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

Three signature beer varieties were poured by the craft brewery, including its Kit Kupker, an amber ale; Devil’s Paint Box, a West Coast IPA; and Honest Haze, a hazy IPA. —Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026

But that overhauled tap system pours very nicely, so order a Manny’s—a pale ale from the local Georgetown Brewing Company that’s a local staple and accessible mid-point in flavor profile between hoppy craft ale and mild old-school lager. —Mark Dejoy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 June 2026

The Pentagoët Inn & Pub is hands down one of the most charming places to stay in Castine, offering cozy, traditional rooms and hearty ales. —Kira Turnbull, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2026

For brisket, a porter or stout, especially a milk stout or Irish stout, is good, but so is the harder-to-find Scotch ale. —Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 1 June 2026

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