Types of beer (question)

Hi,

I'm new to homebrewing, actually I haven't even brewed anything yet. I'm still researching. I have years of experience drinking beer though! Anyway I have kind of a dumb question. In my years of beer tasting I have come across a few that liked but never paid much mind to what the differences were. Of course I've consumed the piss water we all grew up with, but years ago while out watching a local band, right around my tenth brew I gave up. I couldn't drink another sip of that crap. For some reason I thought I'd try an ale and settled on bass. I liked it and then got hold of some Boddingtons Pub ale which I liked even better. I eventually became a Guinness drinker. I've tried Sam Adams and sometimes I like it and sometimes I don't. Maybe I'm not a lager guy?

Anyway the point here is that I have no clue what the difference is. I mean I know they taste different but when asked my preference I usually say Ale's or dark Ale's or dark beer. Usually because that's what I drink and I would have to say I like them but what is the difference. I mean technically. What makes them different and why are they different. Why is one Ale pale and another dark? Why is a Lager a Lager? What's Pilsner? Which beers are the stronger ones, taste wise and body wise?

Basically I'm looking for definitions of the different beers. Even a point in the right direction.

Thanks

Tommy

http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter19-4.html
this in an excelent on-line reference

Thanks!

Tommy

also, what separates a lager from an ale is the fermentation temperatures and the yeast used.

Lager's are fermented at lower temperatures with yeast that will settle to the bottom of the fermentor and do their work from that location.

Ales are brewed at warmer temperatures with yeast that will float on the top of the fermenter and do their work from that location.

-walker

I tend to think of lagers as more bitter than ales, is this correct? I suppose it has to do with the process and the longer fermentation? More hops, less hops?

Tommy

Lagers are typically lighter and more bitter with some sulphur overtones. I think of Heinecken as a perfect example of a good lager. At least, the canned version of Heine is. You just can't get good Heinecken in America.

Ales are typically a little heavier, sweeter, and have a broader range of flavors. They can go anywhere from the hermaphroditic Kolsch and Alt styles to the Imperial Stouts (that require a fork, knife and wheelbarrel to carry your ass home in). They can be as light as a Wit or as dark as a Stout. Like iHOP pancakes, they do well with fruit or other flavorings blended in.

Lagers, to me, taste very similar. I don't notice a HUGE variation among the styles of lagered beers. They're crisp, refreshing and best served cold. They're the perfect porch beer on a summer afternoon.

In the end, it's what you like. Sounds like you're an Ale Man. I'm an Ale Man too, so welcome aboard. There aren't too many lager brewers here due to the restrictive environment required for a lager.

Thanks for that Cheesfood, that was a good explanation. Yea, I think I am an Ale man. I went to a microbrew pub last week and tried a pale ale that was very good, it even smelled good. I'm going to have to grab some Sam Adams and have a little test. I know the first time I drank it I didn't care for it, I found it bitter. The next time it wasn't bad. I usually choose Ales though.

Thanks again

Tommy

Brewno said:

Thanks for that Cheesfood, that was a good explanation. Yea, I think I am an Ale man. I went to a microbrew pub last week and tried a pale ale that was very good, it even smelled good. I'm going to have to grab some Sam Adams and have a little test. I know the first time I drank it I didn't care for it, I found it bitter. The next time it wasn't bad. I usually choose Ales though.

Thanks again

Tommy

Click to expand...

im assuming your talking bout the sam adams lager? (the regular sam)
try thier pale ale, or the boston ale, or all of them really, theyre all good!
the scotch ale, the black lager, the summer wheat, the brown ale, etc, etc...just pick up a sample 12 pack for starters.

As far as bitterness, Ales run the complete gamut from very little bitterness (German hefeweizens, English Milds and browns, Belgian strong ales, Scottish Ales) to intensely bitter (IPA, imperial stout, etc) and everything in between.

Pilsners, the most well-known lager style, do tend to be fairly bitter. Bohemian Pilsners average about .8 in BU/GU ratio, which is about the same ratio as IPAs. American-style pilsners tend to be much less bitter than that, though.

I live near a place that sells beer pretty cheap and they have a wide variety.
I thought about the suggestion made to buy 12 different ales and lagers. A good suggestion except for the hell hole that I live in where you can't buy "single beers". Distributors only sell cases and bars, restaurants and specialty stores sell six packs.
Anyway I bought a six pack of Sam Adams Lager and the first sip made me sorry I did. I don't know what it is but I hate this stuff. There is something that stands out in the flavor that I don't like. If Sam Adams was representative of lagers, then I would say I don't like lagers but I don't mind Killian's red which is a lager also. I live in PA and they brew Yueng Ling Lager (sp?) here and I drink it all the time with no problem, go figure.
I guess I'll stick with ale's since I haven't had a problem yet.
I don't know what it is about this Sam Adams though.

Tommy

I feel your pain liviing in PA bro. I had to work down there for a few months and the first night after work I tried to find a store to pick up a sixer to take back to the hotel room and everyone looked at me like I had two heads in the Grocery store, you can only buy beer in the govt stores son was what they said. I ended up at a pizza joint that had a bar and was able to buy a sixer. But boy what a PITA