ale

noun

ˈāl 

1

: 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

2

: 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

Amazon to post recalls and product safety alerts on its website Learn More Amazon to post recalls and product safety ale... —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025

Arthur Guinness started brewing ales in Dublin, Ireland, in 1759, and exported his first barrel 10 years later, according to the Guinness website – well before St. Patrick's Day became an official public holiday in 1903 in that country. —Peter Burke, Fox News, 17 Mar. 2025

Add tomatoes, beans, brown ale, jalapenos, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2025

Since 2013, the duo behind hip-hop group Run The Jewels has built a reputation for its smart beverage industry collaborations, which started with the Chicago brewery Goose Island, brewing a Belgian ale released during that year’s Pitchfork Music Festival. —Adlan Jackson, Bon Appétit, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English ealu; akin to Old Norse ǫl ale, Lithuanian alus

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ale

• cream ale
• ginger ale
• India pale ale
• pale ale
• pot ale

Rhymes for ale

• ail
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• flail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail
• jail

Kids Definition

ale

noun

ˈā(ə)l 

: an alcoholic drink made from malt and flavored with hops that is usually more bitter than beer