Ale vs Lager

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Ceddd99, Sep 9, 2018.

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  1. Ceddd99

    Ceddd99 Zealot (585) May 14, 2018 Michigan
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    If you could only drink one for the rest of your life, which would you pick? It would be tough for me to choose and my answer would probably differ depending on the day but I think today I'd pick ale.

    On a related note, do you guys notice a different in the buzz you get from ales vs lagers? For me, ales give me a heavy sedating buzz while lagers give me a lighter, more energetic buzz. A lot of times if I am tired I will drink lager over ale because ale would put me straight to sleep. I can't really figure out why this is and it's not only with hop heavy IPAs either.
     
  2. Superheatnsubcool

    Superheatnsubcool Initiate (0) May 31, 2016 Washington

    That’s a real tough question, as the enormous, ever-changing variety of beer styles and wildly differing flavor profiles are what intrigue me most about beer and make it my alcoholic beverage of choice. I’ll have it both ways, and drink only beers made with top-fermenting yeast that are then lagered.

    Seriously though, I guess I would say ales, since yeast character can be so expressive.

    I haven’t noticed ales affecting me different than lagers, but sometimes the setting/circumstances surrounding why I selected a certain beer could have an impact on the buzz.
     
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  3. EmperorBatman

    EmperorBatman Zealot (717) Mar 16, 2018 Tennessee

    I wonder if by what the OP means as ale, he is referring to IPAs. I would suspect that the increased presence of hops would contribute to the sedative effect, as some evidence seems to suggest that hops could be a mild sedative on their own.
     
  4. generallee

    generallee Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2008 Virginia

    I would have to go with Ales because more of the beers I find most interesting are Ales. Belgian Quadruples, Strong Dark Ales, Dubbels, Saisons, Belgian Blonde, Stouts and IPAs. Luckily we don't have to choose.
     
  5. readyski

    readyski Maven (1,471) Jun 4, 2005 California
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    If I had to choose I would say ale, though I can't imagine a world without lagers (admittedly the line does appear to blur sometimes). As to the side question I think OP is thinking about sativa vs indica, I haven't noticed a difference in the "high" between ale and lager :wink:
     
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  6. invertalon

    invertalon Pooh-Bah (2,065) Jan 27, 2009 Ohio
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  7. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
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    Don't forget Stouts and Porters.
     
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  8. Oktoberfiesta

    Oktoberfiesta Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2013 New Mexico

    Aren't all non lagers basically Ales? 1 style vs. 100s?

    Not much of a question really
     
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  9. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
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    Mariah Carey vs Cindy Crawford. If you could only bang one for the rest of your life......
     
  10. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
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    There are plenty of styles in the Lager category.
     
  11. Oktoberfiesta

    Oktoberfiesta Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2013 New Mexico

    ^ I guess so. I do love the Oktoberfest style, which by most breweries is a lager. It does become a tough question.

    I guess it goes down to IPA/ Amber/red/ hefe/ brown/ stout/ apa/ blonde vs a couple of others in the lager spectrum . Quality wise, I think ales win out. Now that I think about it, I am torn.my love of Oktoberfest beers is so damn High.

    Are we talking strictly lager yeast vs ale yeast? Ale has To have that variety down as far as American breweries.
     
  12. Ceddd99

    Ceddd99 Zealot (585) May 14, 2018 Michigan
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    I made a point of saying I wasn't referring to IPAs, if you read the entire post. I definitely experience effects from hops, and that's actually one of the reasons I don't like IPAs. It's too much hops for me and it makes me feel kind of out of it. I am very sensitive to the effects of herbs as I've spent a lot of time experimenting with them and to me an IPA is a hop overdose.

    But anyway, I notice this same difference in effect even when comparing a well hopped lager with an English pale ale where you can barely taste the hops. I still find the ale sedative and the lager energetic.
     
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  13. Ceddd99

    Ceddd99 Zealot (585) May 14, 2018 Michigan
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    Oktoberfest is my reason also. If not for Oktoberfest, ale would be the clear winner. But when you consider Oktoberfest, Vienna Lager, Helle's Lager (so good in the summer), Dopplebock and other interesting lager styles there is a lot to miss if you had to give it up. There is a reason lager is the most popular beer style.

    And yes I was thinking in terms of yeasts, but feel free to answer however you want.
     
  14. BBThunderbolt

    BBThunderbolt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,282) Sep 24, 2007 Kiribati
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    OK, this thought confounds me. Are you saying that only Ales can be well made? That the best crafted Lager is more poorly made than worst Ale?

    I'm tired, and a few beers in, so I accept that I'm probably reading you wrong. But, any given example of a particular style can be either well done, or poorly executed . I'm not understanding why you think Lagers are inherently badly made, due to their nature.
     
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  15. bbtkd

    bbtkd Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,326) Sep 20, 2015 South Dakota
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    I make it a point to try all styles (at 106 of 111 now), but for "daily drinkers" I gravitate to dark boozy heavy ales, particularly stouts, porters, quads, strong ales, etc. Particularly rum/bourbon barrel-aged. To me, these beers have strong and fascinating flavor, something that I often find lacking in lagers, though some dark lagers are decent.
     
    #15 bbtkd, Sep 9, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2018
  16. utopiajane

    utopiajane Initiate (0) Jun 11, 2013 New York

    Bro. it's your broe. lager. tell them lager.
     
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  17. rudiecantfail

    rudiecantfail Pooh-Bah (1,927) Aug 9, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    If I could only have one or the other (but who wants to live in such a world), I'd have to pick ales. Most of my favorite styles are ales and I couldn't bear to lose them.

    On the 2nd question, I've never even thought about different buzzes for lagers and ales. I can't imagine that's an actual thing.
     
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  18. Squire

    Squire Grand Pooh-Bah (4,081) Jul 16, 2015 Mississippi
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    It's like asking me to pick a favorite child and I won't do that either.
     
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  19. dennis3951

    dennis3951 Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2008 New Jersey

    If I had tp pick a single beer it would be SAPA. The choice between ales and lagers is harder but I would chose lagers.
     
  20. Snowcrash000

    Snowcrash000 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,017) Oct 4, 2017 Germany
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Not a tough choice for me at all, there is just so much more variety in Ales. I might miss (Doppel)Bocks just a little but still nothing I would have to think twice about.
     
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