| Ale is the historical most common type of beer. For | | | | from dark lager, for example, is taste. Ales aim to |
| very long time it was the definition of beer and the | | | | give you a huge variety of taste and aftertaste, this |
| most popular. The word beer itself meant ale before | | | | it truly a beer to enjoy and one to chose! |
| hops were added to brewing in the 15th century. | | | | While ale definitely lost its popularity to lager in the |
| Eventually ale was beaten by lager beer (but not in | | | | 20th century, it remained as number one for all |
| the world of home beer making), but instead of a | | | | serious beer lovers, who look for taste and flavor. If |
| mass product it became a beer for people who | | | | you look at any beer rating websites you will see |
| prefer only good beer. | | | | that the top rated beers are ales (porters mostly). |
| The first thing that visually defines ale is color - the | | | | Also if you look at the beer types available for home |
| lightest of all ales is Weissbier (wheat beer) a | | | | beer making, there are mostly ales. Who needs to |
| traditional German beer which is way darker than any | | | | brew a low flavored lager if you can always buy |
| usual lager. Pale ales are not dark but they are also | | | | one? The real challenge in home beer making are |
| easy to distinguish from light lager beers. Finally red | | | | ales, especially keeping the color and flavor right. So |
| ales, porters and stouts are defined by red or black | | | | all people must be aware of the seriousness of ale, |
| color and what most important rich flavor. The | | | | especially the ones who have a microbrewery at |
| second thing that will allow you to define dark ale | | | | home. |
