The world of beer is a vast one. From dark ales and lagers to IPAs and sours, there’s a flavor for every taste and season. But what is the difference between lagers and ales, does lager have hops?
Many beer drinkers like to categorize their favorite drinks as either tasting more like a lager or more like an ale. Some traditional lagers really put an emphasis on hops, including the Czech-style Pilsner where the Saaz hops are added late for a pleasant, spicy aroma.
Lager is a traditional beer that originated in Germany and has since gained popularity worldwide. Lagers are often favored over ales because they have a clean finish and less bitterness. The word lager is German for “to store” and refers to the fact that these beers are traditionally stored at cooler temperatures for longer periods of time than ales.
Lagers rely on different fermentation methods and different natural preservatives to achieve their clean flavor, crisp finish, and lack of fruity esters. Ales have hops to balance their otherwise malt-forward profile.
Does Lager Have Hops?
All beers including lagers have hops in them but the quantity and type of hops matter when making lagers and ales. Lagers are often made with different types of hops in order to achieve the desired clean and crisp flavor.
Some lager beers have more hops than others, with some containing as many as four times the amount of hops as an ale. Ale is a broad category that includes all beers that are brewed using top-fermenting yeast and bottom-fermented sugars.
You will find that some traditional lagers really elevate hops. These include the Czech-style Pilsner whose late additions of Saaz hops gives you a final product with a pleasant, spicy aroma.
Different ales will have different hop levels depending on the type of beer being brewed. For example, an ale might be hopped at a rate of one pound per barrel while another ale might only have one ounce per barrel.
The difference in hopping rates is determined by variables like the type of brewery, style of beer, country, or even where the hops are grown. Do both lagers and ales contain hops? Yes! Hops are present in all beers, but they are present in different quantities depending on if it’s an ale or lager.
In ales, yeast produces a lot of fruity esters, and hops are used for balance. This means that the hops are usually more up-front in ales and there is less malt flavor. Hops help with the bitterness of an ale beer for a clean finish.
Lagers are made without any fruity esters from the yeast and rely on good fermentation processes to create their flavors. Less hops are used in lagers because they don’t need to be balanced with fruit flavors like they do in ales. So while they both have hops, they are present in different quantities.
What hops are used in lagers
Lagers really derive the benefit from a malt that has taken time to ferment and a substantial infusion of hops flavor. The table below illustrates the different hops used in beer making and their substitutes.
| Type | Alpha Acid | Aroma | Used for | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral (U.K.) | 13.5% – 16% | Light aroma including of orange, other citrus, or tobacco/earth/herbal/tea-like | Known for its bittering potential for ales | U.K. Target, U.K. Northdown, U.K. Challenger |
| Ahtanum | 4% – 6.3% | Geranium, tea-like, apple blossoms, and elderflower | Floral, citrus, sharp, and piney for American APA, American IPA, Light lagers | Cascade or Amarillo |
| Amarillo | 8% – 9% | Sweet citrus flavor and aroma nearing oranges than grapefruit | Citrusy, flowery for ale, IPA | Cascade, Centennial |
| Aurora (Slovenia) | 8% – 10% | spicy, herbal and moderately bittering | Delicate, slightly spicy for ales | U.S. Fuggle, U.K. Fuggle, Willamette |
| Bramling Cross (U.K.) | 5% – 7% | Spicy, blackcurrant, loganberry and lemony citrus | Quite mild, fruity currant aroma. ESB, bitter, pale ale | U.K. Kent Golding, U.K. Progress, Whitbread Golding |
| Brewer’s Gold (German) | 6% – 7% | Blackcurrant, fruity, and spicy | Black currant, fruity, spicy. Ale, heavier German-style lagers | Northdown, Northern Brewer, Galena, Bullion |
| Bullion | 6.5-9% | Intense black currant aroma, spicy and pungent. | Bittering. Mainly stouts and dark ales | Nothern Brewer and Galena |
| Cascade | 4.5-7% | Pleasant, flowery and spicy; citrus-like. | Good for flavour and aroma but can be used for bittering. Ales and lagers. | Centennial |
| Centennial | 9.5-11.5% | Medium with floral and citrus tones. | Used for aromatic but acceptable for bittering. Medium to dark American ales. | Cascade |
| Challenger | 7-10% | Mild to moderate; quite spicy. | Popular bittering hop in the UK. British ales and lagers. | Perl and Admiral |
| Chinook | 12-14% | Mild to medium-heavy, spicy, distinct piney aroma. | Strong bittering ability. American lagers and ales. | Galena, Cluster, Nugget |
| Cluster | 5.5-8.5% | floral | Bittering with good flavour. Light and dark American lagers. | Galena, Chinook |
| Columbus | 14-16% | pleasant | Bittering with good flavour. IPA, pale ale, stout | Magnum, Chinook, Warrior, Northern Brewer |
| Crystal | 2-4.5% | Mild and pleasant | Mild and pleasant, spicy and flowery. Lager, pilsner, ESB | Liberty, Mt. Hood, Hallertau |
| East Kent Golding (U.K.) | 4% – 5.5% | Lavender, spice, honey and notes of thyme thus sweet silky, & honey-like | Gentle, fragrant, and pleasant. All English-style ales, ESB, bitter | U.S. Golding, Whitbread Golding Variety, U.K. Progress |
| Eroica | 5.5-8.5% | Quite strong but not unpleasant. | Bittering and good aroma. Pale ales, dark ales and stouts. | Galena, Chinook, Cluster, Nugget. |
| First Gold (U.K.) | 6.5% – 8.5% | Tangerine, sweet orange citrus | A little like Golding family; spicy. Ale, ESB | U.K. Kent Golding, maybe Crystal |
| Fuggles | 4-5.5% | Mild and pleasant; spicy, soft, woody. | Finishing, dry hopping. English ales, especially pale ales, porters and stouts. | Williamette, East Kent Goldings, Styrian Goldings. |
| Galena | 12-14% | Medium but pleasant hoppiness. | Very bitter but blends well with finishing hops. American ales and lagers but suitable for all beer styles. | Nugget, Cluster, Chinook |
| Goldings (U.K.) | 4% – 6% | Floral, slightly spicy, earthy and honey | Mild, extremely pleasant, and gently hoppy. Pale ale, ESB, all English-style beer | U.K. Golding, Whitbread Golding Variety, U.K. Progress, and even Fuggle family |
| Hallertau | 3.5-5.5% | Mild to semi-strong; the most popular aroma variety. | Versatile bittering and finishing hops. Wheat, Altbiers, Pilseners, Belgian ales, American and German lagers. | Mt. Hood, Liberty, Cryatal |
| Kent Goldinngs | 4-5.5% | Gentle, fragrant and pleasant. | Bittering with good flavour. Light and dark American lagers. | Galena, Chinook |
| Liberty | 3-5% | Mild and pleasant; quite fine. | Finishing. American and German ales and lagers. | Hallertau, Mt. Hood, Crystal |
| Mt. Hood | 4-8% | Mild, pleasant, clean, light and delicate. | Aroma and flavour. American and German ales and lagers. | Hallertau, Liberty, Crystal |
| Northern Brewer | 8-10% | Medium-strong,woody with evergreen and mint overtones. | Good for bittering with strong flavours and very fragrant. Steam beers, dark English ales and German lagers. | Galena, Perle |
| Nugget | 12-140% | Quite heavy and herbal; spicy. | Extremely bitter. Medium to dark ales. | Chinook, Galena, Cluster |
| Perle | 7-9.5% | Pleasant, slighty spicy. | Minty bittering and “green hop” aromas. All non-pilsener lagers, wheats. | Norhtern Brewer, Galena, Cluster |
| Pride of Ringwood | 7-10% | Quite pronounced but not unpleasant; citrus-like. | Predominantly bittering but with interesting aromatic qualities. British ales, Australian-style ales and lagers. | Galena, Perle |
| Saaz | 4.5-6% | Delicate, slightly spicy, soft and floral. | Bittering, finishing and dry-hopping. English style ales, Vienna and Oktoberfest, Belgian ales, Pilseners. | Tettnang |
| Styrian Goldings | 8-10% | Medium-strong,woody with evergreen and mint overtones. | Good for bittering with strong flavours and very fragrant. Steam beers, dark English ales and German lagers. | Fuggles, Williamette |
| Target | 9.5-12.5% | Pleasant English hop aroma. Quite intense. | Robust bittering. British ales and lagers. | East Kent Goldings |
| Tettnang | 4-5% | Fine, very spicy, mild, floral, very aromatic. | Finishing wheats and lagers. | Saaz |
| Williamette | 4-6% | Mild and pleasant, slightly spicy, aromatic. | Finishing, dry-hopping American and British ales. | Fuggles, Styrian Goldings, Kent Goldings. |
How to measure hops in beer
There are two ways to measure the hops in beer. The measuring of hops in the beer enables you to get the best taste for the beer. The hops are measured using:
- We can measure the bittering potential of the hops going into the boil. The Alpha Acid Units (AAUs) or Homebrew Bittering Units (HBUs), are the weight of hops (in ounces) multiplied by the percentage of Alpha acids.
- The more accurate measure of the hops in beer is by using the International Bitterness Unit (IBU) to determine the beer bitterness. IBU is measured directly and derived using a formula with a spectrophotometer and solvent extraction.
To estimate the IBU of beer, you can use the Rager, Tinseth and Garetz equations. They differ in the way they calculate the utilization percentage however.
Other than the IBU, there are other many factors to be considered when drinking beer. The hops balance the alcohol and malt flavor in beer and thus the final flavor is dependent on different facets.
What is a lager?
Lager is a traditional beer that originated in Germany. Lagers are often favored over ales because they have a clean finish and less bitterness. These beers rely on different fermentation methods and different natural preservatives to achieve their clean flavor, crisp finish, and lack of fruity esters.
Lagers are typically lower in alcohol and have a clean, crisp taste. Lagers also have fewer hops than ales, which gives them their more traditional flavor. Lagers are stored at cooler temperatures for longer periods of time than ales in order to achieve the desired flavor profile.
The History of Lager
Lager, a beer style that’s been around for centuries, originated in Bavaria. The word “lager” is German for “storage place,” and refers to the fact that these beers are traditionally stored at cooler temperatures for longer periods of time than ales due to their long fermentation process.
Lagers rely on different fermentation methods and different natural preservatives to achieve their clean flavor, crisp finish, and lack of fruity esters. Ales have hops to balance their otherwise malt-forward profile.
Lagers are descended from ales, which were the first beers brewed in Northern Europe. This style of beer was brewed in large batches and stored in cool caves to preserve it, hence the word lager.
Over time, these beers gained popularity and brewers started making them year-round. Modern lager is said to have been developed by Gabriel Sedlmayr at the Spaten Brewery in Bavaria in 1838.
Lagers are different from ales because they are fermented with a yeast that ferments at cooler temperatures for longer periods of time than ale yeasts.
Lagers rely on different fermentation methods and different natural preservatives to achieve their clean flavor, crisp finish, and lack of fruity esters.
How lagers are made
The preparation of lagers is different from that of ales with the brewing of lagers being made using bottom-fermenting strains of yeast held at colder temperatures (around 40-52°F) which produce a clean flavor, crisp finish, and lack of fruity esters.
Lagers are made using different fermentation methods and different natural preservatives to achieve their clean flavor, crisp finish, and lack of fruity esters. An ale is made using top-fermenting strains of yeast held at warmer temperatures (around 68-72°F) which produce some degree of fruitiness.
Ales are made using different fermentation methods and different natural preservatives to achieve their complex flavors. Beer can be classified as either an ale or a lager by the type of yeast used for fermentation.
Hops are added during the boiling process to provide bitterness, balance flavors like malt sweetness, and generally provide a more pleasing taste to the beer drinker. Hops also act as a preservative.
Lagers have a varied amount of hops, but they rely on different fermentation methods and natural preservatives like Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops that are said to give them their “clean flavor.”
Are all lagers pale in color?
No, not all lagers are pale in color. There are lagers that come in a range of colors, though most have an amber hue.
The main difference between the two is that ale has hops and lager does not. Lagers are brewed with a type of yeast called Saccharomyces pastorianus, which need a lot more time to ferment than ales.
This is why lagers usually have a cleaner taste than ales. Hops are added to most ales because they help balance out the malt flavor that’s naturally found in them.
What is an ale?
An ale is a beer that’s fermented with top-fermenting yeast. Ales are often fruity or spicy because of the characteristics imparted by the yeast. Ales are typically less crisp and have more bitterness than lagers.
Ale is a type of beer that is brewed using top-fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures. This category includes beers like porter and stout. Ales are fermented differently than lagers because their yeast rises to the surface of the beer rather than sinking to the bottom.
Ales typically have more fruity esters, which can produce a harsh taste if left unchecked. Hops are used in an ale’s recipe to balance out the fruity esters and add bitterness or flavor.
Which beers are ales?
There are several ale types including the following:
- Barley wine
- Blonde ale
- Brown ale
- Burton ale
- Golden ale
- India Pale Ale (IPA)
- Kolsch
- Mild ale
- Pale ale
- Scotch ales
The differences between lager and ale
Lagers are brewed using bottom-fermenting strains of yeast held at colder temperatures (around 35˚–50˚F) over a relatively long period of time, while ales are brewed with a top-fermenting yeast that operates at warmer temperatures (around 55-77°F, usually).
Lagers are also typically fermented for longer periods of time than ales. Bottom-fermenting yeasts produce fewer fruity esters and tend to work more slowly, which is why lagers have less bitterness, a clean finish, and lack the fruity flavors found in many ales.
On the coloration, typically Ales are a category of beer which have a darker and a relatively cloudier appearance, compared to lagers which are lighter in shade and come with a clearer appearance.
The taste may also be a bit different between an ale and a lager. Therefore, many people find the taste of an ale being fruity-estery, while lagers will give you a clean and frequently described as “crisp” taste. This emanates from the two beers being made using different strains of yeast. Moreover, there are different quantities of hops in an ale and a lager.
How to choose between a lager and an ale
It may be difficult to choose between a lager and an ale but the main difference is that some people find ales to be more flavorful and to have a delicious taste as compared to lagers which people may find to taste lighter and smoother.
The main difference between a lager and an ale is the fermentation technique and yeast used in fermentation. Moreover, the period used for fermentation varies with lagers taking longer.
Therefore, to choose between a lager and an ale you can use the detectable difference in the presence of esters in ale. You can thus choose an ale because of its complex aroma and taste from the esters.
If you are going for the alcohol content, there is no significant difference between a lager and an ale. Moreover, even though the color and flavor may vary, you can not use it to classify a beer as an ale or a lager.
Should you care about the difference between ales and lagers?
Yes, if you care about the taste and aroma. Ales have esters while lagers have little esters after fermentation thus influencing the aroma and flavor. Lagers on the other hand have a cleaner and crisper quality taste with emphasis on the hops and malt flavors.
Lagers are often served at colder temperatures and have a lighter, simpler taste. Ales, on the other hand, are typically served warmer and have a more complex profile.
Summing up
Lager Lagers are generally easier-drinking than ales and lack the fruity esters found in many ale styles. Lagers also tend to have a crisper finish, likely due to their cool fermentation process.
In contrast, ales use hops for balance and preservatives as they undergo a warmer fermentation process, which can often lead to fruity esters or higher alcohol content.
Lagers are beers fermented at cooler temperatures for longer periods of time with different fermentation methods and natural preservatives. They have a clean finish and less bitterness than ales.
They rely on traditional European brewing processes to achieve their unique flavor profile and lack of fruity esters.
Ales, on the other hand, are beers fermented at warmer temperatures with a higher hop content to balance the sweetness created by malt and achieve a more complex flavor profile.
FAQs
Do all beers use hops?
Yes, most of the beers in the market today have hops in them. The hops give the beers their tasty flavor. The difference between the beers is the type of hops in them and the amount used in their production.
What type of beer has the least hops?
Among the beers, the Rye Beer has one of the least amounts of hops. The beer has a characteristic malty, roasted flavor with minimal hop bitterness. is often quite low. Moreover, the Rye beer will either taste spicy or sweet depending on the fermentation process which can either follow the lager or ale process.
Can you be allergic to hops in beer?
As of today, it is very rare to find someone who is allergic to hops in beer. However, cases are available of farmers and persons who process the hops who develop allergies including hives or asthma. These are occupational allergies rather than from drinking beer.
Sources
https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/difference-between-lager-vs-ale
https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-ale-vs-la-131805
