History of Ale in England

How would you like to learn about the history of ale in England? The story is quite simple really. Before hops were introduced to the island “ale” was considered any beverage that was fermented. It was the introduction of hops that led to the development of the traditional British ale and later the term “beer”.

Today ales are usually brewed using a top-fermenting yeast but this is not always the case. A more accurate description of an ale would be that it ferments at higher temperature than the typical lager. At higher fermentation temperatures the ale tends to get a slightly different flavor than a lager. It also tends to be a little stronger or more full bodied. Most ales use barley malts which also adds to an ales distinct flavor.

One thing that you must remember is that in England there is a difference between ale and what the Brits call “Real Ale”. “Real Ale” is usually the hand pumped warm variety of beer found in the local pub that tends to have a stronger taste than its colder cousin.

Ales are usually divided into the following categories:

Brown Ales

Dark Ales

Here are some ales that you might want to try while you are in England

There is much more to the history of ale in England than I have supplied you with on this page. My intention was to give you an idea of what the differences are between the various styles of beer in England.