is a beer to be sipped and savored, not pounded back on a hot summer day.

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