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

American Wheat Beer The American version of a German hefeweizen began with Widmer’s Hefeweizen, which differed from its Bavarian counterpart by using an ale yeast that did not impart a strong clove and banana nose like the traditional versions. —Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025

Six ales, three lagers, and, surprisingly, one non-alcoholic beer were chosen by the Beverage Testing Institute (BevTest) as the Top Ten Beers of 2024. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

In the back is a manual 10-barrel brewing system responsible for beer like Pop Art – a low-ABV ale with Oregon fruits – and Lost in the Stratus, a hazy IPA with late-harvest Nelson Sauvin hops. —Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2025

As a vegetarian, my go-to is a classic pretzel paired with our house blonde ale. —Noel Burgess, Forbes, 19 Feb. 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