The Lager Debate – Lager Vs Ale – Which Is Better?

Most of those “born again” into the savory world of beer often turn sour (no pun intended) on beer’s counterpart, lager. I experienced this firsthand when a close friend introduced me to home brewing and the rich flavors of a variety of beers. I decided that lagers weren’t worth my time. I started boycotting lagers and even badmouthing them as lousy, tasteless beer.

As I grew in my appreciation for fine beers, I began to realize that good lagers exist and that I wasn’t giving them a fair chance. Considering that before I was introduced to the ales, I was drinking some pretty ordinary beers, a little exploration would not hurt.

As a beer lover, I must bite my tongue and not be too quick to judge. I can’t stereotype a beer without first knowing it. There are plenty of light and pale lagers that I won’t bother with, but there are good lagers out there. But let’s take a quick look at how those watery lagers are made …

Rice starches can be broken down into fermentable sugars during the mashing process, but there are no by-products that add color or body to beer, which is why many pale beer brewers use rice as a supplement to keep beer thin and colored. of course, while keeping the alcohol content relatively high. Other beers tend to have more body and color because all or most of the alcohol is made using malted barley, not rice.

If no fun tricks are used to manipulate the end product, I think a good lager can certainly be next to a good beer. But what really makes the difference between an ale and a lager?

Lagers are made with the same basic ingredients as beer, but there are two main differences: yeast and fermentation temperature.

Let’s take a look at yeast first. Yeasts come in a variety of styles, each developed for a certain style of alcoholic beverage. There are lager yeasts, champagne yeasts; yeasts used for pilsner, and several varieties of yeast for ale, lambic and barley styles of wine. Each variety of yeast has unique qualities that impact the final flavor and aroma of the beer.

The main difference between the yeasts used for lagers and ales is that ale yeast is a top-fermenting yeast, which means that the yeast floats to the top and stays there for most of the fermentation process. . Lager yeast is a bottom fermenting yeast, which means it hangs around the bottom of the fermenter. During both types of fermentation, the active yeast penetrates the infusion and finally settles to the bottom of the fermenter when it is ready.

The other main difference in the production of a lager or ale is the temperature during fermentation. Most ales are fermented at a controlled temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, although Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is said to ferment at 65 degrees. Lagers, on the other hand, ferment about 15 degrees cooler, around 55 degrees.

Yeast and fermentation temperatures play an important role in the taste of beer. Ales and lagers share the benefit of a rich variety of flavors and aromas due to the yeast used, but ales tend to be more robust and full-flavored than lagers due to the warmer fermentation. Colder fermentation tends to deprive the beer of the flavors that can be imparted during this process because the cold temperature reduces activity. This is also why lagers tend to take longer to fully ferment, usually a week or two longer than regular beers.

How good a beer tastes depends on the person who enjoys it. Ultimately, what matters is the craft of brewing, the recipes and traditions that fill the world of beer with such a variety of types and styles. There should be no battle for what is best. They are simply different.