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
Frank J. Prial2
: 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
Barrel + Beam Barrel + Beam is a rustic craft brewery specializing in farmhouse ales and barrel-aged beers.
—Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2025
But savvy customers also dip into the extensive bottle list, which is especially deep in Belgian imports, domestic wild ales and sour beers from sources foreign and domestic.
—Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
What began as refuges from racial discrimination, old English boozers run by South Asian immigrants serving the food of their homelands, have become a distinct part of the city’s culinary fabric, beloved institutions where British ales and Indian curries exist in beautiful synergy.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
About 15 minutes from downtown and close to the highway, Allagash is known for their multi-award winning white ale and interesting barrel-aged beers.
—Em Sauter, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ale
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Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2025
But savvy customers also dip into the extensive bottle list, which is especially deep in Belgian imports, domestic wild ales and sour beers from sources foreign and domestic.
—Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
What began as refuges from racial discrimination, old English boozers run by South Asian immigrants serving the food of their homelands, have become a distinct part of the city’s culinary fabric, beloved institutions where British ales and Indian curries exist in beautiful synergy.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
About 15 minutes from downtown and close to the highway, Allagash is known for their multi-award winning white ale and interesting barrel-aged beers.
—Em Sauter, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ale
Cite this Entry
“Ale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ale. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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ale
noun
: an alcoholic drink made from malt and flavored with hops that is usually more bitter than beer
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