Ales vs. Lagers

The two primary types of beer are ales and lagers. The main difference occurs in the fermentation process. Ales are made with top-fermenting yeasts which are allowed to ferment for ten or more days at temperatures above 60 degrees. Lagers, on the other hand, are made with bottom-fermenting yeasts and require at least thirty days to ferment at temperatures below 55 degrees. Ales include beers such as Pale Ales, Brown Ales, Belgian Ales, English Bitters, Stouts, Porters, English and Scottish Strong Ales and Barley Wine.

Hops

Hops are what give a beer its bite. The hops used in brewing come from the flower cones of the vine-like hop plant. Different hops from around the world are combined in any given recipe to give a beer its individual bitterness and aroma.

Malts

Malts are the heart of a beer. Most beers are made with barley malts, but wheat malt and others are not uncommon. The different malts in a recipe combine to give a beer its characteristic malty flavor. Malts also provide a beer with its body and color. Full-bodied and full-flavored brews are the product of a higher malt content.

Yeast

Yeast is the organism that drives the brewing process. During fermentation, the yeast is what converts the sugars (from the malts) into alcohol. After all the sugars have been converted, the yeast becomes inactive and is then filtered out of the brew.