ale

\ ˈāl

How to pronounce ale (audio)

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Definition of ale

1 : an alcoholic beverage brewed especially by rapid fermentation from an infusion of malt with the addition of hops

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 The tart and fruity sour ale is brewed with agave nectar and guava puree, which lend a bare hint of sweetness. — Tina Danze, Dallas News, "Sweet and sour: This Fort Worth brewery’s sour ale is brewed with agave and guava," 13 Feb. 2020 The sour ale is complemented by tart blackberries and blueberries. — Ac Shilton, Outside Online, "The 9 Best Winter Beers Available Now," 6 Dec. 2019 The Big North is the brewery’s annual celebration of itself, pouring 50 or so beers across five hours, ranging from easy drinking, to boozy stouts to tart wild ales to the pale ales and IPAs for which Half Acre is so well known. — Joe Gray, chicagotribune.com, "A Tiki party pig roast, a celebration of Mexican cuisine, a cult veal parm sandwich, and more at Food Bowl," 16 Aug. 2019 And this kit was designed alongside the ale's maker: Stillwater Artisanal Ales. — NBC News, "Best Valentine's Day gifts for him (or them) 2020," 30 Jan. 2020 The remaining two are dedicated to American styles — an IPA and the Ramona Red ale — that are popular for those who prefer the hoppier, more-bitter approach. — oregonlive, "These are Portland’s 20 best breweries for 2020," 21 Jan. 2020 Orange Blossom is the brewing company's most sold beer and the ale's soft vanilla and orange notes have since become a classic Arizona taste. — Tirion Morris, azcentral, "Everything you need to know about Papago Orange Blossom, one of Arizona's favorite beers," 21 Nov. 2019 Instead, the emphasis is on the region, with a local brewer using local ingredients (rice for the ale comes from Crowley, honey for the lager is from Breaux Bridge) and the marketing cachet of the school’s unique nickname, the Ragin’ Cajuns. — New York Times, "Beer, Here: Merchandising of College Sports Leads to Team-Branded Ales," 1 Nov. 2019 Take in the views of colorful murals and eclectic decor while sipping on Ratio’s French saison (Dear You) or the chocolate rye Scotch ale (Hold Steady). — The Know Staff, The Know, "The coolest patios and rooftops to eat and drink on in the Front Range," 27 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ale.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

24 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Ale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ale. Accessed 29 Feb. 2020.

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