Elle: the complete history of the most famous style

Even those who do not know about beer have probably heard about ale at least once. And many are sure that they are synonymous. In fact, they are not: ale, like lager, like lambic, is just one style. So why is it more popular than all the others?

Back to the Past

Beer resembling ale was first brewed before our era. But a beverage that meets the characteristics of this trend appeared only in the 15th century in England. Like all other beers of that time, it was produced out of necessity: local water was practically unusable and milk spoiled too quickly. Ale, on the contrary, was purified from harmful bacteria during fermentation and could be preserved for a long time.

Characteristic features that distinguish ale from traditional beer appeared later. First, hops were brought to England, and some beer was brewed on the basis of this ingredient, while ale remained true to tradition - it was still made on the basis of spices and herbs and was not pasteurized or filtered.

Later on, another nuance was added: only those varieties that were produced at a temperature of 15-24°C by top fermentation were considered ale. The yeast in the finished product did not sink to the bottom, as in the production of other varieties, but remained at the top in the form of a foamy cap. The fermentation process manifested higher alcohols and esters, which subsequently had a significant impact on the taste. It was also a prerequisite for brewing ale - the finished beer was left to infuse in a cool place for a while. On average, the entire production process took no more than a few weeks, exceptionally - a couple of months in case of long brews.

Types of ale

This family includes many popular varieties: stout, porter, wheat beer, IPA, pale, Irish, Belgian, and Trappist ale, which is considered truly legendary. The thing is that only 13 breweries have the right to brew it; they have to be attached to the abbeys and meet a number of conditions for brewing and selling, for example, they have to donate part of the profits to charity.

It makes no sense to talk about the particular taste of ale - each variety has unique characteristics. But they all have one thing in common - high density, for which ale is called "liquid bread". It is believed that in terms of calories a glass of this beer can replace a portion of this product.

The best way to drink this beer is slightly cooled - about 12-18 degrees. Beer goes perfectly with different snacks, including cheese and fruit.

Want to try the best Belgian ale? Come to the Lambic beer restaurant - we have the best brews!

Date : 01 March

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