ale

noun

ˈāl

: a beer that is brewed by fast fermentation with a quick-acting yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) at relatively high temperatures

Note: Ales tend to have a complex, slightly fruity or spicy flavor with a usually darker appearance than lagers and usually with a more intense, bitter flavor of hops. The yeast used to ferment ale is often referred to as "top-fermenting" since it tends to rise to the top of the brewing vessel during fermentation. This yeast also has a tolerance to higher alcohol concentrations, resulting in a beer with a usually higher alcohol content than a lager.

… ale can be produced more quickly because it is fermented at higher temperatures—from 60 to 70 degrees.—

Frank J. Prial

compare pale ale, porter, stout

: an English country festival at which ale is the principal beverage

Examples of ale in a Sentence

The bar serves two very different ales.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

In this romantic wish list of components for the perfect pub, Orwell’s fantasy boozer is frequented by regulars who sit in the same chair night after night, employs chirpy, liver-sausage-sandwich-slinging barmaids, and serves its ale in strawberry-pink china mugs. —

Will Noble, CNN, 23 Nov. 2024 Ship Packs is made up of four brews highlighting shipwrecks from Wisconsin: Lumberman Red, a red ale; Rusty Maple-Starboard, a maple marzen; Capt. Santa, a Belgian dubbel; and an Irish blonde named after a mystery ship. —

Jordyn Noennig, Journal Sentinel, 13 Nov. 2024 Called Beard Beer, this ale used a wild yeast strain discovered in Maier’s facial hair—a strain that just happened to be perfect for brewing. —

Emily Price, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Where to eat: For dinner, replenish with casual tacos at Sancho’s or fancier ones (short rib, for starters) at Sandbar Cocina, plus an ale or two at Four Sons, the Huntington Beach Beer Company or the Surf City Ale House, all stacked along Main Street. —

Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ale