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

Foothills Grange brings folks together for burgers and hot dogs, cold ales, and yard games at an outdoor venue located in the center of downtown. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025

The researchers also tested two lager beers from major Swiss breweries, finding that their foam stability could rival Belgian ales, though the underlying physics were very different. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2025

San Diego County has been a player at the annual Denver affair since 1998, when local AleSmith took silver for its Belgian golden strong ale. —Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025

For lighter beers, great choices are a Belgian witbier, whose signature orange peel and coriander pull out a salad’s nuances, or a saison or farmhouse ale, especially one that exhibits notes of pepper from the yeast used in brewing. —Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 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