Barley ale. What is ale and how is it different from beer?

In the minds of most domestic beer lovers, there is a common belief that this is some kind of semi-mystical drink that Irish leprechauns and hairy hobbits brewed in their small breweries, which Tolkien told the whole world about in his books. Yes, along with rum, pirates of various stripes loved to drink on their ships during voyages. And real connoisseurs of the foamy drink are often stunned when they are asked about the difference between ale and ordinary beer.

We propose to understand this issue by dotting the i’s once and for all. To do this, you should first of all turn directly to the technology of beer production.

As almost everyone knows, in order to get beer from water, it is necessary to carry out a number of mandatory operations, one of which is. there are two types:

– when the yeast rises to the surface during the process;
AND – when these microorganisms sink to the bottom;

In accordance with the above options, the output is products with some differences, some of which are of significant importance to the end consumer. Moreover, in addition to the differences in properties, and beer are divided into two large categories:

beer is called "" ;
A beer is classified as "ale" .

Thus, we can give an absolutely accurate answer to the question of how ale differs from beer - absolutely nothing . - this is beer, but such beer was prepared using a special yeast culture.

Surely many will be surprised by this answer; some may even suggest that the benefits or harm to the body from drinking are much greater than from the usual types of beer. It is quite possible that someone will come up with the idea that riding yeast is dangerous organisms(worse than any GMO products), bred by mad scientists in special laboratories. However all this has nothing to do with reality.

They were very much pushed out in the 20th century. Unfortunately, this ultimately led to the monotony of beer tastes with a huge range of varieties from different breweries. Only in Great Britain has traditionally been preferred, despite all global trends.

At the same time, in Russia it was quite difficult to purchase beer in a grocery store just a few years ago. There was an opinion, which still exists in some heads today, that it is impossible to cook in our country. Fortunately, the situation is gradually changing for the better, and Today you can freely buy it in any medium and large supermarket. And the myth about inept Russian brewers is practically dispelled.

We cannot talk about what is worse or better - both categories must exist and delight us with new solutions and tastes. Yet There are some differences that every beer lover should be aware of:

much more rich in esters, as well as other secondary flavor and aromatic compounds. This makes it taste richer, however It should be used when more high temperature , how . Optimal temperature considered range from 12 to 16°C ;

El- a type of beer produced by rapid fermentation.

Unlike lager, ale takes less time to prepare and the ale is sweeter. Preparation of such a drink takes 3-4 weeks, some types are prepared for 4 months. Drink also changes its taste depending on storage time. Aged for several weeks, it tastes like a young beer with a strong flavor, but ale aged for several months has a pleasant herbal flavor.

To increase the strength of ale, it is enough to store it for a month at room temperature. Beer lovers claim that such storage makes the drink even tastier.

Elle is very ancient drink. The Sumerians knew how to brew it, although they did not add hops to it, and therefore it took very little time to prepare it. The first mention of hoppy ale was first found in England already in the 15th century.

The name “ale” has Proto-Indo-European roots and literally means “intoxication.” Before hops were brought to England, the name “ale” meant drinks made by fermentation. Drinks that included hops were commonly called “beer.” The presence of hops has become characteristic feature in order to separate beer from similar drinks. Hops gave the beer a pleasant bitterness and also perfectly set off the sweetness. Gruit was originally used to make ale. It was a kind of herbal beer that had tonic and even psychotropic properties.

In the Middle Ages, ale was very common. This is due to the fact that in those days drinking water was very valuable product, it was obtained from rain or snow in small quantities. River water was dangerous to drink because it contained a large number of dangerous microorganisms. A safe alternative drinking water low-alcohol drinks, including beer, were considered. Unlike other products, this beer had long term storage, which at that time was very important advantage. Beer gained particular popularity in those areas where growing grapes was problematic due to the climate or soil.

It is customary to classify ale by yeast type and fermentation temperature. At a standard temperature for ale of 15-24 degrees, the release of esters. As a result of this production process, the drink is obtained with an original, slightly fruity taste. In its preparation, mostly barley malt is used.

Ale beer is very common in England. This is one of the few countries where the predominant beer type is ale rather than lager. The British drink mostly draft beer, so the ripening of this product is not carried out in brewing companies, but directly in the pub cellar. Atrectus is considered the first British brewer. His name was discovered during excavations of a Roman fort, indicating that the Romans consumed Celtic ale in Britain. In 1342, the London Brewers' Guild appeared, which was a big event in the history of the intoxicating drink. The founding of the London Guild marked the professionalization of the brewing industry.

On the world market, the main producer of ale beer is Great Britain, accounting for about 90% of all production. Basically, traditional ale can be found on the territory of the manufacturer, or bought abroad English ale quite problematic.

How is ale different from beer?

Many lovers of intoxicating drinks often do not know how ale differs from beer.

According to accepted standards, “beer” is the general name for drinks that are produced by fermenting malt wort. Ale, on the other hand, is a type of beer, but has distinct production characteristics. Ale, unlike another type of beer - lager, not pasteurized or filtered. The drink is first infused and then poured into barrels. Home distinctive feature ale is what it is produced by top fermentation method. The result is a drink with more complex aroma and taste, predominantly copper in color (see photo).

The ale is poured into small barrels, and in this form it ends up in the bar. Next, a tap is installed in the lower part of the barrel, and a small hole is left in the upper part so that air can enter the barrel. The presence of air allows you to maintain the so-called “yeast cap”, which, in turn, protects the drink from rapid oxidation.

To avoid oxidation, a keg of ale should be drunk within a few days.

Types of ale

Traditional ale is usually divided into the following types:

Bitter or bitter ale, is the national English beer, it appeared due to the fact that brewers began to add a little hops to the drink, so the taste of the ale became slightly bitter. This drink has a pleasant dark copper color and has a refreshing taste. The strength of Bitter is within 4-5%.

Pale ale- a type of ale made from light malt. Its special feature is the local water from the city of Burton, where brewers first made this drink. Burton's water is rich minerals, which could not but affect the taste of the new drink. Pale ale was so loved by the local population that soon all of England knew about the new beer. The name of the drink translates as “pale ale”, because its color is pale honey or golden, which distinguishes it from other types of ale. Its taste is pleasant with a slight bitterness.

India Pale Ale- it was invented at the end of the 18th century in India, which at that time was a British colony. Unfortunately, the beer did not survive sea travel. When the drink reached the shores of India, its taste was hopelessly spoiled. In this regard, brewer George Hodgson decided to add more hops to the ale, which would play the role of a natural preservative in the drink. So George Hodgson invented a new strong, hoppy ale that finally survived the sea voyage without loss of taste. This drink became known as “India Pale Ale” it is stronger than other types of ale, today it is produced in Burton and London.

Porter– the drink appeared in the 18th century as an alternative to traditional ale. Porter owes its appearance to Ralph Harwood, who began to use dark malt and burnt sugar. The beer had a light taste, which harmoniously combined sweetness and bitterness. The drink got its name due to the fact that London “porters” were very fond of it. The strength of beer is 4.5-10%.

Stout– a type of porter, belongs to the type of ale. Ireland is considered the birthplace of stout. Stout is a beer with a characteristic bitterness. Its taste and color are due to its high degree of roasting. This is what distinguishes stout from other types of ale. There are many types of this drink: dry, coffee, etc. It all depends on the characteristics of preparation and the additional ingredients included in the ale.

Brown ale- British beer known as "brown ale". Initially, it was a dense, sweet, low-alcohol beer. Then they began to add large amounts of hops to it. The range of tastes of this ale is extremely wide (it can be nutty, caramel, etc.).

A special type of ale is the traditional “ real ale", it is distinguished by the fact that the drink is not subjected to filtration and pasteurization. The shelf life of the so-called “live ale” is only a few days.

Real ale is traditional British ale, known since the 17th century.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of ale are due to the presence of hops and other components in its composition. Ale in moderate quantities prevents the development of cardiovascular diseases. The drink contains vitamins B1, B2, as well as minerals such as potassium, calcium, zinc, selenium, and iron.

How to drink correctly?

Ale beer has its own characteristics of consumption.

In order to fully enjoy the taste of ale, you should drink it from special beer mugs. They are traditionally made from glass, ceramics, and wood. Nowadays, such mugs have been replaced by transparent glasses (it is believed that the play of this foamy drink is better visible in them).

In Great Britain, it is customary to drink beer in pints, that is, a little more than 0.5 liters. To begin with, drink about half of the drink, then half of what is left. They drink beer ale, slowly, enjoying it pleasant taste. Before drinking, the beer can be cooled slightly (up to +6 degrees), since a supercooled drink loses its taste qualities . Interestingly, some types of porter are served warm.

Beer ale snacking is not accepted, since even the most delicate dish light will kill him fruity taste. The traditional Russian snack for beer, that is, fish, is simply inappropriate when drinking ale. In addition, the fishy smell is quite difficult to get rid of, and it will definitely end up in the glass. The difficulty is that it is not customary to wash beer glassware; it is enough to simply rinse a mug or glass with hot water.

It is not customary to mix ale with others alcoholic drinks, drink it on its own. Drinking beer on the go is also considered bad manners. True taste ale can be enjoyed in good bar or in the company of close friends.

Use in cooking

In cooking, ale can be used to prepare some dishes.

The drink has a pleasant bitterness, as well as a sweetish aftertaste, which gives dishes special taste. Ale is perfect for preparing the base for soups with the addition of oysters or crabs. Also, cooking beef, onion and cheese soups. Ale goes well with seafood, meat dishes, fish.

The drink is great for making very delicate French batter. To cook beer batter, we will need ale directly, 2 egg whites, 40 g butter, 125 g flour. Pour 1/8 liter of ale into the flour and stir until smooth. Then add butter, 2 whites, mix again. This batter is perfect for cooking meat, fish, and also for frying shrimp.

How to cook at home?

You can easily prepare a refreshing one at home. This is an effervescent all-natural hop drink with a strength of 4-5%.

According to the recipe, to prepare 5 liters of this ale, we need 300 g of sugar, 1 tsp. yeast, 2 lemons, ginger root. All ingredients are available, ginger root can be bought in the supermarket. It must be finely grated. The spiciness of the future ale depends on the amount of grated ginger added, so if you have gastrointestinal diseases, it is better to use a smaller amount of the root. For those who do not like spicy food, it will be enough to add 4-5 tbsp. l. grated ginger. Next, squeeze the juice of 2 lemons. Lemon juice, grated ginger, 300 g sugar and 1 tsp. yeast now needs to be poured into 5 liters of water. The water should be boiled, but not hot(about 40 degrees).

The future ale is poured into a bottle on which a water seal is installed. Soon the drink will begin to ferment, and after two days the water seal can be removed by closing the bottle with a lid. Next home ginger ale leave in the refrigerator for another day. After this, the drink can be consumed.

The benefits of ale beer and treatment

The benefits of ale have long been of interest to scientists around the world.

Thus, in Finland, scientists came to the conclusion that hops, on the basis of which beer is produced, inhibits the release of calcium from bones, which, in turn, prevents the formation of kidney stones.

Use small quantity will also bring stout more benefit than harm. Thus, the drink is able to enhance antioxidant processes, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the cornea of the eye, and prevents the formation of cataracts.

Harm of ale beer and contraindications

The drink can cause harm to the body if consumed excessively. It is not recommended for use by children, pregnant and lactating women. Although ale belongs to low alcohol drinks, his overuse may lead to the development of beer alcoholism.

Drinking four glasses of beer per day increases the risk of liver cirrhosis by 2 times.

Hello fun company!

I’m leaving work today - the sun is shining, the roses are blooming, the birds are singing, the spruce is turning green in the flowerbed. So good. And suddenly a terrible thought came to me: I had never tried ale!

From this discovery, the colors around me faded a little, but a specific life goal appeared. It turned out that I knew almost nothing about this drink. I decided to figure it out, find out how ale differs from beer, taste it and talk about my impressions.

What is ale

The first thing I thought was that I didn’t really want to try this ale – the name was somehow vague, even slippery. In the homeland of ale, in Great Britain, the drink has two names: real ale (live ale) or traditional British beer. The word biir (beer in translation) doesn’t inspire me either.

In general, these English-speaking people are strange. Tell me, how can you name your daughter, this gentle angel, Drew?! But they call these Drews like ours, Tanyush and Svetki. But I digress.

Here we have cool and understandable names: you need to DRINK beer and we’ll be with you! So ale is one of the varieties of beer, made from the same basic ingredients:

water (but specially prepared - it is made hard by adding calcium and magnesium salts), called liquor;
regular barley malt, barley malt, which is roasted in different ways - hence the variety of ales: from almost light to dark brown, caramel;
brewer's yeast - yeast in their language;
and hops (hops) - where without it.

And the main difference between beer and ale is the fermentation technology itself. Beer is primarily fermented after the process of boiling malt with hops - the so-called “green beer” is obtained, which is poured into huge vats for secondary fermentation.

Depending on the variety, this process lasts from 14 to 60 days. The yeast settles to the bottom of the container as the beer matures. Then it is filtered (there are also unfiltered varieties), pasteurized by quickly heating it to 68-74 degrees (in bottles - up to 63) to stop the fermentation process. This manipulation kills living microorganisms and increases the shelf life of the drink to 120-180 days. This is the kind of beer we see in stores.

Before the “green beer” stage, ale is prepared in the same way, but fermentation occurs quickly, at the top, with the participation of carbon dioxide bubbles, which raise the yeast upward. The fermentation temperature is 5-8 degrees higher (25+) than for beer. The entire fermentation process (calorizator) lasts no more than 30 days.

And then everything goes wrong. The future ale is poured into steel barrels (in English and Belgian monasteries they also use oak barrels, which are a couple of hundred years old), dried hop cones are also thrown in (they give the drink a bitter taste), sugar and starch - to cause re-fermentation, and also, various additives finings that add fruity aroma and clarity to the drink.

According to another recipe, gruit is added to the barrels - a special mixture of herbs and spices, which includes wormwood, heather, ginger, myrtle, caraway, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, juniper berries and pine resin.

In this form, the barrels are transported to beer pubs, where the ale matures in the common room, in front of everyone. When the bartender, based on signs known only to him, decides that the ale is ready, he, in the presence of visitors, decides to unseal the keg.

This moment has its own name cask or keg. Then the Europeans drink their ale from huge mugs and enjoy life, since they need to drink the entire keg quickly, while the drink is still good.

The second difference between ale and beer is that it is never filtered or pasteurized. That is, this is truly “living” beer with billions of microorganisms, fungi and God knows what swarming around in it. Not encouraging, right? Because of this, the shelf life of the drink is only 2-3 days - after that it simply turns sour and instead of ale, a vile stale remains in the barrel.

Ale is also available in bottles. Basically, it is produced in Belgium, the so-called Trappist ale, best brands– Duvel, Triple Moine, Straffe, Kwak. The technology there is a little different.

At the “green beer” stage, ale with additives (gruit) is bottled (similar to champagne containers) and aged in a cool place for up to 3 years. During this time, a vigorous life takes place in the sealed bottle - as many as three fermentations. Sometimes accidents happen - the strong glass doesn’t hold up and the bottles fly apart.

But the result is a bitter-sweet ale, quite strong - 7-9%, although there is a very weak option - dark English mild ale, the strength of which does not exceed 3%. It's like our kvass, only very bitter.

Another weak variety is new castle brown ale (new church brown ale). It generally looks like bittersweet water with nutty taste. Well, that’s what they write, who tried it. The lighter the ale, the higher its strength.

Main varieties and how to drink

The most popular varieties: bitter, mild, barley wine, brown ale, porter, Scotch ale, stout, India pale ale and red Irish ale(calorizer).

It is customary to drink ale chilled to 10-12 degrees – this is how its aroma and fruity taste are felt. As they say on the forums, warm ale is a rare nasty thing. It is not customary to snack on it.

Although, in our pubs they can offer lemon or orange for a glass, as well as some salads for a snack. Suitable for meat fried lamb and crispy bacon to go with the strong brands. And for the weak ones - duck and sweet pies with apples and nuts.

By the way, unlike beer, ale is very easy to drink and you can easily drink a couple of liters. And then the main thing is to run to the toilet. In provincial English towns, after the opening of a keg of ale, a specific smell hovers around pubs - apparently not all visitors make it. It’s also alive – this ale!

From personal experience

Inspired by the information I found out, spitting on all prejudices, I said goodbye to my wife and daughter, just in case, and boldly rushed to look for where in St. Petersburg I could try ale.

It turns out that we have a lot of pubs - English, Irish, and some others, where you can taste different ales, including those from barrels brought from the manufacturer. Some breweries make their own drink, which is called ale.

I found a nice pub right on Fontanka and decided to try a triple wheat ale. What to say? To be honest, I didn't like it. I don’t want to offend millions of lovers of this specific drink, but to me it tasted like a mixture of bitter beer with a slightly spoiled compote. But! The taste and color, as they say...

One glass was enough for me, oddly enough, my stomach didn’t hurt, I’ll live. But, along the way, another problem arose - it turned out: I didn’t try the cider either! It was also served in this pub, but I didn’t dare to try two alcohol experiments on myself at the same time - I’m not that kind of hero. I left it for another time.

So, bye everyone! Dorofeev Pavel.

This type of beer is distinguished by subtle fruity flavors and quite high content alcohol (up to 12%). This word, by the way, can be translated from ancient languages as “intoxication.” And the first “documented” recipes appear in England in the 15th century, although ale beer was made by the Sumerians long before our era. In the Middle Ages this drink was an essential product, since, unlike milk, it did not spoil for a long time, did not need appropriate storage conditions, but had high calorie content: a good mug replaced a loaf of bread.

Beer ale: features of the classics

How did the drink differ from traditionally brewed beer? The difference is in the recipe. It lacked such an ingredient as hops. Thanks to this feature, the ale was prepared more quickly. In terms of taste, ale can be distinguished by its pronounced sweetish taste. The bouquet of the drink was formed by spices and herbs: they were brewed instead of hops. And already finished product has not been pasteurized or filtered. But modern manufacturers neglect these cooking traditions and still introduce hops into the composition so that the product can officially be called beer.

Top fermentation

Ale beer also has fundamental differences from other foamy “relatives”. The production technology includes the method of top fermentation (process temperature from 15 to 24 degrees Celsius). In this case, brewer's yeast does not go down, like many other types of similar drinks, but is held at the top to form a foamy cap. With this fermentation, many higher alcohols, they give pronounced tastes and aromas to ale. The final step is to ripen the drink in a cool place (temperature 11-12 degrees). On average, production will take 4 weeks for “fast” varieties, which, for example, are offered in pubs and bars. But there are also “slow” varieties, which take up to 4 months to create!

Some varieties

British and Irish ale is a beer that has its own classification. It depends on the color and taste range, additives used, aroma, aftertaste. There are quite a lot of such varieties; we will name only the most common varieties in world practice.

Gorky (Bitter)

This English ale is a beer that has its own character and character. The drink can rightfully be considered national pride of this country. Despite its name, it is actually not that bitter. In its production, by the way, hops are used, which, in the complete absence of sugar, gives a characteristic flavor. The color range of the drink is varied: it varies from golden to dark copper (the color is adjusted with a special caramel coloring). The strength of the foamy drink is from 3 to 6.5 percent alcohol.

Barley Wine

He's different high content alcohols (up to 12%), wort density (up to 30%). This ale is also called “barley wine.” The aroma of fruit, combined with the bitterness of malt, gives the drink an authentic taste. The color scheme is dark, with shades of gold and copper. Barley ale is drunk from wine glasses. This drink keeps well, and after aging it becomes very soft.

Wheat (Weizen Weisse)

This pale ale has moderate fruity-floral aromas. Sometimes there is also a hint of wheat, similar to the smell of baked bread. It has a straw or golden hue.

Porter

This drink was originally created for people who worked a lot physically. Hence the name: Porter’s ale - a drink for port workers. It is distinguished by an increased number of additives: spices and herbs, various aromatic components. Porter colors vary depending on the additives and can range from light, golden to dark, copper. To prepare the drink, different malts are used, which allows you to play with flavor shades. The strength of the ale reaches 7%.

Stout

This is porter's dark cousin. Roasted malt is used in its production. This gives the drink a rich color scheme and the lightest notes of coffee. This particular type of ale is considered very healthy, and previously it was even recommended to pregnant, lactating women and the elderly.

White (Weisse)

This light variety has a sour flavor. It gained great popularity among the Germans, and for this it received its unofficial name - “Berlinsky”. The variety has fruity accents that intensify with age. The color is straw, closer to light. In German pubs it is traditionally served with the addition of sugar syrup.

Lambic

It is considered Belgian. Raspberries and cherries are added to it, which gives it a characteristic flavor and rich reddish shades.

Mild

This is the lightest of the ales. Its strength is almost equal to kvass (2.5-3.5%). It has a pronounced malt flavor. There are 2 options available - dark and light.

"Furry bumblebee"

This is a beer of the domestic IPC, which is produced in the Russian Federation. Its density reaches 12%, strength - 5. For preparation, cold hopping and top fermentation methods were used. The composition contains, in addition to malt, also hops. "Shaggy" ale is a beer with rich color tea, thick and sticky foam.

Beneficial features

It has long been believed that draft ale beer is the center of many “benefits”. This is where the European tradition of consuming it as often as possible came from. And it is no coincidence: if ale beer is produced using technology from completely natural ingredients, then the resulting drink contains groups B and E vitamins, as well as selenium and phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and a lot of magnesium. It is also worth remembering nutritional value foamy - it has a calorie content of 40 kcal for every 100 grams. Ale beer is also famous for its anti-stress properties. Just one mug in the company of friends helps you get rid of depression, relieve tension, and relax. This is an inexhaustible source of mood and energy (of course, when you drink in moderation).

How to drink?

The rules for drinking ale correspond to the tenets of beer etiquette. The drink does not like fuss. It is slowly poured over the walls of the glasses so that there is not a lot of foam - it takes away the characteristic ale bitterness. Sometimes the process of filling a glass can take several minutes. They drink slowly. But it should be taken into account that if the process of use is excessively extended, “ liquid bread“It will fizzle out and lose its aroma. It's like a leisurely horse ride. The serving is drunk in 3 sips, with pauses, but not too long. The temperature of the drink is from 6 to 12 degrees. By the way, the British drink ale warmed up, but this is not for everybody.

Beer ale: reviews

Ale lovers claim that its unique taste is incomparable to anything else, and in the very first sip you can feel all the variety of shades of this drink. It drinks softly, has a malty, caramel, fruity flavor, and at the end - a pleasant malt bitterness and caramel aftertaste. In a word - universal foamy drink for a pleasant time in good company.

Description

Ale is a type of beer that is produced through rapid fermentation.

Unlike lager, ale takes less time to prepare and the ale is sweeter. Preparation of such a drink takes 3-4 weeks, some types are prepared for 4 months. The drink also changes its taste depending on the storage time. Aged for several weeks, it tastes like a young beer with a strong flavor, but ale aged for several months has a pleasant herbal flavor.

To increase the strength of the ale, it is enough to store it for a month at room temperature. Beer lovers claim that such storage makes the drink even tastier.

Ale is a very ancient drink. The Sumerians knew how to brew it, although they did not add hops to it, and therefore it took very little time to prepare it. The first mention of hoppy ale was first found in England already in the 15th century.

The name "ale" has Proto-Indo-European roots and literally means "intoxication." Before hops were brought to England, the name “ale” meant drinks made by fermentation. Drinks that included hops were commonly called “beer.” The presence of hops has become a characteristic feature in order to separate beer from similar drinks. Hops gave the beer a pleasant bitterness and also perfectly set off the sweetness. Gruit was originally used to make ale. It was a kind of herbal beer that had tonic and even psychotropic properties.

In the Middle Ages, ale was very common. This is due to the fact that in those days drinking water was a very valuable product; it was obtained from rain or snow in small quantities. River water was dangerous to drink as it contained a large number of dangerous microorganisms. Low-alcohol drinks, including beer, were considered a safe alternative to drinking water. Unlike other products, this beer had a long shelf life, which was a very important advantage at that time. Beer gained particular popularity in those areas where growing grapes was problematic due to the climate or soil.

It is customary to classify ale by yeast type and fermentation temperature. At a standard temperature for ale of 15-24 degrees, esters are released. As a result of this production process, the drink is obtained with an original, slightly fruity taste. In its preparation, mainly barley malt is used.

Ale beer is very common in England. This is one of the few countries where the predominant beer type is ale rather than lager. The British drink mostly draft beer, so the maturation of this product is carried out not in brewing companies, but directly in the pub cellar. Atrectus is considered the first British brewer. His name was discovered during excavations of a Roman fort, indicating that the Romans consumed Celtic ale in Britain. In 1342, the London Brewers' Guild appeared, which was a big event in the history of the intoxicating drink. The founding of the London Guild marked the professionalization of the brewing industry.

Calories: 41 kcal.

Energy value of the product Beer ale:

Proteins: 0 g.
Fat: 0 g.
Carbohydrates: 2.9 g.

How is ale different from beer?

Many lovers of intoxicating drinks often do not know how ale differs from beer.

According to accepted standards, “beer” is the general name for drinks that are produced by fermenting malt wort. Ale, on the other hand, is a type of beer, but has distinct production characteristics. Ale, unlike another type of beer - lager, is not pasteurized or filtered. The drink is first infused and then poured into barrels. The main distinguishing feature of ale is that it is produced using the top-fermentation method. The result is a drink with a more complex aroma and taste, predominantly copper in color.

To avoid oxidation, a keg of ale should be drunk within a few days.

Types of ale

Traditional ale is usually divided into the following types:

Bitter, or bitter ale, is the national English beer; it appeared due to the fact that brewers began to add a little hops to the drink, so the taste of the ale became slightly bitter. This drink has a pleasant dark copper color and has a refreshing taste. The strength of Bitter is within 4-5%.

Pale ale is a type of ale made from light malt. Its special feature is the local water from the city of Burton, where brewers first made this drink. Burton's water is rich in minerals, which could not but affect the taste of the new drink. Pale ale was so loved by the local population that soon all of England knew about the new beer. The name of the drink translates as “pale ale”, because its color is pale honey or golden, which distinguishes it from other types of ale. Its taste is pleasant with a slight bitterness.

India pale ale - it was invented at the end of the 18th century in India, which at that time was a British colony. Unfortunately, the beer did not survive sea travel. When the drink reached the shores of India, its taste was hopelessly spoiled. In this regard, brewer George Hodgson decided to add more hops to the ale, which would play the role of a natural preservative in the drink. So George Hodgson invented a new strong, hoppy ale that finally survived the sea voyage without loss of taste. This drink became known as “India Pale Ale”; it is stronger than other types of ale; today it is produced in Burton and London.

Porter - a drink that appeared in the 18th century as an alternative to traditional ale. Porter owes its appearance to Ralph Harwood, who began using dark malt and burnt sugar to produce beer. The beer had a light taste, which harmoniously combined sweetness and bitterness. The drink got its name due to the fact that London “porters” were very fond of it. The strength of beer is 4.5-10%.

Stout is a type of porter and belongs to the type of ale. Ireland is considered the birthplace of stout. Stout is a beer with a characteristic bitterness. Its taste and color are due to its high degree of roasting. This is what distinguishes stout from other types of ale. There are many types of this drink: dry, coffee, etc. It all depends on the characteristics of preparation and the additional ingredients included in the ale.

Brown ale is a British beer known as "brown ale". Initially, it was a dense, sweet, low-alcohol beer. Then they began to add large amounts of hops to it. The range of tastes of this ale is extremely wide (it can be nutty, caramel, etc.).

A special type of ale is the traditional “real ale”, which is distinguished by the fact that the drink is not filtered or pasteurized. The shelf life of the so-called “live ale” is only a few days.

Real ale is a traditional British ale, known since the 17th century.

Beneficial features

How to drink correctly?

Ale beer has its own characteristics of consumption.

In Great Britain, it is customary to drink beer in pints, that is, a little more than 0.5 liters. To begin with, drink about half of the drink, then half of what is left. They drink ale beer slowly, enjoying its pleasant taste. Before drinking, the beer can be cooled slightly (up to +6 degrees), since a supercooled drink loses its taste. Interestingly, some types of porter are served warm.

It is not customary to have ale beer as a snack, as even the most delicate dish will overwhelm it light fruity taste. The traditional Russian snack for beer, that is, fish, is simply inappropriate when drinking ale. In addition, the fishy smell is quite difficult to get rid of, and it will definitely end up in the glass. The difficulty is that it is not customary to wash beer glassware; it is enough to simply rinse a mug or glass with hot water.

Ale is not usually mixed with other alcoholic drinks; it is drunk on its own. Drinking beer on the go is also considered bad manners. The true taste of ale can be enjoyed in a good bar or in the company of close friends.

Use in cooking

In cooking, ale can be used to prepare some dishes.

The drink has a pleasant bitterness and a sweetish aftertaste, which gives dishes a special taste. Ale is perfect for preparing the base for soups with the addition of oysters or crabs. Also, preparing beef, onion and cheese soups cannot be done without it. Ale goes well with seafood, meat dishes, and fish.

The drink is great for making very delicate French batter. In order to prepare a beer batter, we will need ale, 2 egg whites, 40 g of butter, 125 g of flour. Pour 1/8 liter of ale into the flour and stir until smooth. Then add butter, 2 egg whites, mix again. This batter is perfect for cooking meat, fish, and also for frying shrimp.

How to cook at home?

You can easily make a refreshing ginger ale at home. This is an effervescent all-natural hop drink with a strength of 4-5%.

According to the recipe, to prepare 5 liters of this ale, we need 300 g of sugar, 1 tsp. yeast, 2 lemons, ginger root. All ingredients are available, ginger root can be bought in the supermarket. It must be finely grated. The spiciness of the future ale depends on the amount of grated ginger added, so if you have gastrointestinal diseases, it is better to use a smaller amount of the root. For those who do not like spicy food, it will be enough to add 4-5 tbsp. l. grated ginger. Next, squeeze the juice of 2 lemons. Lemon juice, grated ginger, 300 g sugar and 1 tsp. yeast now needs to be poured into 5 liters of water. The water should be boiled, but not hot (about 40 degrees).

The future ale is poured into a bottle on which a water seal is installed. Soon the drink will begin to ferment, and after two days the water seal can be removed by closing the bottle with a lid. Next, homemade ginger ale is left in the refrigerator for another day. After this, the drink can be consumed.

The benefits of ale beer and treatment

The benefits of ale have long been of interest to scientists around the world.

Thus, in Finland, scientists came to the conclusion that hops, on the basis of which beer is produced, prevents the release of calcium from the bones, which, in turn, prevents the formation of kidney stones.

Drinking a small amount of stout will also do more good than harm. Thus, the drink is able to enhance antioxidant processes, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the cornea of the eye, and prevents the formation of cataracts.

Harm of ale beer and contraindications

The drink can cause harm to the body if consumed excessively. It is not recommended for use by children, pregnant and lactating women. Although ale is a low-alcohol drink, its excessive consumption can lead to the development of beer alcoholism.

Drinking four glasses of beer per day increases the risk of liver cirrhosis by 2 times.